18 replies to this topic

[bob540]

Is there another way to remove the roller bearings from upper arms without welding a bolt in there?

[mk1leg]

I used a Dramil and cut through the old bearing and then removed it

[alex-95]

Nicklouses tip or you can buy an internal bearing puller.

Well today was a day of sorting out a few little things. One thing that I have seen is people struggling with top arm bearing replacement with some really odd suggestions including welding bit to the bearing. I guess this is because people have not cleaned out the old grease first. There is loads of room to get a drift behind the inner face and knock them out.
I use a slightly shaped drift.





Finished off the front subframe. Of to the blasters next week.

 

[bob540]

I used a Dramil and cut through the old bearing and then removed it

I'd be a bit worried about damaging the inner surface of the arm, my hands are far from steady at the best of times

 

Nicklouses tip or you can buy an internal bearing puller.

Going in that way might be an option. Might just buy a bearing puller though, they don't seem too expensive.

[Guess-Works.com]

Blind bearing puller....

[Spider]

 

I used a Dramil and cut through the old bearing and then removed it

I'd be a bit worried about damaging the inner surface of the arm, my hands are far from steady at the best of times

 

When I used to do them that way, I never went right through, just make the casing wafer thin then drive an old small screw driver or a masonry nail down between the old shell and the tunnel in the arm.

 

 

 

Nicklouses tip or you can buy an internal bearing puller.

Going in that way might be an option. Might just buy a bearing puller though, they don't seem too expensive.

 

 

 

I bought the internal expanding collets ages ago, I didn't think expensive at all. The one that does the front arm bearings also does the rear arm bearing and the early idler gear bearings too.

 

The way that the expanding collets are intended to be used is with a slide hammer, but I use mine with threaded rod and screw them out. The collets has lasted me many years without wear or breakage.

 

<EDIT:  if you go to page 15 (or 271 depending on how you read it) they are listed there. Off hand, I don't recall which sizes I have but there are 3 needed to do everything in a Mini

 

http://sykes-pickavant.com/downloads/MECHANICAL%20PULLERS.pdf      >

Edited by Moke Spider, 09 June 2015 - 09:02 PM.

[bob540]

 

 

I used a Dramil and cut through the old bearing and then removed it

I'd be a bit worried about damaging the inner surface of the arm, my hands are far from steady at the best of times

 

When I used to do them that way, I never went right through, just make the casing wafer thin then drive an old small screw driver or a masonry nail down between the old shell and the tunnel in the arm.

 

 

 

Nicklouses tip or you can buy an internal bearing puller.

Going in that way might be an option. Might just buy a bearing puller though, they don't seem too expensive.

 

 

 

I bought the internal expanding collets ages ago, I didn't think expensive at all. The one that does the front arm bearings also does the rear arm bearing and the early idler gear bearings too.

 

The way that the expanding collets are intended to be used is with a slide hammer, but I use mine with threaded rod and screw them out. The collets has lasted me many years without wear or breakage.

 

<EDIT:  if you go to page 15 (or 271 depending on how you read it) they are listed there. Off hand, I don't recall which sizes I have but there are 3 needed to do everything in a Mini

 

http://sykes-pickavant.com/downloads/MECHANICAL%20PULLERS.pdf      >

 

I found this one in loads of places online for relatively little money: http://www.ebay.ie/i...=item417b9b21e9

 which will work with sizes from 10-32mm and the roller bearing is ~24mm so that should be fine. I think one of the tool-hire places near me rents them for ~€10 a day so may just do that to save the few quid, I'm spending enough on parts as it is!

[Spider]

 

 

 

I used a Dramil and cut through the old bearing and then removed it

I'd be a bit worried about damaging the inner surface of the arm, my hands are far from steady at the best of times

 

When I used to do them that way, I never went right through, just make the casing wafer thin then drive an old small screw driver or a masonry nail down between the old shell and the tunnel in the arm.

 

 

 

Nicklouses tip or you can buy an internal bearing puller.

Going in that way might be an option. Might just buy a bearing puller though, they don't seem too expensive.

 

 

 

I bought the internal expanding collets ages ago, I didn't think expensive at all. The one that does the front arm bearings also does the rear arm bearing and the early idler gear bearings too.

 

The way that the expanding collets are intended to be used is with a slide hammer, but I use mine with threaded rod and screw them out. The collets has lasted me many years without wear or breakage.

 

<EDIT:  if you go to page 15 (or 271 depending on how you read it) they are listed there. Off hand, I don't recall which sizes I have but there are 3 needed to do everything in a Mini

 

http://sykes-pickavant.com/downloads/MECHANICAL%20PULLERS.pdf      >

 

I found this one in loads of places online for relatively little money: http://www.ebay.ie/i...=item417b9b21e9

 which will work with sizes from 10-32mm and the roller bearing is ~24mm so that should be fine. I think one of the tool-hire places near me rents them for ~€10 a day so may just do that to save the few quid, I'm spending enough on parts as it is!

 

 

That ebay set is attractively priced however just going off the pictures they have in the advert, the 'fingers' on the collets appear to have a less than ideal shape, they may work, they may not. Trouble is, when the bearing shell gets deformed it can make them much harder to remove, even with a good tool.

 

At ~€10 for renting the tool, go that way.

 

I hear you on spending money on parts!!!!  But in general terms, some of these tools take good care of your expensive parts not only in the fitting up phase but also in taking things apart without undue damage.

[bob540]

 

I hear you on spending money on parts!!!!  But in general terms, some of these tools take good care of your expensive parts not only in the fitting up phase but also in taking things apart without undue damage.

 

I couldn't agree more, I'll always buy he right tool to do a job if it's at all possible rather than trying to figure out a dirty fix. Nothing better than going to do the job the next time around and having the exact tool you need right there!

 

That ebay set is attractively priced however just going off the pictures they have in the advert, the 'fingers' on the collets appear to have a less than ideal shape, they may work, they may not. Trouble is, when the bearing shell gets deformed it can make them much harder to remove, even with a good tool.

Is it just because of the "flared" lips? Should they be closer to perpendicular to the fingers (if that makes sense)

[bob540]

Is there collet that works in the opposite way? i.e. closes around something. I'm going to be replacing the cv joints while I'm there and something like that would make life easier.

[Spider]

That ebay set is attractively priced however just going off the pictures they have in the advert, the 'fingers' on the collets appear to have a less than ideal shape, they may work, they may not. Trouble is, when the bearing shell gets deformed it can make them much harder to remove, even with a good tool.

Is it just because of the "flared" lips? Should they be closer to perpendicular to the fingers (if that makes sense)

 

 

Yeah, they need to be squarer, thems on the ebay tool are a bit to tapered for my liking.

[Spider]

Is there collet that works in the opposite way? i.e. closes around something. I'm going to be replacing the cv joints while I'm there and something like that would make life easier.

 

There is but generally in smaller sizes than anything in the CV.

 

I'm struggling to think of what you feel you may need such a tool for.

[bob540]

 

Is there collet that works in the opposite way? i.e. closes around something. I'm going to be replacing the cv joints while I'm there and something like that would make life easier.

 

There is but generally in smaller sizes than anything in the CV.

 

I'm struggling to think of what you feel you may need such a tool for.

 

Just to knock the CV off the end of the driveshaft without having to get in behind it to hit it with a hammer. I just figured it'd be nice to kill 2 birds with one stone and get a slide hammer that could be used to remove the bearings and the CV.

[Ethel]

There was a service tool, it's what the shallow U shaped grooves in the shaft are for.

[limby2000]

I bought the cheap blind bearing puller from ebay that comes with the slide hammer, it only lasted one bush then broke!, found the dremel slot procedure worked well. The welded bolt seems the easiest and less damaging way IF you've got a welder handy.