Removing Wheel Bearings?

EZRider76

Member
Feb 23, 2012
823
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54
WNY
So I've been wondering about this wobbly front tire, and tonight I took a little time to check it out...:eek:...NOT GOOD. Well, the wobbly tire was okay, other than a bad outer wheel bearing (inner bearing was ok)...anyone care to enlighten me on how to get that sucker out? I tried hitting from the inside to drive it out...nada. I tried hitting from the outside to drive it in...nada. Of course, I wasn't beating the living spit out of it either, but my lord, I was never any good at the trick boxes that only the owner could get open. Anyhow, to figure out what the deal was, I also removed the other wheel...inner bearing is totally shot, I'm suprise the wheel even spun. The inner bearing, lol, all the balls have completely flattened and welded themselves to the adjacent one, surprisingly though, the outer bearing on that side was fine. I inspected the spindles and the bearing journals, they are all fine, no warpage in the journals and no visible wear on the spindle. I even took the other inner "better" bearing and slid it on, just to make sure and slid on and off and there was no gap between the inner race and the spindle. The wheel hubs measured 109.5mm, lettering cast into the hub said maximum diameter of 111mm, so I'm good there. Just need to get those bearings out. Thanks for, yet again, any help you offer up.
 

I did refer to the manual before I posted...I usually do. In the exploded view it shows the bearing on the outside of the hub, meaning pushed out from the inside. When I looked at the hub though, it seemed like it was cast so the bearing would be inserted from the inside and the outer race would bottom out against the hub...does that make sense??? But when I looked at the bearing from the brake side, it looked like the outer race wasn't visible. I probably need a 1500# press or something....grrrr. X(
 
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Also, you have had 50% of your bearings fail, unless you are uber cheep, replace all four.

Uber cheap, check! Replacing all four, check! Replacing all four now will save other expenses later and satisfies me being cheap...you know, like medical expenses from being WFO and suddenly watching the tire snap off and go flying in a 45 degree angle from direction of travel, then losing consciousness from shock because of views of earth-sky-earth-sky accompanied by severe pain of me bouncing of mother earth and flying thru the air and 200lb blaster trying to keep up and become one with my body....you know, sh*t like that. :eek: LMAO...probably never happen, but being "uber cheap", ya think about things like that.
 
You knock them out from the inside bro! Like i said a hammer and a punch will make it easy!

Hmmm, tried that. Must be I need a bigger hammer. :-[ Let's not make any other references there, lol. Two beer job though, man, I hate beer, but whatever it takes. ;)
 
Or put more ass on the hits!

Nah, I kicked her out over a year ago. I:I That was my next move though, tomorrow, throw a little of my 240lbs into it...throw a little caution to the wind and go for broke. If they break, well, I see replacements on ebay for $30 and free shipping....defeats the "uber cheap" though.
 
Might have been looking at the grease seal? I haven't had the pleasure of replacing wheel bearings , yet. My Blaster would do 90 except the wheel starts wobbling at 50 :eek:
I believe slick was actually refering to a drift punch. A center punch is for marking a spot for drilling a hole.
 
Might have been looking at the grease seal? I haven't had the pleasure of replacing wheel bearings , yet. My Blaster would do 90 except the wheel starts wobbling at 50 :eek:
I believe slick was actually refering to a drift punch. A center punch is for marking a spot for drilling a hole.

Yeah, I was using my 15mm deep well socket with my 8" extension with a 3lb hammer, choked up to half handle.. I pretty much figured a center punch wasn't completely right...his answer may have been a 5 beer response. 8-|

Grease seal or bearing, I'm not completely sure. The PO painted everything, didn't plug threaded holes, didn't tape off anything, so it is difficult to see where there is splits between assembled pieces. I will figure it out tomorrow when I go and beat the bearing out like a coerced submission from a schoolyard bully.
 
Do what I do, start with a rubber hammer, if it doesn't work, move to a metal hammer. If that does not work try a 5 pound mini sledgehammer, if that does not work beat the living hell out of it with that 5 pound sledge! Parts are cheap, my time isn't. :D
 
Do what I do, start with a rubber hammer, if it doesn't work, move to a metal hammer. If that does not work try a 5 pound mini sledgehammer, if that does not work beat the living hell out of it with that 5 pound sledge! Parts are cheap, my time isn't. :D

Refer to my post about your tires...go straight for the 5# sledge and wail away....'nuff said!
 
Support the hub so bearing can come free,

Rep given to you for following suggestions

Well thanks, you've popped my REP cherry...Woo Hoo. Also, absolutely about supporting the hub, I found it fits nicely inside a GMC Sierra Z71 1500 Rear Rotor....lined with a rag from "A Box o Rags" to prevent the "professional" (8-|) paint job from being scratched and the hub from being nicked/dinged/dented/marred...whatever you want to call it.
 
on my old banshee i swore a wheel bearing was welded in cuz it had been so long since it had been changed. no matter how hard i hammered the outer layer wouldnt come out. i sprayed some 5in1 (kinda lika a better WD40) on it, left it for a few days and tried again. it tapped right outta there. just spray it and give it time to work its magic.