How the hell do I remove old wheel bearings?

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Viking · #1 Post by **Viking** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:31 am

Hey folks,

As the subject says - how the hell do I pull the knackered bearings out of my freshly powder-coated Oz wheels?

I can't get a drift in there to hammer them out. I bought a "blind bearing puller" and that didn't shift the bastards either.

I can see two holes in the spacer (on the front wheel anyway - I haven't looked at the rear yet) that might allow me to get a suitable "bridge" bearing puller in there.

How do you get the bearings out?

Thanks,
V

If push came to shove, I have a Dremel with lots of cutting wheels and could possibly cut the old ones so they come out in pieces.

D-Rider · #2 Post by **D-Rider** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:50 am

You had them powder coated with the bearings in?
There again, it they were scrap it's not such an issue.

I resorted to a dremel when I did mine. cut one out, then knock through the one on the other side.

wayno · #3 Post by **wayno** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:59 am

You shouldn't powder coat wheels with any bearings in (good or scrap), the grease from the bearings melts in the oven and can run under the powdercoating meaning it doesn't stick properly, or could mix with it to ruin it.

Generally the spacers in the wheel should have notches in them to let you get a drift in from the opposite side, or in the past I have also had to resort to a dremel and a lot of very careful grinding.

Viking · #4 Post by **Viking** » Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:12 pm

There was no grease left in the bearings when they went to be coated as I'd had the paint stripped off first. (Then they got grit blasted by the powdercoater.)

The powder coating guy wasn't too worried. He just pointed out they'd be buggered by the coating and was happy enough when I said they were getting replaced anyway.

As for getting them out, it's looking like the dremel is getting a workout...

Falcopops · #5 Post by **Falcopops** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 12:19 am

Not done an Aprilia, but on an old Kawasaki I was able to push the spacer to one side slightly and get a drift on the lip of the bearing.

I battered the bejeesus out of those bearings with progressively bigger hammers and still couldn't move them, so had to resort to heat.

Clearly not an option for you now, just my 2c worth to let you know it's not just you being a ham fisted hacker.

Viking · #6 Post by **Viking** » Thu Feb 12, 2015 7:32 am

An afternoon's labour with the Dremel and various blunt instruments got the front wheel bearings out. I ended up cutting the inner race of one into pieces to get it and the bearings out, then carefully ground away at the outer part until I had a cut through it.

Some brute force on the spacer got the bearing on the other side out, and I was able to get the remains of the first bearing out.

Holy crap, Batman. What a bloody frustrating job.

I made a start on the rear wheel but had to give it up as I was too stiff and sore from sitting / kneeling on the balcony. Not having a workbench in a proper workshop really pisses me off.

With luck, I'll have the bearings out of the rear wheel by the end of tomorrow.

The slide hammer bearing puller I bought was a total waste of time.

Viking · #7 Post by **Viking** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 6:15 am

All the wheel bearings are removed. The Dremel got a good workout, and I lost count of how many cutting disks I went through.

Putting the bearings in was a doddle. Stick the bearings in the freezer for a few hours, then pour boiling water over the hub section of the rim. Apply suitable force via a hammer.

The sprocket carrier bearings were so freaking easy to get out - which is just as well. With the spacers installed you have no way to get a Dremel in there to attack the old bearings.

Here's the rear bearings as they came out:

fatboy · #8 Post by **fatboy** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:13 pm

So they put up a bit of a fight then !

Sixty7 · #9 Post by **Sixty7** » Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:34 pm

That second one in bits reminds me of wot was left of the swingarm bearings on the mrs cb500, only my m8 used a mig welder on the race and the heat distorts the race.....not advisable on oz rims though...lol

Falco Frank · #10 Post by **Falco Frank** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:16 am

I have found in the past that puncturing and removing the inner bearing cage 'sometimes', allows the balls & inner shell to be removed...

BUT - if there isnt a recess to allow the outer shell to be pushed out, this can cause even more problems!

Sixty7 · #11 Post by **Sixty7** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 2:14 pm

Might be an idea to file a flat into the wheel spacer for future bearing removal....then u'll have no worries with removing wheel bearings...