Removing wheel bearings without a press!?

[polkat]

About to start a rebuild on a 7-1/4" rear. Rural area with no machine shops nearby. Is there an alternative way to remove and replace the end bearings (wheel bearings) without using a big press?
Thanks!

 

[fishy68]

If you have a Dremel tool with cutting discs you can use it to cut the old bearing in half and once you get it cut in half it should slide off. Just be careful you don't cut too far into the axle itself. Getting the new one on without a press could be the harder part. Not sure how you could do that.

 

[dartcuda]

You will need a hammer and a good chessel. You will need ot cut the retainer with the chessel. Once you do that the bearing should come off pretty easy, then I would think you should be able to use a piece of pipe the sice of the retainer and beat the new on on

 

[memike]

This site kick a$$!!! =D> yall took care of polkat.:thumleft:

Swing'in a hammer is hell on me,
So I take mine to my local NAPA store.

fishy68 and dartcuda :rock::thumbrig::thumbrig:

 

[fishy68]

Swing'in a hammer is hell on me.

Yeah it is me too after I had my hand/wrist smashed by a forklift in 96. I now have a 20 ton press. Makes life allot easier.

 

[68gts340]

I have used an air chisel for years..works on even the stubborn ones

 

[Optik]

if you have big meat freezer (the box type), once you get the old bearing off you could try putting the axle in the freezer for a few days, once its good and cold, put the bearing in the oven for a little while then take it out and immediately put the hot bearing on the cold axle and see if the expansion/contraction allow it to slip on, might take some pounding but it should make it a little easier to get on. anyone tried this???
-tim

 

[fishy68]

if you have big meat freezer (the box type), once you get the old bearing off you could try putting the axle in the freezer for a few days, once its good and cold, put the bearing in the oven for a little while then take it out and immediately put the hot bearing on the cold axle and see if the expansion/contraction allow it to slip on, might take some pounding but it should make it a little easier to get on. anyone tried this???
-tim

I haven't done it with axle bearings but when I used to work for Hyster I did it to install kingpin bearings. Put them in a baggie and in the freezer all night. Then the next morn. put them in my lunch box and when I got to the job they slipped in alot easier so it does help quite a bit.

 

[375inStroke]

Dry ice.

 

[lil elephant]

I used a slide hammer, they came out without much of an effort. There is a notch in the housing for the forks.

 

[RedFish]

once you have a nice groove cut in the inner race with a die grinder you can hit it in that groove with a dull chisel and shop hammer . The race will crack and slide right off , no damage to axle.
Bolt the axle to a wheel so it stands up drop the new bearing on and follow with a piece of pipe longer than the axle. Now stand above it ,like on a truck tail gate, and have at it with a 12 lb. sledge hammer. Anti sieze compund or even a little WD-40 helps. Hope you are young and strong.

 

[polkat]

Thanks Red Fish and others here that don't think the bearing is mounted inside the axle tube. I'm not young but still plenty strong. I'll give it a go!