Back axle bearings

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 6:37 pm

Making slow but good progress
I got the remains of the inner bearing off the half shaft

But I can't work out how to get the rest of the outer bearing from the axle housing. What voodoo magic can I use to persuade it to come out ?

TOH · Post by **TOH** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:56 pm

Ian wrote:But I can't work out how to get the rest of the outer bearing from the axle housing. What voodoo magic can I use to persuade it to come out ?

I have never tried it myself but supposedly if you weld a long seam along the inside surface of the old bearing, it would make the bearing shrink a little when it cools down, thus enabling the easy removal of the bearing. That trick can also be used with stuck sylinder liners but not if you're going to reuse them

The method sounds easy enough to give a try if you have a welder at your disposal.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:33 pm

When you replaced your bearings TOH, did you not replace the outer part ?

TOH · Post by **TOH** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:37 pm

Ian wrote:When you replaced your bearings TOH, did you not replace the outer part ?

I just replaced the leaking oil seal and felt. The bearings didn't need replacing. I had to pull the inner parts out, though, to get to the oil seals but I just reused them. Time will tell if I saved on the wrong place...

Kav · Post by **Kav** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 1:33 am

Hi all - The method that I have used many times is similar to what you describe except that, depending on the size of the bearing, I do three or four short, thick welds across the cup roughly evenly spaced around the bearing. I use a weaving motion to build it up fairly thick, about an inch wide, and it shrinks the cup almost straight away and it falls out easily. Don't forget to stop the splatter from going up inside the housing in case it gets into the new bearing. Good luck - Best regards - Michael.

Post by **Brian** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:16 am

Long bar with a lever bit on the end to get behind the cup, then drive it out from the inside. Did not have things like welders in the middle of fields.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:53 am

We don't have a welder here

And Brian you mean a crowbar ?

I'll try and find something to knock it out with. Worst comes to worst I meant just leave it in there and re-use it.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 2:04 pm

Well I got the inner bearing on the half shaft

I think that's on correctly. Still can not get the bearing out of the axle housing. It's at at angle which is impossible to bang out. Maybe I'll leave it.. hmm

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:02 am

If you get the housing warm to the touch and then keep rubbing dry ice(frozen CO2) around the race, it should loosen and come out. DO NOT handle the dry ice with your hands as it will give you a bad frostbite almost instantly! The housing will hold its heat much longer than the bearing race allowing the race to shrink. A little never seize compound on the outside of the new race will make life easier for the next guy who has to do the job(in another 50 years or so!).

Dandy Dave · Post by **Dandy Dave** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:03 am

I've used the welder trick on a lot of bearings and it works like a charm. All you need a "buzz box" and a power source. I have also, in a pinch, used a torch to cut a slot in the old race. I definetly would not reuse the old race as the surface is surley damaged. Get someone with a portable welder if need be. The job will only take minutes and be well worth it in the end. Dandy Dave!

The Swanndri Guy · Post by **The Swanndri Guy** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:23 am

Ian , another way of removing the bearing cup is to use a slide hammer, its like a bar about 400mm long, with a sliding weight (about 1 kg) on one end, and a lip to go behind the cup on the other end.You slide the weight to the end of the bar quickly so it hits the stop, to use the momentum of the weight to pull the cup out.(Why do I think a picture could explain this better?)

Just make sure you replace the cup for the new bearing,do not leave the old one in. Cheers TSG.

Emiel · Post by **Emiel** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 9:30 am

Hello,

Are these available in the size of your bearing cup?

Aussie Frank · Post by **Aussie Frank** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:57 am

Hi Ian,

If you can't get a welder to the axle housing, I would unbolt the axle housing and take it to a welder to get the race out. the most you will have to do is make a new gasket for where it bolts to the back end. There is no way I would break a bearing inner and outer set. They are a matched pair and cannot be mixed with other bearing parts even if they were in good condition. Just a lesson learned through bitter experience.

Regards, Frank.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:15 pm

My god father came up and suggested we try and thin it out with a grinder, then split it and beat it out. Think we are gonna try that

henk · Post by **henk** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 9:53 pm

Would this be of any use?
This is what I use to pull bushes and bearings.
The plate behind the bearing has two flat sides to go through the bearing and the hole is threaded, but you can also use a nut. Only thing would be to make sure it wont turn. The green part is a threaded spindle. The two blocs has to be the same height. With a nut on top you can turn the bearing or bush out and in.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 1:30 am

It might be,
but the problem is you have to get something between the axle housing groove, and the bearing and there isn't a lot of space there !

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 6:03 pm

Well we got it out, with a bit of help from a grinder, and a giant spanner and hammer

There the new one in there

Getting the old bearing cup out has definitely been the hardest part of the job so far.

dennis · Post by **dennis** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:41 pm

Sorry my post is late to help Ian but it my help others in future.
In the last few days I have successfully removed both bearing outer races with the tool shown. The tool started as a ordinary three leg puller but I removed the legs and substituted three legs that I made that were roughly diamond shaped as shown. The tool goes through the bearing race with the legs closed up. Then the legs are opened out behind the race. As each leg ends in a point it easily fits in the narrow space beind the back of the race and the casting.

This is the tool in position with the legs opened out behind the bearing and the race well on its way out.

This next picture shows how the legs spread out behind the race.

Finally, this last photo shows the legs in the closed up position as they would be to go through the race initially.

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Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:55 pm

that would have been perfect !

I still have the other side to do. Could i borrow it ?

I can always re-reimburse postage. I am from the UK also !

henk · Post by **henk** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:07 pm

Great tool Dennis.

dennis · Post by **dennis** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:27 pm

Hi Ian,

I would be pleased to loan you the tool. Can I suggest you contact me at my email address if you want to follow this up.

Dennis

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:50 pm

you have mail ! Many thanks Dennis

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 12:13 am

Dennis, that is a GREAT modification to a 3 jaw puller!.Could you show a small sketch of dimensions of your diamond shaped legs so I can make one for my own use? I'd ask to borrow yours, but it's a long swim to the other side of the pond, shipping is EXPENSIVE, and I'd like to have my own anyway. Thanks!

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:14 pm

Finished picture !

dennis · Post by **dennis** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:07 pm

Hi Kim,

I have drawn a rough sketch of the leg of the withdrawal tool as you requested, giving the various approximate dimensions . I didn't work to dimensions myself, just kept filing and sawing until the thing worked. The photo also shows one of the actual legs.

I'm sure you realise that it is the shape and size of the body of the tool that determines the size of the legs and in this respect your tool legs will probably turn out differently to mine.

The two most important things I found are :-

1. The distance from the middle of the jack screw hole to the point of each of the opened out legs must be very close to 2", certainly no more.

2. The face marked "B" in my photo must be in contact with the bottom of the slot when the legs are opened out otherwise the legs will go over centre and the tool will pull straight out. For simplicity I made small wedging pieces (also shown in the photo) that were pushed between side "B" and the bottom of the slot after the legs were opened out behind the bearing race.

Face "A" in my photo is the face that makes contact with the bearing race but only the last 1/8" or so.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Dennis