help! birfield/bearing receway stuck, major problem! (1 Viewer)

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Started my birfields tonight, have all weekend to do it. Had a friend helping do one side as I did the other. He got a little ahead of me and POUNDED THE UPPER AND LOWER BEARING RACEWAYS IN BACKWARDS.

So now I can't get them out, I have given up getting them out in tact, just want them out. I will do/buy whatever it takes.

I have tried every pry tool, chisel, punch, screwdriver I have, and doesn't budge. I am thinking I need to drill into it, or cut a slot to pound them out, my drill bits don't even dimple the hardened steel....... I'll take any and all suggestions......help.
 
Can you get just the right size socket that you can put on the race from the inside of the knuckle. When you do, put an extension on the socket and pound away? the taper should work in your favor if they are in backwards, getting smaller so the socket will "wedge" in it as you pound.

Nick
 
Thats Funny.
I just finished my birfs today and put my first race in upside down.

I used a screwdriver from the top side to get it up a tiny bit (used it just like I used it to get off the grease cap) Once it raised up a cm of the lip i used a brass punch from the bottom to get it the rest of the way.

The race looked new after I got it out.
Just my experiance.
Good luck
Steven
 
Steven, I'm not following you.... can you explain "used it just like I used it to get off the grease cap"
I am not having much luck with pry tools, they just don't squeeze in the tiny gap. Would like to try your method, just need a little clarification.

Great idea on the socket, just above my biggest socket (1 1/4") so will have to go shopping this morning to try that.

Great ideas guys, thank you, keep em coming............................
 
The one that was put in wrong was the top trunnion bearing on th steering nuckle.

Coming from the top I hammered a screwdriver tip between the lip of the race and the edge of the machining on the steering nuckle that the race seats agaist. You should see a large ledge that the race is supposed to seat against. If you get the race up a tiny bit off of that ledge you'll be able to catch it from the bottom side with a drift.

I worked around in a circle hammering the screwdriver between the lip of the race and the seat on the nuckle untill there was a gap between the race and the machining that the race sits against.

At that point I went in through the bottom hole with my pointed brass drift and was able to catch the tinyest little edge of the race, again wrking in circles I worked the race up gradualy hammering from below.

The Dust/grease cap that covers the outer most snap ring is taken of in the same way with a screw driver. Get the tip of your screwdriver inbetween the lip of the cap and the edge of the flange and then keep working it around untill the dust/grease cap pops off. Same way for the upside down race.

Hardest part is starting the tip of the screwdriver between the race and and the seat . I figured the bearing and race would be going in th garbage so I hammered hard to wedge the screwdriver between the race's lip and the seat inside the steering nuckle.

I am sure someone else may have a better idea, and I hope that this post makes sense. I just went through this yesterday so I am only telling you what worked for me.
Good Luck
Steven
 
This is great news for me since I thought I was the only one dumb enough to do this :D

The real problem for those that have not done this mod, is that the narrow edge of the race is clerly the exact same size as the inside of the knuckle where it seats--so there's absolutely no lip to tap on and get the race out. This is how I got mine out (bear in mind that you will most likely damage the race, but save the knuckle in doing this):

Use a dremmel tool with a green wheel attachment. The green wheel needs to be about the same size as the cresent shaped notch that they already machined into the knuckle housing for you to punch the race out. Smaller may be easier than larger since you'll cut away less material.

Grind the cresent deeper with the dremmel until you can just get a screwdriver or punch on the race, then tap away.

It took me about 30 min to do this, and a lot of cussing and spitting, but it worked. If you do a search from a little over a year ago, you'll find a post where I too pleaded for help. A lot of clever suggestions for this at that time, but none that worked except the dremmel.
 
Scamper said:
This is great news for me since I thought I was the only one dumb enough to do this :D

Ya I read your dremmel Idea, no dremel and Home depot is closed at 3 am.

But ya I joined you in doing that. :whoops:
 
I guess that would be a last resort, never done that before, some kind of nitrogen? how do you buy that stuff?

trying the socket idea, in a few minutes................then trying to wedge it out...........
I'll let you know.
 
Tom's method is best.

You will also need new races. to go back in. I would not attempt to use the races after pounding them out.
 
Scamper said:
The real problem for those that have not done this mod...

LOL. And it hurts. I was supposed to be doing my front axle last night but a spinal-tap last night kinda slowed me down today.

Maybe I can do this 'mod' next weekend...but I sure hope not!
 
Got them out. Along with sockets we also bought, little punches with a sharpened flat point, worked our way around slowly as per loquito's suggestion and got it.
 
Good to hear it :bounce:

I've been watching this thread off and on all morning wondering what method you were trying at the time.....and which one finally would work for you...

Glad to see you made it thru. :)

Nick
 
Glad to hear you got them out. I think I know how you felt when you realized what you had done :mad: :whoops: :ban: :princess:

Maybe you can post the size of the socket that you used to get the race out...
 

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