removing wheel bearing race.

[pete c]

I am in the middle of replacing my front driver's side wheel bearing. Got the snap ring out, and after much beating, swearing, chiseling, heating and further swearing, I have managed to get the guts of the bearing out. Unfortunately, these guts were about the only thing you can beat on. The outter race does not really provide a good point to push on. I am guessing that the only way to get the damn thing out will be to cut/chisel it. Unfortunately, I don't have anything small enough that can fit in there. A dremel with a right angle attachment would probably do the yob. I don't have one, unfortunately. I tried a hacksaw blade on it, but the hardened race just laughs at it.

Any suggestions other than the obligatory "time for a 96 brake upgrade"?

 

[shopartsnw]

I grew up beating the wheel bearings out with a hammer, but on a SHO you really need to use a press. I use a cheap 20 ton pressfrom Harbor Freight, and even that won't get all the bearings all the time.

Even if you can get the bearing out, you will need a press to put the new one in without damaging it.

Before I had a press, I would just take the knuckles to the local tire shop. The would press both bearings out/in for about $30-50

- Mike

 

[jedhead]

I had NAPA replace my bearings.

Bob

 

[pjtoledo]

It can be done, but it ain't easy. You may want to consider a replacement spindle. I took a chunk of about 3/8" plate and turned it down so it would fit past the outer ring of the spindle but not the inside narrow part of the race. Then I put something big in the center and beat on it, for hours. That "flat" piece of steel now looks like a cupped washer, but I got the race out!



Perry

 

[shojuan]

Once the machine shop I took my knuckles to had to weld a piece of rod or some such metal to the remains of the bearing so he could press it out. This was after spending a lot of time trying to get it out. I forget if he broke some sockets in the process. Sometimes they come out harder, sometimes easier.

Doesn't look good for my cheap $110 12 ton harbor freight press I just got. That's a step down from Mike's. I wanted the 20 ton which was on sale for $180 when I got the 12 ton but the boxes were just too big and heavy plus I would have had to swap my car for a truck to get them back home. I'm thinking about swapping out the 12 ton bottle jack in mine for a 20 ton air powered jack but that won't change the fact that the frame on the press is less beefy than the proper 20 ton unit. I suppose I could always weld in some extra metal...


The $45 a knuckle average that machine shops charge to R&R bearings from your knuckles is money well spent. Drop 'em off, pick 'em up, fork over some cash. The only cussing is at the ATM machine.

 

[shojuan]

I am in the middle of replacing my front driver's side wheel bearing. Got the snap ring out, and after much beating, swearing, chiseling, heating and further swearing, I have managed to get the guts of the bearing out. Unfortunately, these guts were about the only thing you can beat on. The outter race does not really provide a good point to push on. I am guessing that the only way to get the damn thing out will be to cut/chisel it. Unfortunately, I don't have anything small enough that can fit in there. A dremel with a right angle attachment would probably do the yob. I don't have one, unfortunately. I tried a hacksaw blade on it, but the hardened race just laughs at it.

Sounds like you need to weld some metal to the outer race. A good machine shop should be able to do that for you if you don't have a decent welder + enough basic skill to make a solid joint and not mess up your knuckle in the process. I wasn't charged extra years ago when my machine shop had to do this. And that's after he spent a lot of extra time trying to get it out the "usual" way. If he knew what he had to do right off the bat it wouldn't have taken very long.

 

[pjtoledo]

Once the machine shop I took my knuckles to had to weld a piece of rod or some such metal to the remains of the bearing so he could press it out. This was after spending a lot of time trying to get it out. I forget if he broke some sockets in the process. Sometimes they come out harder, sometimes easier.

Doesn't look good for my cheap $110 12 ton harbor freight press I just got. That's a step down from Mike's. I wanted the 20 ton which was on sale for $180 when I got the 12 ton but the boxes were just too big and heavy plus I would have had to swap my car for a truck to get them back home. I'm thinking about swapping out the 12 ton bottle jack in mine for a 20 ton air powered jack but that won't change the fact that the frame on the press is less beefy than the proper 20 ton unit. I suppose I could always weld in some extra metal...


The $45 a knuckle average that machine shops charge to R&R bearings from your knuckles is money well spent. Drop 'em off, pick 'em up, fork over some cash. The only cussing is at the ATM machine.

Who needs a press???? I can replace front wheel bearings in the basement with about 10 pounds of "special" tools. Total cost less than $30. It's a bit awkward, but I can do them with the spindle still on the car too.


Perry