|
|
Post by Juan on Sept 13, 2017 15:21:45 GMT -6
Thanks to the storm I have a few days down time and since I found a bad wheel bearings in one wheel a couple weeks ago and replaced the hub assembly, I decided to change the wheel bearings and grease seals in the other three wheels. Two of the grease seals were bad and were slinging grease onto the back side of the wheels so I figured it was past due.. The rear bearing race on all three wheels came out easily with a few taps of a punch but all three of the front bearing races were a pain to get out.. I wasn't able to get to the bearing race inside the hub to tap it out and since they wouldn't budge, I had to cut all three out with a Dremel tool.. That took a while. Just wondering if anyone else has changed the bearings in their hubs and had the same problem.
|
|
|
|
Post by CaptWoody on Oct 1, 2017 17:23:04 GMT -6
Juan I've not had trouble replacing them on my boat trailer but had to cut one out the same way on the rear main bearing on my Jeep transmission years ago...while it was still in the Jeep. Not fun.
|
|
|
|
Post by Juan on Oct 2, 2017 5:43:36 GMT -6
Juan I've not had trouble replacing them on my boat trailer but had to cut one out the same way on the rear main bearing on my Jeep transmission years ago...while it was still in the Jeep. Not fun. That HAD to be a bugger! I cut mine out with the hub in a vise and it was still hard to do. I had never had to cut one out like that before and was worried about doing it with a Dremel cutting wheel since the cutting wheel cut into the hub a little when cutting through the bearing race but I guess since the new bearing race covers that spot, it's okay? I've put about 400 miles on the trailer since the bearing change and so far so good. |
|
985crabs
Captain
2000 V1900 Bay Series, Yamaha 150 Carb. 2
Posts: 1,311
|
Post by 985crabs on Oct 2, 2017 7:28:35 GMT -6
Being as that I'm a special kind of stoopid, I just bought a 30' travel trailer, sight unseen, in AR to be dragged back to LA where it would become my fish camp. Before I could move it from the duck camp in AR where it had sat unmoved for 10 years, I had to change the bearings and put new tires on it. 6 of the 8 races came out fairly simply through beating them with a large screwdriver and hammer. 2 did not. They were horrendous, took forever to dislodge and inspired the use of foul language. What I didn't know then and do know now is that the way you get those buggers out is by putting the hub in a vice and heating it with a torch. The metal heats up and the race will either fall out or come out with just a tap. Don't worry about the incidental hub scars if they are concealed by the new race. When seating the new races, one can drop them into an ice chest full of ice and water to get them to contract. Then, while using the appropriate tool (photo attached), they'll drop in quickly and the chances of keeping them level as they go down go way up. Even with all of this newfound wisdom, If I ever have to change bearings again, I may just buy complete new hubs with bearings already installed. Bearings may be a battle I choose not to pick.  |
|
|
|
Post by Juan on Oct 2, 2017 9:59:46 GMT -6
What I didn't know then and do know now is that the way you get those buggers out is by putting the hub in a vice and heating it with a torch. The metal heats up and the race will either fall out or come out with just a tap. Okay, do you know that because you tried it or because you read it somewhere?  I heated my hubs to a point where they were about to glow red before breaking out the Dremel tool and the front races still wouldn't budge until I cut them in half. In case anyone is considering doing a bearing replacement, Advanced Auto sells a bearing race kit like the one in the picture Crab's posted for under $20. and it makes the job a LOT easier. I bought one I hope I never have to use again but at $15 per wheel for bearings vs $60, I'm going to keep it just in case. |
|
985crabs
Captain
2000 V1900 Bay Series, Yamaha 150 Carb. 2
Posts: 1,311
|
Post by 985crabs on Oct 2, 2017 10:37:24 GMT -6
I have no personal experience with the torch method. I did view 2 separate YouTube videos demonstrating the practice after my bad experience as I tried to understand what went so terribly wrong. Both of the videos' hosts appeared to be in the business of doing hardcore mechanical stuff for a living so they seemed quite authentic and knowledgeable.
|
|
|
|
Post by freezerfiller on Oct 2, 2017 10:42:57 GMT -6
I always just popped them out with a big flathead screwdriver and a hammer from the backside. Never had to cut one out.
|
|
|
|
Post by Juan on Oct 2, 2017 14:11:02 GMT -6
I always just popped them out with a big flathead screwdriver and a hammer from the backside. Never had to cut one out. That worked for the rear races in all the hubs but not for the front races. I think the problem with mine is how the hubs were made. There's no gap or any way to get a screwdriver, a punch or anything else between the race and the lip that it seals onto on the front race. The rear races don't seal against a lip like the front ones do. Crabs, I watched one of those YouTube videos too.. that's why I tried the torch. Just didn't work on mine and like you, if I had known they were going to be that hard to get out, I'd have bought new hubs. |
|
mosquito13
Lieutenant
Posts: 788 
Location: the other West Coast
|
Post by mosquito13 on Oct 3, 2017 16:59:47 GMT -6
Coat the race with anti seize for the next time. I use loctite silver on all fasteners also. Rebuilding my new "used" dual axle. Haven't tackled the the wheel bearing yet.
|
|
I heated my hubs to a point where they were about to glow red before breaking out the Dremel tool and the front races still wouldn't budge until I cut them in half. 
