[GT75Z]

I am trying to get the races out of the hub and they seem to be in there really tight. I can't get them to budge and I am afraid of pounding to hard. I am using a screwdriver trying to drive them out from the opposite side.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
GT

 

[pilgrim]

Normally to remove those races I use a punch and a hammer from the opposite side, working through the center of the hub. (It has been a couple of decades since I had to do this.) I suggest not using a screwdriver, as you don't want to scratch or puncture anything.

 

[mailnome]

Not sure how much of an edge there is to catch, but you may be able to substitute a ratchet extension for a punch if you don’t have one.

Unless the shaft of the screwdriver comes out the back of the handle you are losing a lot of your force.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dumbestone]

Agree with pilgrim on a punch (with nice clean, "square" end). Would add, if not already doing it, work around the OD with each "punch".

 

[GT75Z]

Alrighty, thanks for the help all. I got the races out, but having a heck of a time getting the new ones in. The outer races went in quite easy, however the inner races do not want to go in at all. I got one in to where it is about an 1/8 of an inch from being seated and the other one will not go in at all. I am using PVC pipe that is about the diameter of the race and I using that to pound them in. Having no luck with this at all.
Suggestions or thoughts?
GT

 

[oregonipa]

Try freezing the race you haven't been able to get in at all and warm up the hub then give it a go. I don't think PVC would be strong enough to drive home a stuck race, I'd go with steel. With a long bolt and plates on both sides of the hub you might be able to tighten a nut on the bolt and pull the race into place with the right size of pipe used as a driver. You might be able to use a vice if you find the right size pipe too.

 

[GT75Z]

I have been told that a 2" nipple will fit for the outer races, I just have not been able to find one.
I like the long bolt/plate idea. I might try that. Geez, the faces I am replacing weren't really bad...
Thanks,
GT

 

[dumbestone]

One key is to get them started evenly all around. When hitting on a pipe there is always a tendency to drive it in first on the side of the pipe you hit. They do tend to walk in towards one side anyway. I would, seriously, try tapping them lightly all around at the start. And you have to go in all the way evenly all around until they're about halfway home, or they **** and you might have to drive them back out and start again.

 

[pilgrim]

Don't forget that a socket can be a great tool to drive in bearing races if you find one that's just smaller than the hub. It should mate to the race well. Pawn shops are great places to find cheap sockets.

PVC was a nice idea because it won't mar metal, but as noted above, I doubt it has the material strength to stand up to much force.

I like the idea of freezing the race - that ought to shrink it a bit.

 

[Ed Brock]

Pilgram is correct. use a flat edge punch. It the race at different clocked spots. Like 12, it would be the farist point from you. ^ would be next to you, etc. You need to hit it hard, make sure you are ON THE RACE, not the hub.

 

[junkman]

AND, don't get frustrated and stop before they are seated. They are crooked which is why they won't go in. Look carefully to find the low side. You may need to tap the low side back out to square them up. Sometimes a bearing driver with large washers and threaded rod can squeeze them in. Find thread rod is best. Apply some grease to the threads if you go this route.

You may have a similar problem with the seals. Again, making sure they are square is the secret. Sometimes a bearing/seal driver is helpful but usually not necessary. The other thing(s) that hold the race off the seat is that you've scored the sides or there is dirt in the corner where the seat meets the side. A small pick or screwdriver is useful to clean the corner.

 

[Herkdriver]

Try freezing the race you haven't been able to get in at all and warm up the hub then give it a go. I don't think PVC would be strong enough to drive home a stuck race, I'd go with steel. With a long bolt and plates on both sides of the hub you might be able to tighten a nut on the bolt and pull the race into place with the right size of pipe used as a driver. You might be able to use a vice if you find the right size pipe too.

Ditto on freezing, but I'd try using dry ice (carefully with heavy gloves) to shrink it as much as possible. You can often find it at a grocery store.

 

[GT75Z]

Thanks to all, I was able to get the old races out and the new ones in. One of them was very difficult and I made somewhat of a press to get it in and even. The race does not quite seat but it is very close.

A problem I am having now is trying to put the hub/rotor on, the inner bearing will not go all the way back on the spindle. It seems to small to go all the way back on the spindle. The old bearing fits just fine however I have to find it's sweet spot to go all the way on. Can't find a sweet spot on the new bearing. Is there something I am missing here? This should work just fine... Arghhh

Thanks,
GT

 

[johnh240]

Old guy story time.... Back in 1973 I drove my 72 from Salt Lake City to Denver to visit my then girlfriend soon to be wife. Right front wheel bearing made noise all across the Rockies. In Denver found a BAP/Geon store that was open and got a bearing set. Changed it in the parking lot using a hammer and an Air Force issued common flat blade screwdriver to beat out the race. The new race went in pretty easy but the entire thing blew my whole Saturday there and I had to drive back on Sunday. So yes you can do it with a flat blade and a beater. Looking back on it I probably could have gotten away with just putting in the new bearing regreasing everything and snugging it back up. That bearing is still in there and working fine, and I still have that old screwdriver in my tool box somewhere. (Much worse for the wear since it became a punch and pry bar.) Still have the car, but don’t have that wife!!!

 

[Ed Brock]

GT75Z,
The race has to be seated! Otherwise the bearing will not sit where it is designed to sit and you will have problems of various sorts. Can't tighten up hub nut properly, wheel sticks out farther on that side, brakes rotors don't fit and so the calipers wont fit as well, ETC.
Please, seat the race fully.

 

[GT75Z]

Hi Ed, I figured someone would pick up on that... and I thank you. I have beat the living crap out of those inner races. I have switched to a metal 2" nipple to pound on it which definitely is an improvement over PVC pipe. I developed a little press that worked well but it was bending my 1/4" metal straps as well as the long bolts I was using to press it in. I am about an 1/8" from being seated, I will go beat on it some more.

John, thanks for the story, gives me a little hope. Did you have to use your screwdriver to beat the bearings onto the spindle? That is my problem, the bearing is not sliding onto the spindle. I was wondering if I could just put the inner seal on the spindle and then beat the bearing on, then put the hub on at that point? Otherwise that bearing is not going on.

Thanks for your help,
GT

 

[Ed Brock]

Hi Ed, I figured someone would pick up on that... and I thank you. I have beat the living crap out of those inner races. I have switched to a metal 2" nipple to pound on it which definitely is an improvement over PVC pipe. I developed a little press that worked well but it was bending my 1/4" metal straps as well as the long bolts I was using to press it in. I am about an 1/8" from being seated, I will go beat on it some more.

John, thanks for the story, gives me a little hope. Did you have to use your screwdriver to beat the bearings onto the spindle? That is my problem, the bearing is not sliding onto the spindle. I was wondering if I could just put the inner seal on the spindle and then beat the bearing on, then put the hub on at that point? Otherwise that bearing is not going on.

Thanks for your help,
GT

 

[Ed Brock]

GT75Z,
Something is wrong with the hub or ?. DON'T KEEP BEATING ON IT. STOP!!!!

Questions if you don't mind. Was the race that you so much trouble removing seated all the way down? Did you look at the hub after you removed the race? Was there any burrs? Even the smallest of burrs will have to be removed before installing the new race. My suggestion is: remove the new race, check for burrs gouges, out of roundness, mike the depth & ID of the hub. Mike the same things on the OLD race, same messurement? Mike the same items on the new race, same as the old race? Same as the hub? Most auto stores will sell, let you barrow or even rent a mike. If you get a digital, then you don't have to worry about how to read it. Write down the item you are miking. Write the specs down as you take them.

You have something REALLY wrong. This job is not that hard, yet for some reason it is giving you ****. I suggest that you start over and look at everything with new eyes. If you used heat you could warp things depending on how hot they got.

Buy a new bearing, get a good quality one. YES, there are quality differances. Thats one reason some item cost more then others, sometimes it's just mark ups. Buy the best, work the least.

Can you send some pictures of the hub, the race (old and new) and show the messurements of all those items. Colse ups, or the ability to expand the pictures would be great.
Ed

 

[GT75Z]

Alright Ed, thanks. I have to agree that something is wrong. I did find some burrs on the inside of the hub and I dremeled them down to smooth. I will go out today and remove the races I am having trouble with and take some pictures.
What is a mike (mik) - I assume it is a measuring device.

 

[GT75Z]

OK, here are some pics, the first shots are of the races installed on both hubs. One is better than the other. The other pics are closer images of the races, Old and New.

Thanks,
GT