Half of knuckle bearing stuck onto knuckle arm? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter sw00py
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They're not usually a press fit on high steer arms. I don't know about the OEM ones though. If it is tight, it looks like there is room for a puller. I wouldn't think it would be that tight though.
It doesn't matter if you damage the bearing, its shot. But don't ding up or deform the surfaces on the steering arm. Grab it, pry it, tap it with a hammer, whatever, just don't damage the steering arm.
Good luck with it. Good job going for it and trying to learn to do your own work.
It doesn't matter if you damage the bearing, its shot. But don't ding up or deform the surfaces on the steering arm. Grab it, pry it, tap it with a hammer, whatever, just don't damage the steering arm.
Good luck with it. Good job going for it and trying to learn to do your own work.
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- #3
s*** yeah it's not budging. What kind of puller would you suggest given the lack of "lip" on here. I have this kit: but none of them quite work/fit. Amazon product ASIN B08FWYWB9D
I couldn't tell from the pic. It looked like there was a slight lip to grab. Did you get it clean yet? Won't catch on fire if you have to resort to a torch clean? I never had to pull a bearing off a stock arm so I'm guessing. I have no idea how tight by looking at pics.
What do you have to work with? I know a few of ways to heat bearings and not damage the other parts.
Can you get it in a vise by a non machined area? And maybe tap it around with a hammer and chisel? If it doesn't budge at all, then resort to other methods.
Would you be able to get a vise grip on it and use the puller on it? Sorry, thinking out loud here.
What do you have to work with? I know a few of ways to heat bearings and not damage the other parts.
Can you get it in a vise by a non machined area? And maybe tap it around with a hammer and chisel? If it doesn't budge at all, then resort to other methods.
Would you be able to get a vise grip on it and use the puller on it? Sorry, thinking out loud here.
If you have a cut off wheel or Dremel to CAREFULLY made a slice in it ALMOST all the way through, you can often split it.
Do you have an Oxy-Acetylene torch?
Does the manual show using a puller to remove that bearing?
Do you have an Oxy-Acetylene torch?
Does the manual show using a puller to remove that bearing?
I know how to heat that with a torch to get it off a couple ways and not damage the steering arm but I don't want to try to tell you how and take the chance of your part getting damaged by the torch.
Hopefully someone here chimes in that has done this with the stock arm. My high steer isn't press fit.
Hopefully someone here chimes in that has done this with the stock arm. My high steer isn't press fit.
- Thread starter
- #7
Yeah there is ever so slightly a lip on the bearing. I think I'll need to get creative with some kind of puller b/c it it's an awkward shape/set up. Don't have much to work with, but I tried heating it with butane torch and hitting it with hammer, but you're right it's not clean enough. So I will take it to work to pressure wash tomorrow and get it clean and try again - will get a MAPP torch too. No oxy acetylene torch, but if everything fails I can probably take it to a shop with one.
Thank you for the ideas, I think my next steps will be to put it in a vice and heat it and try to find a thin chisel and hopefully separate that way. I do have a cut off wheel and I think that will be my last resort after heat.
In chemistry we sometimes separate sized ground glass joints by alternating between heat and cold. May also try that with dry ice for the cold part.
The manual doesn't really talk about it that I can find. I don't think the bearing is supposed to get stuck on there. When I did the passenger side the bearing just popped out. But this side (drivers) I think the bearing was broken before I bought the truck because after I pulled the axle out I found bearing rollers inside the knuckle.
Kind of surprised that no one is remanufacturing this part. Doesn't seem to complicated, but all I can find are used ones for $200. Which I could always just buy if nothing works.
Thanks again for the ideas, I really appreciate it!!
The key to heating in MY experience using Oxy/ acetylene is the timing of the application of the heat.
One way I would try is having it supported upside down by the arm or something and use a torch tip that provides enough heat fast enough that the ring itself gets hot fast enough to expand it where it will drop right off BEFORE the part it is stuck on also heats up and expands. I've done it a lot.
It happens fast when done right. If you do it wrong the whole thing heats up together and the bearing will not drop off. I don't think it will work with a propane torch. I don't know about Mapp gas. That inner race is pretty thick and the peg it's on is small. You need a lot of heat fast.
One way I would try is having it supported upside down by the arm or something and use a torch tip that provides enough heat fast enough that the ring itself gets hot fast enough to expand it where it will drop right off BEFORE the part it is stuck on also heats up and expands. I've done it a lot.
It happens fast when done right. If you do it wrong the whole thing heats up together and the bearing will not drop off. I don't think it will work with a propane torch. I don't know about Mapp gas. That inner race is pretty thick and the peg it's on is small. You need a lot of heat fast.
If it's not a press fit, I would also try holding it tight in a vise sideways and working that upper lip area (smaller diameter) with a chisel all the way around and see if it will work off. Kind of like you knock a race out of a bore. Opposite sides to knock it off evenly.
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This happens to me pretty frequently on high-mileage 60's, I just use a thin chisel between the bearing and arm and they come right off
Or grab the bearing on that little edge in the vice and twist the steering arm, once it spins they pop right off
Or grab the bearing on that little edge in the vice and twist the steering arm, once it spins they pop right off
My last axle rebuild mine wouldn't come off with the conventional methods of heating, knocking, or pulling.
I had to slice cuts on two opposite sides with a cut off wheel, at 45 degree angles to the axis of the bearing (to allow the round cut off disc to get more cut through the material before hitting the steering arm surface). It sucked. I had to go extremely slowly to make sure to not gouge anything and then put on a dremel to do fine cutting. Can't cut all the way through the race without hitting the arm, so some meat is left on the bearing. At that point I then had to hammer chisels in each cut, so one on each side, to split the race in two.
I had to slice cuts on two opposite sides with a cut off wheel, at 45 degree angles to the axis of the bearing (to allow the round cut off disc to get more cut through the material before hitting the steering arm surface). It sucked. I had to go extremely slowly to make sure to not gouge anything and then put on a dremel to do fine cutting. Can't cut all the way through the race without hitting the arm, so some meat is left on the bearing. At that point I then had to hammer chisels in each cut, so one on each side, to split the race in two.
