How do you remove wheel bearings?

[dread_au]

I bought a 3 tusk bearing remover that is too big. iI was wondering if other people have alternative methods of removing wheel bearings? Let me know. Thanks in advance

[the mole]

You can tap them out with a suitable drift, but a puller is better if you're going to re-use them. Heating the wheel hub will make it easier, as the aluminium will expand more than the steel bearing.

[tt_four]

What's the inside diameter on the bearings? This one goes up to 1-1/4 and works great. I picked one up on sale for $30 and it popped out a bearing instantly, that I had unfortunately been fighting with for days. Otherwise you can try just taking a long rod, sticking it through the wheel at a slight angle so it hits the inside lip and tapping it with a hammer all the way around.

[sledge]

Pullers wont work.....there is a spacer tube between the bearings which means there is no room for the tusks to open out and act on the rear of the inner race..........Drift them out.

[dread_au]

Thanks I ended up drifting them out

[tt_four]

How do you drift out a bearing? 

[mister]

How do you drift out a bearing? 

A "drift" is a tool you hit with a hammer.

In rigging, for example, you may have several holes you need to line up to put bolts in. There is Just enough room to get the tip of your pointy drift through two misaligned holes. As you hammer the drift further into the hole it forces the holes to line up. You "drifted" the hole. This kind of drift would be a Tapered Drift and would be no good for a bearing.


For the bearing you'll want a uniform drift. It could be a piece of solid round steel you hit with a hammer to get the bearing out, or a specially designed version of the same...





Michael

[Big Rich]

You can tap them out with a suitable drift, but a puller is better if you're going to re-use them. Heating the wheel hub will make it easier, as the aluminium will expand more than the steel bearing.

If you pull wheel bearings out with a puller, the inner race puts too much pressure on the bearings to be re-used. Same goes with putting them back in - no pressure on the inner race. Besides, bearings are still cheap enough to not re-use.

I agree with using a heat gun though

[bombjack]

If you pull a wheel bearing out it's not worth reusing. New bearings are not that expensive.
I use a drift for removal. It's a tight fit, so it may take some time while you work it loose.
Before inserting the new bearing put it in the freezer for an hour. This will shrink the bearing just a tiny bit and making it a little easier to insert.

[DoD#i]

I normally try to avoid using a drift harder than the item the bearing is seated in. Thus, I'd avoid a steel drift in an aluminum wheel. People for whom all things go perfectly and nothing ever slips out of place need not bother with such caution. Of course, if you can't actually hit the seat, it's not an issue either, and that may be the case here, at least outbound. A brass or bronze drift and a skilful hammer are much handier for putting bearings in than a hydraulic press if you don't have a hydraulic press.

Also important to tap more than pound when hammering, and to work all-around unless using something like the threaded widget that expands to whack both sides at once. And never whack the inner race of a bearing you are installing, or reusing (unless the inner race is what's holding it in place on a shaft, say - don't hit the part of the bearing that's not attached to what you're removing it from would be a more general rule.)

[ojstinson]

I'm with Bombjack, I say get the bearing out any way you can without damaging the wheel, why would you want to put an old bearing back in anyway.

[tt_four]

Still got my park tools bicycle headset press. it's great for pressing bearings!

[dread_au]

Forgot the freezing trick but I eventually got them all back in. I was doing it on my practice project bike(gsx250f) which has alot of parts in common or very close to our gs500.

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

Forgot the freezing trick but I eventually got them all back in. I was doing it on my practice project bike(gsx250f) which has alot of parts in common or very close to our gs500.

Dude I was just looking up on the GSX250F. That things pretty sick! Wish they sold them over here.