tegwin
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| posted on 16/7/07 at 10:54 PM |
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OT Removing bearings from aluminium housings
Off toppic again but im sure someone on here will know the engineering solution to this.....
Im going to replace the cartridge bearings in the swingarm on my mountain bike.....
They simply appear to be pressed into the aluminium swingarm...
Now im guessing, that because the bearings have been in there for 3 years and have been subject to moisture etc, that they will have corroded nice and
tight...
What is the correct method of removing the bearings without damaging any part of the aluminium frame?
(the bearings are completely gone and have monumental amounts of play in them...)
I was thinking about taking a fine hacksaw blade to the bearing races and splitting them, but this risks damaging the frame and im going to hazard a
guess that the bearing races will be made out of something harder than my hacksaw blades...
Any ideas?
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nitram38
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| posted on 16/7/07 at 10:57 PM |
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If it is not painted or have any coating, then warm the outside of the frame with a blow torch.
Aluminium expands at a faster rate than steel so the bearings should come out easily.
Refitting can be done the same way.
[Edited on 16/7/2007 by nitram38]
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tegwin
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| posted on 16/7/07 at 11:05 PM |
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Unforunately the ali frame is painted and I suspect the paint coating is so thin (less weight apparently)....It will just melt before the ali gets
hot...
Is there a puller that can grab the inside of the bearing?.....they are relativley small bearings mind...I think the smallest is 8mm bore...
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nitram38
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| posted on 16/7/07 at 11:08 PM |
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If there is such a tool, I am sure that your local bike shop or ebay would have one.
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RK
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| posted on 17/7/07 at 02:42 AM |
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Finally a subject I know:
Use a vise, and two different sized sockets. Place the smaller one so it just fits over the bearing to be removed, and the other on the other side.
Start winding the vise et voila! You can hammer in the new ones or reverse the procedure, without the big socket.
The same deal is used for rear shocks. I replace my bushings twice a year.
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paulf
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| posted on 17/7/07 at 08:54 AM |
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I would try pouring boiling water over it or soak some rags in boiling water and lay them on the housing to heat it up.You could then tap the races
out using a small drift from the opposite side.
It is possible to get internal pullers that expand and can then be used with a slide hammer, maybe you could make something along these lines using a
rawl bolt or similiar.
Paul.
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Unforunately the ali frame is painted and I suspect the paint coating is so thin (less weight apparently)....It will just melt before the ali gets
hot...
Is there a puller that can grab the inside of the bearing?.....they are relativley small bearings mind...I think the smallest is 8mm bore...
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 17/7/07 at 09:08 AM |
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A hacksaw won't work - the steel is very hard on bearing races. You could try a dremel-type tool with a small grinding tip.
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Mal
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| posted on 17/7/07 at 12:11 PM |
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I second the kettle full of boiling water as a good method of heating the aluminium, without too much risk.
Mal
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Nick Skidmore
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| posted on 17/7/07 at 01:48 PM |
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Try using some all thread, sockets, penny washers and nuts to see if you can rig up an impromptu 'puller' by drawing a socket that's
smaller than the od but bigger than the id of the bearing through the bike frame and in to aonther socket thats bigger than the bearing od but
smaller than the frame.
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