44 replies to this topic

[Northernpower]

The idea is you need a drift softer than the metal you're hitting so any damage is done to the drift not in this case the bearing race.

[Laurie]

Ok thank you both I'll have a google for brass drift punches x
As said I don't mind as I can use the small ones on this set for beating out pre drilled rivets

[Spider]

I have a great set of wheel bearing and seal 'punches'.

 

If you have a look at the 9th photo in this thread, you'll see them. Just be patient, as they are on photobucket, they'll load, just give them a few moments.

 

http://www.theminifo...wheel-bearings/

 

I use them in my press, but they are actually intended for smacking with a hammer.

 

<Edit to insert link - thanks Nick >

Edited by Moke Spider, 19 July 2018 - 09:18 AM.

[alex-95]

I've just bought some hardened steel drift punches, they were only cheap from toolstation so I'm not overly concerned if they're wrong
I'll get myself a puller as well - any recommendations?
Hammer we've got tonnes of, from overboard sledgehammer right through to a little pin hammer

Could I use a dremel with a grinding disc on the race joint? As I fear I might get carried away with a angle grinder

as said a dremel will take ages, a grinder with a grinding disc or flap disc(Probably easier), and just take a little bit off the old outer bearing race, make sure it falls in so when you press them in it doesn't get stuck. I've done it this way before, tapped them in a bit making sure they are square and then pushed them in with a vice.

[Magneto]

I use a brass drift, it works easily and you can't damage the race. You can tell when the race is seated in the hub as the drift makes a different sound when you tap on it.

[Cooperman]

The difficult part is not getting the old outer races out, it is lining up the new outer races and pressing them squarely into the hub.
That is why lightly linished down old outer race is ideal as it ensures the new races go in straight.
You can use a linishing disc around the outside diameter. Not much has to come off, only about 1/1000th of an inch from the surface, and it doesn't need to be accurate. Just enough so that the old outer race doesn't lock itself into bore of the hub.

[Woolfie 640]

I found it easier to cut a slot in the old outer race which will collapse in slightly giving you the clearance needed without yourself grinding the outside of the race. Remember of course to deburr the area that you cut

[surfblue]

I found it easier to cut a slot in the old outer race which will collapse in slightly giving you the clearance needed without yourself grinding the outside of the race. Remember of course to deburr the area that you cut

Yep, thats what I used, just a slot cut down the side of an outer race with the angle grinder. Much simpler than trying to reduce the size of the race diameter, unless you have a lathe.

[mini-mad-mark]

I found it easier to cut a slot in the old outer race which will collapse in slightly giving you the clearance needed without yourself grinding the outside of the race. Remember of course to deburr the area that you cut

I would say it would spring out not collapse in, however with a slot it will be springy enough to easily extract if you get it stuck

[mini-mad-mark]

 

I found it easier to cut a slot in the old outer race which will collapse in slightly giving you the clearance needed without yourself grinding the outside of the race. Remember of course to deburr the area that you cut

I would say it would spring out not collapse in, however with a slot it will be springy enough to easily extract if you get it stuck

 

or once you've slotted it you could try to squash/squeeze/bend it inwards so its smaller 

[Cooperman]

No, just linish a couple of thou off of the OD and it will work well. Takes about 5 minutes to do this with a new flap-wheel in an angle grinder. As soon as it will drop into the hub without sticking it is right. No need to make extra work.

[Ethel]

Never needed any special tools beyond a big socket, torque wrench and BJ splitter.

A chisel or old screwdriver will do as a drift if you're not reusing the bearing and are careful. If you get the race out once you should do too if you use it to drift a new one in.

By all means arm yourself better if you think you'll want to do the job more than once.

[Spider]

A chisel or old screwdriver will do as a drift if you're not reusing the bearing and are careful. If you get the race out once you should do too if you use it to drift a new one in.
 

 

I don't want to be a knocker but sorry, I must express some caution and reservations here.

 

I feel the likes of a screwdriver or chisel is much too hard to do this job. Not something I'd recommend.

 

Using such tools with impact on hardened thin sections, like bearing cups can cause them to chip or worse and they can very easily damage the tunnel on the hub. If you must do it this way, or indeed the 'old bearing' method as others have discussed above, be sure to wear good eye protection.

 

Honestly, something soft is the way to go. An aluminum bar off cut, some copper busbar from a switchboard manufacturer (grab a few pieces as these are very handy when welding too), a lump of brass from a locksmith, or you can buy brass drifts or wheel bearing tools, many of which can also be used for installing seals too.

[brownspeed]

for the task of undoing and re-torqueing the hub nuts- I made up a "Y" shaped bracket with 2 lengths of flat bar. One long, and one short bar with holes at one end of each to fit the wheel studs, a hole on the other end of the short bar connected to the long bar with a bolt.

jack up car & remove wheel. fit bracket to wheel studs and secure in place using wheel nuts.

with the long end of the bar braced on the floor. remove hub nut with long torque wrench. much easier that trying to do it with someone's foot on the brake. also good for re-torqueing.

w.r.t. fitting new bearings- always best to press in where possible. if drifting in- I wouldn't use aluminium or brass on bearing fitting;- the impact can cause slivers to break off, best not to have these in bearings. I was brought up to use carbon steel round or square bar if fitting a bearing using this method.

[tiger99]

mini-mad-mark, I have been doing as you suggest and slitting them for probably 50 years on various cars, but I have to say that Cooperman's suggestion is somewhat better. A belt sander will do the job, it only needs to be roughly circular, so can be done by hand, but use pliers etc as it will get hot.

 

As for a brass drift, a piece of brass rod from the junk box will do. Don't have a junk box? Time to start one, where potentially useful bits of junk can be stored until required. A good form of recycling. But your local engineering works or metal supplier may allow you to rummage in their junk/offcuts box if you ask nicely. An offcut of brass rod will not cost very much. 6 to 9 inches of maybe 3/8" or 10mm diameter is adequate, and you may want to taper it at one end. No lathe? File it by hand to a rough taper with flat end.