Stupid question - wheel bearings

Squiffythewombat · Post by **Squiffythewombat** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:43 pm

Hi Guys,

Silly question but am i able to get the rear wheel bearings out without one of those "bearing removers"? I cant really afford to spend any more cash on tools. Can i just use a wooden dowl and hammer it out?

Any advice on bearing removal would be great as im a bit lost! (manged to fit the front pads ok tho

)

Cheers
Toby

lmao_37 · Post by **lmao_37** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:01 pm

i changed mine last year, all i did was sit the wheel on 2 bits of wood and poked a long flat bladed screwdriver through the hole in the centre of the wheel and sat it on the back of the bearing on the outa part thats holding it in and taped the screw driver with a hammer all the way round and it came out with ease you just have to keep the bearing square to the hole its coming out of and and tap with enough force to just move the bearing a little at a time and then turned the wheel over and did the same thing but just need to be carefull that you dont smack the inside of the wheel

Squiffythewombat · Post by **Squiffythewombat** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:49 pm

lmao_37 wrote:i changed mine last year, all i did was sit the wheel on 2 bits of wood and poked a long flat bladed screwdriver through the hole in the centre of the wheel and sat it on the back of the bearing on the outa part thats holding it in and taped the screw driver with a hammer all the way round and it came out with ease you just have to keep the bearing square to the hole its coming out of and and tap with enough force to just move the bearing a little at a time and then turned the wheel over and did the same thing but just need to be carefull that you dont smack the inside of the wheel

Brilliant dude, that was exactly the sort of walk through i was hoping for! I did think to just use a dole and rubber hammer style (maybe with a socket or something over the bearing) but was too worried about breaking things...will update the thread tommorow once ive (hopefully) sorted it :-)

lee67 · Post by **lee67** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:56 pm

i use a socket that fits on the outer race( note not the inner race)..and just tap all way round evenly....same principle for putting em in...one little tip tho, place bearings in freezer for an hour before fitting, helps em slide in easier

it really is a simple job

LotusSevenMan · Post by **LotusSevenMan** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:58 pm

Rear bearings Squiffy? Are you sure?
With all your 'aviating skills' I'd have thought it'd have to have been the fronts (along with the head bearings) that would have been the dodgy ones!!!!!!!!

An aluminium drift about 10mm in diameter is a really useful tool. The rubber hammer bit isn't so useful as you need to impart some shock into the drift to knock the bearing gently down. The rubber mallet absorbs that shock and so ain't so effective. Now if you were knocking the bearing back in directly............ well that's the rubber mallet's speciality.

Squiffythewombat · Post by **Squiffythewombat** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:29 am

Lee - Good call with the freezer, i would never of thought that!

Chris- The rears are the only ones i have, the front/head are most likelly dead too but theyll get done later when i can afford it...had these lying around :-)

Squiffythewombat · Post by **Squiffythewombat** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:01 pm

well ive got one side out but the brake side one just wont budge no matter how much i batter it...any ideas?

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:47 pm

Squiffythewombat wrote:well ive got one side out but the brake side one just wont budge no matter how much i batter it...any ideas?

Buy some Magnesium wheels and fit new bearings in them?

Beamish · Post by **Beamish** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:16 pm

Squiffythewombat wrote:well ive got one side out but the brake side one just wont budge no matter how much i batter it...any ideas?

You can buy a freeze type spray in a can, used it on aircraft bearings but to be honest as long as you have the right diameter socket/drift the only way is bray the shite out of it. Do you have a vice and an extra pair of hands to help with keeping the wheel square?
I have seen the brother in law cut a bearing race with a dremmel on a car rear but the risks are very high with a bike wheel

Would'nt advise it.

lee67 · Post by **lee67** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:08 pm

2 ways, if braying it wont budge it...either as beamish says, freeze it...b&q sell plumbers freezi in a can.....or try heating it up with a small butane torch....heating it will make the bearing expand then contarct..then one good wack and hey presto...freezing it works opposite...either way will work..

cupasoop · Post by **cupasoop** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:23 pm

Get a bigger hammer.

lmao_37 · Post by **lmao_37** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 11:43 pm

how did you get on ? did you manage to get the other side out ?

well one of mine was a real pain to get moving so all i did was get a bigger hammer one bit hit got it moving once its moving it will be out in no time mate

warby221 · Post by **warby221** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 8:57 pm

if your finding it hard to move a bearing a good tip is to heat the wheel round the bearing with a paint stripper gun or a hair dryer first the ally expands quicker than steel and frees it of a bit also works in reverse when your fitting them
donâ€™t get to close with the paint stripper gun or youâ€™ll have the paint of your wheel

Squiffythewombat · Post by **Squiffythewombat** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:16 pm

Thanks for all the tips guys, i will give the freezing thing a go later! Kitch and tim, as usual your comments were highly informative!