Slide hammer advice

I’ve always removed frame bearings with an extractor or at a push with a punch but my currrent frame has a blind bearing that requires a different approach so I bought a slide hammer off eBay that has been recommended on a few threads on here

The first attempt to get the Horst link bearing out of my privateer proved unsuccessful (bearing stays in situ and the slide hammer pulls out) so I thought I’d ask for tips before messing up the second attempt

Things I’m going to try this thing around;

Take the seat stay section off the frame so I can fix it more securely

Tighten the slide hammer “puller???” Up tighter so it grips the bearing better

Heat the frame

Any advice would be gratefully received

Cheers

James

You need to try and get the little lip on the expanding plug behind the bearing. If not, just do it up tighter. Brace the frame so it can’t absorb the hammer shock too much and to make sure you don’t bend it if the end of the stay is not attached to the bike.

If you’re pulling the slide hammer out the bearing I’d make sure you have the lip of the bit that expands out just over the back of the bearing and do it up really tight. I’ve done quite a few bearings and haven’t removes the chainstays from the bike to do it

do it up really tight.

+1, it’s hardened steel you won’t (well, shouldn’t be able to) strip it.

The lip thing sometimes depends on the bearing. Some are specified with a radiused corner that the lip will go around, some are just machined square.

Its a privateer so aluminium, stick the part with the bearing in a big pan of boiling water, it will expand and the bearing will possibly fall out/certainly be easier to remove.

+1, it’s hardened steel you won’t (well, shouldn’t be able to) strip it.

Absolutely, you’ll just break it instead.

I bought one of those sets, the Mechanik branded one (let’s face it, they’re all made in the same factory) and every time I’ve used it the expanding plugs have either come out or have broken when tightened enough that they don’t.

We have found the winding bearing extractors to be far superior to the slide hammer – both for not slipping off and success in bearing extraction.

Is there a circlip or something holding the bearing – I missed one dismantling the rear triangle on a horst-link older epic – bearing was going no wear until the circlip came out.

As above, if you can get the lip behind the bearing then you will have far better results. If not, try degreasing the bearing inner before tightening it as tight as you dare.

if you can get the lip behind the bearing then you will have far better results

This can not be understated.
Also a drop of penetrating oil around the outer edge of the bearing will make light work of it whichever method you use.