Tapered bearing race install

Wayne-

An old mechanics trick is to slit an old race into a split ring (an abrasive cut-off wheel does the necessary) and then use it as a driver. When the new race is seated, the old one can easily be removed.

-Carl (an old mechanic)

Probably a diameter to keep it centered in the hole, and a diameter to catch the outer rim while fitting the space available, with a flat step in between.

Should be fine, might want to add a steel fender washer.

Speaking as a heathen mechanic without 9 million special tools - I've seated a lot of new bearing races with nothing more complex than a brass drift, a hammer, and a brain. Only go a tiny bit at a time, and don't let it get too far cocked - keep tapping the high side if you c*ck it, and move around in a pattern when you can't see a high side. Not suitable for a production environment (slow, skilled - the special tool pays off) but works fine (IME) at home.

I'd use aluminum or brass.

Make a pair of top hat shaped pushers, with a hole to suit the readyrod you have.

Make the skinny part of the "hat" to fit the ID of the narrow end of the race, with a couple thou clearance, and the "brim" just a few thou less than the OD of the race.

If you can put a heatgun to the steering head, it might make things a bit easier, but the bearings should not be a really tight fit, more of a snug one.

Freezing the races can shrink them a bit, if you wanted to muck about with that, but all the ones I have done were done without heat/cold added to the mix.

Bike?

Cheers Trevor Jones

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agree with above - I've installed a reasonable number of pressed in bearings and seals by just gently tapping them in place - never had any problem (except when it was the wrong part, of course) - a special tool comes in handy if you do a lot of them, but you don't need one. There are things for which you do need a special tool, but this is not one of them.

The disks only need to be centered with a short stub, don't be cheap with the thickness though. If you're using "aluminum", you'll need to use steel washers, again thick. As for the threaded rod, consider using 1/2" 20tpi for less of a struggle, well lubricated.

Tom

I use the thrust ball bearing that came with my AC/PS pulley tool under the nut . Takes less effort and gives smoother movement . I use discs that have a step to keep them centered in the race . HTH ...

I made these for the outer races of a set of Timken tapered roller bearings in an Atlas lathe headstock. I used some 1/4" steel plate I had around. Aluminum might work, but I can imagine it bending if the bearing happens to be a tight fit.

I made them with a small lip so that it would center and drive from the flat face of the bearing race. Don't apply force to the tapered face, a small ding on the disc could damage the race.

I made one disc for pushing the bearing out, another one for pushing the bearing back in. I used a wheel puller, which has a much finer thread than 1/2-13, but I suppose that should work.

Jon

The hammer and drift method will work but has the potential for damage. If you have the time and equipment it is best to make a tool for installation. Take a look at this for more info.

Is this an Aluminum frame or steel? If it's Al, put the races in the freezer for an hour or so, and heat the steering head with a heat gun for a few minutes. The bearings will drop right in no pressing required. Depending on the fit it might work with a steel frame as well. Depends on which end of the tolerance the steering head bore is at, it's been a

Making a driver or puller is a pretty easy exercise if you have a lathe. A top hat shape with a minor diameter that fits nicely to the small diameter of the bearing and a major diameter a few thou smaller than the OD of the bearing will do the job. As was mentioned by someone else, don't make one that bears on the bearing surface.

With an eye to the future, take the time when the bearings are out to file a couple of notches in the bottom of the bearing seat (in the frame) so that removal next time will just take a long punch and a few taps with a hammer to pop the race out.

Pete

Instant special tool, I like it, Thanks!

Probably what I'll try.

My mechanic doesn't have special tools either, but has more experience than I. I'm not really good when a BFH is required on delicate parts.

Thanks for the link, nice drawings. I've got a puller for wheel bearings. I have to destroy the cage first. Pull out the center sleeve between the bearings. Put the center of the bearing and the balls back in. Then I can use the puller.

Good, I got that.

I think that is the way I will go.

Last (and first) time I tried that. I put the races in freezer and heated up the steering head. I don't remember if they wouldn't go in, or if I couldn't move them once started. I gave up at that point.

Yep. Winter maintenance. Clean & grease all the bearings, cables... For a while I considered doing the steering head every other year as it always looked so good. Water got in it last year and this. Bearing went bad this time. I haven't had to change many bearings when taking care of them yearly.

I'm thinking I'd better go 3/4 fine. I hadn't thought of greasing it up. Good suggestion.

I think I'll add the thrust bearing also. Anything to make it easier. Thanks!

Steel frame. No luck last time doing the heat / cold thing. Those suckers are in there really tight.

Got it.

Thanks to all for the suggestions. After I started writing the post I felt kinda silly. But I learned a lot of tricks I never thought of.

I think I have some 1/4 or 3/8 or something steel lying around somewhere. How do you turn the OD? Put a hole in it and put it in an expanding mandrel?

I think from one of the previous posts you are around St Louis. I might be heading down south of there this coming weekend. How the roads look? Snow on the ground?

So did some of the rest of us ...I like the notch suggestion . Sometimes on bike necks there is no way to get a puller behind the race until it's moved out a tad . Don't recall if you said you weld or not . If you do (no matter how nasty the bead looks) run a bead around the ID of the outer race . When it cools , the race will almost fall out . Stuck lower inside races respond well to slotting with a dremel type tool and a smart whack on a chisel in the cut .