Bearing removal

[grossohc]

Took off the front forks for a service and checked the front wheel bearings while it was off theres a bit of play so got new ones to replace them, trouble is cant get them out, am using pin punches and am getting no purchase on the bearing to whack the f"%^*(r off , any tips/tools i can use

Cheers

Gary

[pille]

hi grossohc, those bearings are really difficult to replace! it took me 4hours to replace the one on the rear wheel! once you get one out, you can remove the spacer and then it is easy for the second one. at the end of a frustrating morning I took the "dremel" and drillt them out, knowing its not a very mechanical solution!

good luck and keep calm!

[Guest Nigelstephens]

I have got my rear wheel ones to do sometime. I have a new spacer to go in the middle so I was expecting to be able to use this to somehow punch out the oposite bearing.

 

Have you tried warming the wheel hub with a hair dryer?

[Baldini]

They will come out fairly easily but it's tricky to get a good purchase on the first brng. Once I've located the drift at an angle onto the brng inner edge thru the hub, I use a piece of wood to wedge it in place tight against the other brng inner. A piece of flat steel with end formed to a curve works for me. Work around brng, not at just one spot.

 

Another trick someone here suggested was a piece of tube of diam to fit ID of brng with slots cut some way along it's length. Expand tube against brng & drift out.

 

Another suggestion was using expanding bolts.

 

Heat can help but probably isn't necessary. I used towels soaked in boiling water wrapped around hub successfully on something.

 

When fitting new bearings it's important to act on both inner & outer races at same time. I made up an alu plate, OD slightly smaller than brng's.

 

On rear wheel I left locating plates off spacer - this makes brng removal much easier, but axle location a bit trickier.

 

This subject was covered before, it may be worth a search. Or perhaps an FAQ or How to?

 

KB

[rossoandy]

They will come out fairly easily but it's tricky to get a good purchase on the first brng. Once I've located the drift at an angle onto the brng inner edge thru the hub, I use a piece of wood to wedge it in place tight against the other brng inner. A piece of flat steel with end formed to a curve works for me. Work around brng, not at just one spot.

 

Another trick someone here suggested was a piece of tube of diam to fit ID of brng with slots cut some way along it's length. Expand tube against brng & drift out.

 

Another suggestion was using expanding bolts.

 

Heat can help but probably isn't necessary. I used towels soaked in boiling water wrapped around hub successfully on something.

 

When fitting new bearings it's important to act on both inner & outer races at same time. I made up an alu plate, OD slightly smaller than brng's.

 

On rear wheel I left locating plates off spacer - this makes brng removal much easier, but axle location a bit trickier.

 

This subject was covered before, it may be worth a search. Or perhaps an FAQ or How to?

 

KB

May I say baldini's description good save one comment,DO NOT drive new bearings on inner race at all,this will damage them,all pressure should be wherever possible on outer race which is tight fit in hub. An exception to this rule is if you are pressing bearings in using constant overall pressure with a tool exceting force over entire bearing.However it is still rule one to press wherever posssible on outer tight race. I find a suitable sized socket or the old bearing placed over the new will help you get them started evenly in the recess.Again if using old bearing as drift make sure you tap on outer race.

The wheel bearings are a little tricky to get started to move but a decent sized punch say around 6mm will if you force the spacer over a tad get a purchase on the edge of the bearing allowing you to get a start on shifting it,always work around the bearing say in 90degree max moves. Obviosly you can drive the old out on the inner race as they are to be discared anyways.Check after you have fitted them by placing your finger inside them and turning them to and fro,they must be smooth with no roughness.

Have fun!

[badmotogoozer]

I made a tool for removing wheel bearings in just such a case. Requires a lathe... may not be for everyone but works a hot damn.

 

Excuse the extremely child-like pic I whipped up in Paint (no graphic artist skills here...).

 

I used mild steel. Overall length - min 50% longer than bear-bear distance. Diameter - largest diameter just small enough to slide inside bearing/spacer. Hole through center large enough for your favorite long tapered punch. Cut center line with hack saw/ band saw.

 

Slide tool in from the side opposite bearing being removed. Line pointy bit up where bearing and spacer meet. Push your tapered punch into center hole of tool from the side of bearing removal until pointy bit well seated between bear/spacer. Butt other end of tool against something solid. Whack punch a couple of times. You should now have room to punch out bearing normally. If not whack it a few more times.

 

If this made sense to anyone - you obviously are not drunk enough!

 

cheers,

 

Ryan

[rower307]

I fought this battle with rear wheel bearings. Here's what worked for me: Heat the wheel area around the bearing(not the bearing itself) with a propane torch. Keep the bearing as cool as possible. Some folks even put ice on the bearing. Lay the wheel flat with that bearing down & tap it with a good quality sharp edged narrow round punch on the inner race. One end of the spacer should have 2 notches in it that you can get the tip of the punch into for a little better bite. The bearing popped right out for me, after a previous week of trying everything else. Hope this helps you. JK

[Tim]

rawbolts are the answer - see my thread on this in late 2006. Use heat (hairdryer) on the hub and drive the bearing out... it might take few goes. Put the new bearings in the freezer and heat the hub again and drive the new bearings in using a pipe/socket/MG service tool on the outer race

 

then get out on the road!

 

Tim

[Baldini]

..DO NOT drive new bearings on inner race at all,this will damage them,all pressure should be wherever possible on outer race which is tight fit in hub. An exception to this rule is if you are pressing bearings in using constant overall pressure with a tool exceting force over entire bearing....

 

Yes, I thought that was obvious in my post, maybe not. To be clear: I mean bear on inner/outer simultaneously - eg: make up a flat plate that will act on both inner & outer faces simultaneously. I was not suggesting driving home on inner. I drifted brngs home using only outer face for years until someone here put me straight.

 

KB

[callison]

The way I've done it is to unbolt the disk rotors. Underneath them their are three slots with a mirror set on the other side of the wheel hub. I just take a really long thin flat blade screwdriver and work through the hub and punch the bearing out from the backside of the bearing.

[Guest azccj]

I've heard that you can use expanding bolts, the kind used to anker into concrete. As you tighten them they expand and will grab the inner race of the bearing. But never strike the inner race when driving them in. Use a socket the size of the outer race to hammer it in.

[grossohc]

Well i got my bearings off easy peasy, went back to work and was going to make something up along the lines of badmotorgoozers drawing , but then searching the rig from top to bottom i came across a box of internal bearing pullers made by "xukko" purely for research purposes i took the bits home i needed and 2 mins later bearings are out no hammers in sight . i would post a pic if my wife never gave my camera out on loan, as an aside £170 to service the ohlins and are now at man. specs, mechanic said the oil was in reasonable nick and the seals were ok (changed them anyway) not bad after 11000 miles. any way have to try and get 1 generator cover screw off all the rest were loose, this one will have to be drilled out or left and the cover painted in situ. the joys.

Gary

[badmotogoozer]

I should REALLY make a better drawing. Forgot about that after I drew it hastily in the few minutes before heading home on a Friday.

 

Since then I've found this inexpensive bearing removal kit.

 

http://www.shop.bevelheaven.com/detail.aspx?ID=797

 

Rj