Tip o' the week - Trunion bearing outer race (1 Viewer)

[bjowett]

This may have been covered before(?)... if so, I missed it.

Leave the SST(never needed it) and press in storage. Go place the race in the freezer. Go knock out the old outer race. Go get your new colder race(s). Lightly heat the ball knuckle area with a propane torch, I did it for maybe 15 seconds and it below freezing out right now. Drop the race in, and I do mean drop, it slides in there with no effort. The cool race sucks the heat from the knuckle and in a few seconds, it is tightly set in place. Repeat, enjoy.

 

[tucker74]

Where were you last weekend when I was beating on mine? Sounds easy enough - thx for the tip....

Tucker

 

[bjowett]

I can't tell you how many times I've pounded them in... This technique is used for all sorts of tight fit components, not sure why I never thought of doing it before.

 

[Darwood]

I wonder if I can use this for the inner wheel bearing outer race as well. I didn't like getting that one in at all.

 

[RavenTai]

I would assume so, same theory applies, if it does not drop in it will at least make it easier to drive in.

At work I use liquid nitrogen to install certain close fit/interference fit pins and bushings (several hundred degrees below 0) you have to be quick sometimes during the humid summer you can get frost on the part going from the tank to installed trapping water in the joint and causing corrosion