Front wheel bearings wont press out... am i missing something? Options

[czwalga]

Alright i've pressed out plenty of wheel bearings before.

I have a 20 ton press, I pressed out the hub fine, like it wasnt even in there. Removed the snap rings and tried to press out the old bearing. It wont budge; both sides. I put some heat on it while it was pressed, nothing.

Is there something else i'm missing?

[cyberblader1130]

Alright i've pressed out plenty of wheel bearings before.

I have a 20 ton press, I pressed out the hub fine, like it wasnt even in there. Removed the snap rings and tried to press out the old bearing. It wont budge; both sides. I put some heat on it while it was pressed, nothing.

Is there something else i'm missing?

I don't recommend you do this but you could try heating up the hub itself to a cherry red without melting it, and put a large socket just over the outer rim of the bearing and hit it with a hammer. Works best with 2 people, while 1 pounds the bearing out, the other 1 heats up the hub area surrounding the bearing.
I've done this with a 5lb sledge hammer and a 3/4" breaker bar socket, size: 2 1/2" i think. Bit by bit the bearing came out with every hit of the hammer.

This post has been edited by cyberblader1130: Apr 22, 2011 - 8:38 PM

[czwalga]

Honestly if a 20 ton press isnt budging it beating it with a 5lb sledge isnt going to move it. I might just have to heat it a hell of a lot more while its in the press.

[cyberblader1130]

Honestly if a 20 ton press isnt budging it beating it with a 5lb sledge isnt going to move it. I might just have to heat it a hell of a lot more while its in the press.

Was mainly suggesting you heat it up to a cherry red, the hammer is more-so used to take out frustration.

[Euphoria]

Yeah definitely press it out with a socket that fits over it and heat that ****er up until it glows, I can't see a hammer getting a modern bearing out .

[cyberblader1130]

Yeah definitely press it out with a socket that fits over it and heat that ****er up until it glows, I can't see a hammer getting a modern bearing out .

I've hammered out both my front bearings that way. Really didn't want to pay some shop $250 to press bearings so i did them myself using an Acetylene torch, 3/4" Breaker bar socket size: 2 1/2" i think, 5lb Sledge hammer and Air brakes on a 96 peterbuilt w/trailer(40-50 tons).

[azian_advanced]

^that's awesome. i never would have thought using brakes as a press. also, $250 to press in bearings is a rip-off.

the first time i did my front wheel bearings was when i still had my 89 celica, i was 16 then and i managed to press them in and out using a 10lb sledge hammer and a cylindrical piece of wood the same diameter as the bearings. it took me 3 hrs just to press in and out and probably even damaged the bearing a bit as i whaled the **** out of it but it worked out in the end. now with a 25ton press in the garage, shouldn't take more than a couple of mins.

[czwalga]

I got them out. Put them in press with full pressure, then heated it for 10-15 min with a mapp torch. Gave it another press heated it more gave it another press etc. Finally got them out.

Can't believe how tough they are... i've never had any trouble pressing them out with a 20 ton, i've had struggles when i've used 12 tons in the past.

[BonzaiCelica]

good to hear that. My dad and his friend had a really tough time as well trying to get one of them out. He said it took him near 3 hours just to remove one and then another hour to remove the other one.

[qatar11]

I think you guys need a bigger press