Pressing in Bearing Races (1 Viewer)

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Jan 26, 2007
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Chandler, AZ
I have tried searching, but most of what I found simply says "re-install the races and put it all back together". If my question is answered elsewhere please point me in that direction.

I am installing new wheel bearings in the rear axle of my 95 FZJ. I don't have a press and am trying to figure out a way to install the new races. Does anyone have a trick for doing it yourself at home in a fairly well equipped garage? (except for a press)

I tried using the old races to press in the new ones using a brass hammer to tap it in. My concern with this is the old race following the new one in and having to whack it out afterwards and possibly damaging the new race. I also thought about using my bench vise as a press, but it doesn't open wide enough to fit the entire hub in.

So, do I wait and have them pressed in at a shop, go buy a press, or use some other trick that one of our many skilled mudders might be able to share? :D

(I do have a welder and a plasma cutter, so fabing something up is an option if someone has an idea along those lines.)

Thanks!
 
brass punch & hammer
 
Take an old race, cut a slit all the way through it, and use it to pound the new one in with a brass hammer. Take care you orient it so you can then flip it over and use a brass drift/punch and pound the old one out. A few have accidentally pounded in the old one with the thin edge going in first - meaning they have no lip to knock it back out with. This is a piece of cake to do and if you got the old ones out you have the skill to pound the new ones in.

DougM
 
brass punch & hammer

Thanks Raven.

Is there a concern with damaging the race if the punch slips, or is that the purpose of using brass? I wasn't completely confident that I could do it that way without slight damage.
 
Take an old race, cut a slit all the way through it, and use it to pound the new one in with a brass hammer. Take care you orient it so you can then flip it over and use a brass drift/punch and pound the old one out. A few have accidentally pounded in the old one with the thin edge going in first - meaning they have no lip to knock it back out with. This is a piece of cake to do and if you got the old ones out you have the skill to pound the new ones in.

DougM

Great advice Doug. What did you cut the slit with? Hacksaw?
 
I used a dremel with a cut-off wheel.

-B-

Sounds good, will use my angle grinder. (with a cutoff wheel)

Part of me was hoping to hear "you have to use a press, use the money you are saving by DIY and go buy one"!! :D

Thanks!
 
OK

You Have to use a air over oil press, there is no other way, use the money you are saving by DIY and go buy one, you will also need a set of shinny implements for the press to put races in.


it will all look great in your garage trust me.
 
OK

You Have to use a air over oil press, there is no other way, use the money you are saving by DIY and go buy one, you will also need a set of shinny implements for the press to put races in.


it will all look great in your garage trust me.

Sweet!! That's just what I was looking for!! :idea:

Thanks for the input, got the old races cut and as soon as the paint dries on my hubs I will get them in. Or I'll be back here with more???

:beer::beer:
 
Worked perfectly! Thank you all for your help!
 
LC/CGS - Since you have gotten some very valuable information that is timely for me as well, I want to ask a question of you and the folks that responded...

If you were buying a new brass hammer and punch (set?) what would you recommend? Is there a size that has more utility? Anything?
 
LC/CGS - Since you have gotten some very valuable information that is timely for me as well, I want to ask a question of you and the folks that responded...

If you were buying a new brass hammer and punch (set?) what would you recommend? Is there a size that has more utility? Anything?

I had trouble locating this to. Got a lot of queer looks when asking for a "brass drift". But found some at harbor freight. IIRC it came in a set of three... one small, one medium and one large. The medium and small are not really up to the task (pretty much wore those out). But the big one (it's about a 5/8" diameter and 12" long) was the ticket. Got a lot of good use out of it. Well worth the $6.99.

:beer:
Rookie2
 
put it in the freezer, then tap in with a drift
 
Autozone rents tools for free (they require a refundable deposit). I've borrowed bearing presses there every year to work my my boat trailers for the last 5 years. Good luck!
 
I had trouble finding brass as well. I ended up finding a 3 piece kit in the auto tools section at Sears. As for the hammer, I searched and no one seemed to have any. Then I recalled a spur of the moment purchase at Harbor Freight, it was an orange plastic hammer with a brass head on one side, it was actually in my tool bag in my truck!:doh:Glad I remembered it! It was most handy with knocking out the cone washers, any hammer would have done fine for everything else. I tried HF again before starting this and my local one had neither the drifts or the hammer in stock.

The idea of cutting a slot in the races worked perfectly. I would add that using both old races from the smaller (outer) bearing worked well for installing the new ones.

Here's how it went: install new race in proper direction, place cut race on top of new in proper direction, then place the third one upside down on top of cut race. This provides for a fatter surface to hammer against since the backside of the race is wider, and the outer race sits so deep in the hub. Neither of the old races even came close to getting stuck. Long description, but its actually very easy when all the parts are right in front of you. (sorry no pics)
For the inner race just one old race is needed.
 
most of my brass drifts are just made from round brass stock, about 3/8" seams the most handy,

This is a great idea. Sears got me for $19.99, never again!

$6.99 if you can find them at HF isn't bad either.
 
Okay... so I go down to the NAPA store to pick up my bearings and what do they have hanging on the tool board? Yep, a one pound brass hammer and an assortment of brass drifts.

Hammer $23.69
Punch $10.99
Wheel Bearings PRICELESS
 
I do the same as Raven - buy a length of brass rod and cut off an 8 inch chunk. When the tip gets too flared out, (once a bearing or so) it takes 15 seconds to cut a sliver off the tip so it's nice and square again. Buying a drift that's pointed down for a work tip is useless as you end up trimming a couple times there and the tool's too thick/wide. Go the cheap route. That way you can make about 5 tools with a 36" rod from any big box store. Toss one in each tool box, etc.

DougM
 

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