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What's the best, easiest, way to remove two caged needle roller bearings, in a steel casing, from a motorcycle swinging arm made of alloy? The bearings are approx 1 inch in diameter, inside a 12 inch long tube (approx) that has a smaller diameter in the centre. I'm worried about damaging the alloy if I use brute force. Is there a special tool for this type of job?
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What's the best, easiest, way to remove two caged needle roller bearings, in a steel casing, from a motorcycle swinging arm made of alloy? The bearings are approx 1 inch in diameter, inside a 12 inch long tube (approx) that has a smaller diameter in the centre. I'm worried about damaging the alloy if I use brute force. Is there a special tool for this type of job?
Seriously, take the swing arm to your local dealer. They will charge a pittance for removing them - and will probably offer to put the new ones in.
If you do end up puting new bearings in yourself put the bearings in the freezer the night before. Works a treat.
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Parp, Parp!
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Agree with Toad.
When I was kart racing, and replacing main bearings on a monthly basis, I used to put the crank case in the barbeque for a few hours to help ease the old ones out without bruising the alloy, and the new ones in the freezer overnight, to help them slot in to the by now cooled down casing.
Worked every time, for over ten years!
/Steve
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Agree with Toad. When I was kart racing, and replacing main bearings on a monthly basis, I used to put the crank case in the barbeque for a few hours to help ease the old ones out without bruising the alloy, and the new ones in the freezer overnight, to help them slot in to the by now cooled down casing.
My rear bearings literally *fell* in having been cooled.
I stand by my original advise that takign the swing arm to a dealer will be cheaper and easier than dong it yourself.
The cheapest way to do it would be to use a socket of exactly the right diameter as a drift, but a dealer will do it literally for beer money.
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Parp, Parp!
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It's the drifting them out that has me worried, as there is no obvious way to get a firm hold of the bearing from within. I bent a screwdriver to get the previous set out, but it took forever, and the bearing came out in pieces. There must be some kind of tool that's made for this, I'm sure the dealer doesn't take a lump hammer and old screwdriver to it, or would they?
I like the idea of freezing the new ones, it's not as smelly as baking VHT paint in the oven, or boiling a chain in grease on the stove (not O-ring).
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It's the drifting them out that has me worried
Seriously. I had a set of bushes stuck. I gave up and decided to phone round some main dealers and accept the huge cost and hassle.
The *first* one said to bring it in and it would take 5 mins.
I asked about the charge - no charge he said.
They did it while I waited and I gave the lad that did it a *massive* tip.
Taking it off the frame is 99.9999999% per cent of the work.
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Parp, Parp!
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Look at a Peugeot 309 Haynes manual.
They illustrate a long threaded bar with washers cut so they have flats.
The flats then enable the washer to pass through the bearing.
When you pull back on the washer it fits snugly behind the outer race.
You can then wind a nut and washer against the end of the tube and draw the bearing out.
Works brilliantly
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Aha, a light at the end of the tunnel. This sounds just what I'm looking for, it should pull the bearing out square. I'll give it a try, and then take the debris to the dealer if it fails.
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I've found a blind bearing puller on the Machine Mart website. It comes with four sizes of extractor jaws that appear to push through the bearing, open out to grip the outer case, and the slide hammer it out. Has anyone any experience of these? I dont' mind investing in tools if they are genuinely useful.
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Doug,
This tool would do the job but Keith's "long stud and washers" idea is also perfect/cheaper.
JW
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The problem was I had two sizes of bearing to remove, and a very fine groove to get the washer in. I chickened out and bought the extractor, what a difference. It took me 5 minutes to get two small bearings out, and half and hour with a blow torch warming the alloy to get the other two out. The new bearings are in the freezer as I write this, so thanks for the help everyone.
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Doug buying the extractor is the right thing to doo, or fitters use these, they also use a hot oil bath to warm/expand housings, this prevents localised heat which could damage the alloy, the freezer is a good idea.
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Freezer and oven.
I used to "cook" my Bonneville crankcases (alloy) in my mum's oven. You could push the bearings in by hand, and they would stay in place perfectly.
I have heard it called "heat spanner"...
rg
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