Bearing Stuck on Output Flange. Advice?

whackit · 05-18-2008, 10:51 AM

Hi all,

When pulling out my output flanges one bearing half stuck to the shaft. I've never seen this before. It took an incredible amount of force to pull the flange. The other came apart like butter (I'm using a flange puller). Any idea on how to get this off? I'm thinking heat and a pipe wrench. I guess I could put in a relief cut but that worries me about damaging the flange.

All ideas appreciated.

DUK · 05-18-2008, 11:21 AM

A small relief cut and a sharp chisel. Please remember your safety glasses and gloves.

bazar01 · bazar01's Garage

This type of two-jaw puller will do it. The jaws are secured with a bolt to keep it from spreading apart.
A dremel with a cutoff disc and a chisel as suggested will also do it if you don't have this puller.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Right, this is *very* common. Dremmel tool and chisel is the way to go, as it's easly to grind in there without damaging anything. Once you have the relief, it should come off quite easily.

-Wayne

whackit · 05-18-2008, 12:40 PM

Thanks gang. I'll post pix as I haven't been able to find info on this subject. Last question.... Chisel from bottom or from relief?

DUK · 05-18-2008, 12:46 PM

Whackit (sorry couldn't resist) in the relief and see if it splits, then push off from there.

bazar01 · bazar01's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by whackit

Thanks gang. I'll post pix as I haven't been able to find info on this subject. Last question.... Chisel from bottom or from relief?

The bearing inner race is a hardened bearing steel. Once you put a nick on the outer surface and whack it right there at the nick with a chisel, the inner race will just crack and split on that side. Once it splits, the race will spread apart and using your fingers will just slide out easily out of the journal.

hcoles · 05-18-2008, 01:52 PM

this is common... start it with a chisel.. continue with puller...
when you pound out the hub there isn't much holding the inner race... so it comes out with the hub..

if you want to read all the gory details read the long thread on this.. I have a number of posts at the bottom of it... way more than you will want to know

john walker's workshop · 05-18-2008, 01:53 PM

wear face mask, long sleeves and gloves if you're going to use a chisel on it. don't let others watch you do it either. anyway, i use a big chisel with a sharp edge in the groove between the race and the flange. knock it in there until the race moves out a bit. then i use a couple of LARGE crowfoot prybars to get it off from there. it's clamped in a vise for this of course. dress the small burr from the first operation with a file.

hcoles · 05-18-2008, 02:07 PM

as we could guess JW has it exactly...

whackit · 04:04 PM

For all those who suffer the same fate... here's how to do it. Many thanks to those who advised.

1. Bust out the Dremel and cut a relief in the bearing race. You don't have to go all the way through. I'm always amazed at how useful the dremel is... I used to make fun of them as a "lite" tool. Here's an action shot.

2. The relief should go ALMOST all the way through the race. I chose to put a notch in both sides.

3. Get a sharp chisel. I heated up the bearing as well, never hurts. Place the chisel at the parting line between the bearing race and the flange. I only needed a few gental taps to create some separation.

4. At this point you can use a puller, even a lousy one like this will do the job. Notice that I put the cv flange in backwards to give the puller something to work off of.

5. Drink Beer.

Thanks to everyone who helped me get this right.

initial · 05-18-2008, 04:18 PM

I've had alot of luck with a chisel/screwdriver to start if off, followed by alot of small taps with a hammer all around inner race. Takes a few minutes of light tapping and spining the hub but the tool requirement is low.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 05-19-2008, 03:27 AM

Here's what I did last year:

Broke down some steel trailing arms recently and as often happens, the bearing broke and left the inner race stuck on the hub.

It's tempting to apply lots of heat (which can damage the hub) and think it will drop off, or grind it down enough to weaken it, which has its own consequences. the real problem is that there's very little to grab onto.

This way seemed to work well for me: Using an oxy-mapp (or just mapp) set-up, heat the ring maybe 5 seconds each stop working around the ring. Spray with PB Blaster. Insert a drive shaft backwards through the hub and put the combo in a vice. With a long, large screwdriver against the small lip of bearing, one quick tap with a hammer and it's maybe 3-4 mm away from the base of the hub.

Using a basic puller, the race ought to come right off. What's nice about using the drive shaft is the very tip has an inverse cone that will accept the puller bolt with cone at the end.

hcoles · 05-19-2008, 05:12 AM

good thinking... next time I do that... but I hope there is no next time for me

geoh777 · 07-19-2009, 10:47 AM

Four years later, I replaced rear bearings on an E30 and encountered the stuck-on inner race on the flange. I used an electric welder to lay a bead on the thickest part of the race, keeping the electrode moving slowly, heating the race to red hot in one spot. Then the race can be removed with a hammer and chisel.
The same method can be used to loosen an outer race stuck in the control arm. The red hot metal "collapses" under the stress of the press fit of the race. I don't bother with oxy-acetylene because of the time of heating, but that could work too.