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Any ideas on the best way to remove bearing races that are flush with the internals of a hub?
The bearings broke apart in the hub, leaving just the outer race, but there is nothing sticking out that you can use to knock it out and no way of getting in behind it.
Heat it up in the oven
If the Hub is Aluminium and the race is steel, the hub will expand more than the race and the race should drop out.
is there absolutely no lip behind the race to get a small puller on?
How about winding a puller into the race groove instead?
Heat it up in the oven
That would be great, but it is a whole wheel... which might not fit 😉
Enduro blind bearing puller
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mtbmatt - MemberHeat it up in the oven
That would be great, but it is a whole wheel... which might not fit
Spot the important information missing from the original question 😆
Blind puller then, or weld something to the race to give you purchase to pull on
I've got some out before by hammering a sharp screwdriver into the race and levering; but be very careful not to damage the hub.
Make yourself a sliding hammer
Buying a bearing puller is not worth it for the cost of the hub.
What about a blowtorch, would that work?
I'd use a hot air paint stripper - feels a bit more controllable than a blow torch.
can you not get to the back of the bearing from the other side of the hub?
Nope.. I'll stick a picture up, so its easier to see what I mean.
You might be lucky and be able to get an expanding bolt to grip the race. I have also had success by grinding a washer that was slightly too big to fit into the race oval and wedging it in the race at an angle then using a puller to pull it out.
An engineering shop should have a blind bearing puller.
Run a line of weld around the inner race - as it cools it will shrink and the race might come out
Cut the race with a dremmel
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Is there not a lip inside the bearing race that can be used for some purchase?
Deep groove radial ball bearing?
Might be possible to Dremel or diegrinder at groove in the raceway to locate some sort of removal tool (chisel?) on to knock out.
Looks like this:
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There is a small step down inside, but no way of getting behind it with any tools I have. Tried a screwdriver and other similar thin, flat things.
Make yourself a sliding hammer with a big cup, square bolt
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Can you do a pic not directly down on it 🙄
View looking in on it from the side would help.....
Use a dremmel grind three slots into the bearing race (to make equal segments) and the sections should drop out; I've had lots of success with this......a skill developed as a serial specialized owner ;-(
Agree with some of the above.
Hot air paint stripper, rather than an open flame blow torch is worth a try.
Rawlbolt makes a good improvised expanding puller.
Best of all though, is to weld a bolt, head first, to the bearing.
It only needs a couple of spots of weld. The heat of the welding will expand the aluminium hub more than the steel bearing. The shank of the bolt will give you something to hold and pull.
This method never fails and is standard practice.
Any good independent garage should gave the equipment and experience to do it.
Top tip;
For these sort of jobs, go directly to the workshop, don't go via reception. 😉
Job done, thanks for the advice.
Didn't have a heat gun, so tried a blow torch and hey presto!
Took advantage of the hot shell to get the new bearings in with ease.
Always always heat up a hub before attempted to remove bearings - it just makes it so much easier.
Glad you got it out