Replacing wheel bearings
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Stage III
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Replacing wheel bearings
My front wheel bearings are going bad and need to be replaced, anybody replace their races w/o using a special tool? can I carefully tap around them or will they just get stuck and screw up my hub? BTW, Ive got an ironhead w/ timken bearings, and cast wheels. How do I check end play? Do I add shims to the inside spacer?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
RE: Replacing wheel bearings
What year model is your bike? I assume with the cast wheels it is a later model than 1976?
I would recommend that you pull the wheel bearings out and wash everything up nice and clean to do an inspection of the bearing races. If you see brinnel marks on the races (bar shaped marks) then the bearings are bad. If the surface is smooth, even though it may have a slight frost look to it the bearings are probably still good. Black pit marks on the rollers of the bearings mean you need new ones.
The races may come out if you tap around the backside using a brass rod. keep the rod moving in a circle as you tap. And tap. not sledge hammer the races. After you get the first one out flip the wheel and I would use a large socket to remove the other one. This will exert even force around the race as you tap.
The spacer between the bearings is a certain length. If you have excessive end play, use a longer spacer to adjust this. You will never be able to hold shims in place and get the axle through them, don't even try.
End play is measured with a dial indicator. If you do not have an indicator, you can buy an import fairly cheap, and it is a tool that you will use again, although not too often...........pg
I would recommend that you pull the wheel bearings out and wash everything up nice and clean to do an inspection of the bearing races. If you see brinnel marks on the races (bar shaped marks) then the bearings are bad. If the surface is smooth, even though it may have a slight frost look to it the bearings are probably still good. Black pit marks on the rollers of the bearings mean you need new ones.
The races may come out if you tap around the backside using a brass rod. keep the rod moving in a circle as you tap. And tap. not sledge hammer the races. After you get the first one out flip the wheel and I would use a large socket to remove the other one. This will exert even force around the race as you tap.
The spacer between the bearings is a certain length. If you have excessive end play, use a longer spacer to adjust this. You will never be able to hold shims in place and get the axle through them, don't even try.
End play is measured with a dial indicator. If you do not have an indicator, you can buy an import fairly cheap, and it is a tool that you will use again, although not too often...........pg
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
RE: Replacing wheel bearings
A mig welder??? What do you mean by that? He wants to remove the bearing races, not weld his bearing solid. Perhaps you meant to say apply some heat? But that will heat the race up and make it expand rather than shrink.
Sorry, I guess I don't get it..........pg
Sorry, I guess I don't get it..........pg
Cruiser
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 207
Likes: 1
RE: Replacing wheel bearings
It's a old machine shop trick, if you weld to the inside of the race it will shrink the race. now if you don't get the race out quickly it will expand. I have used the same method to remove steering head races on later model frames. if you don't have a mig welder your best bet would be to buy the tool or take it to a mechanic. I thought the same thing when I first saw this trick performed.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 393
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Replacing wheel bearings
Simple expansion and contraction. When the metal is molten it is fully expanded. It shrinks when it solidifies. Therefore, the molten metal is pulling from the edges of the bead into it's center. That's why initial bead weld fabrication is often warped if the final welds are too aggresive. The metal moves / shrinks as the full beads are laid.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
RE: Replacing wheel bearings
Well....all I can say to you and crampfan is that I own a Millermatic 251 mig machine as well as a Millermatic 180 amp Tig machine, along with a 55 amp plasma cutter.
So you could say that I am well aquainted with all kinds of metal work and the subjects of expansion and contraction.
I cannot buy into this explanation at all. The races are simply pressed out in my shop. To even get a Mig torch close to a hub or bearing race is ridiculous to me.
I think it is a bad idea.That is just my 2 cents worth, so I will not prolong the discussion any further..........pg
So you could say that I am well aquainted with all kinds of metal work and the subjects of expansion and contraction.
I cannot buy into this explanation at all. The races are simply pressed out in my shop. To even get a Mig torch close to a hub or bearing race is ridiculous to me.
I think it is a bad idea.That is just my 2 cents worth, so I will not prolong the discussion any further..........pg
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 751
Likes: 6
From: 500 miles south from Artic Circle
RE: Replacing wheel bearings
ORIGINAL: piniongear
To even get a Mig torch close to a hub or bearing race is ridiculous to me.
I think it is a bad idea.That is just my 2 cents worth, so I will not prolong the discussion any further..........pg
To even get a Mig torch close to a hub or bearing race is ridiculous to me.
I think it is a bad idea.That is just my 2 cents worth, so I will not prolong the discussion any further..........pg
Most of tool shops has special "puller tool" for removing race... it cost a like 15 USD... and you can use it with all that type bearings. Only thing what you need extra is "stand" for the puller... I made it from 3/4" nut and bult welded in to 1/4"x 1 1/4" steel... you can also buy it from same shop...
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
RE: Replacing wheel bearings
I would also stay away from using a heat expand/contract method simply because the heat will transfer to the hub through contact and if it's enough heat I would think it possible to warp the hub in the process.