I have a bit of play in the rear wheel so new bearings ordered,the question is how difficult is the bearing removal?

does it involve a lot of fist shaking and quality swearing or are there any tips for making it a painless process

as you can gather i havent done this before so any help would be great

thanks in advance

boil the kettle then pour it on the hub it makes it expand making it easier to drive bearing out with a long drift or screwdriver

I find getting a raw bolt from your local hardware store is a major help. Never mind trying to tap them out evenly with a drift and hammer, just place the rawbolt inside the wheel, tighten it up so it expands widthways, make sure it is very tight and tap with a hammer. Should knock them out nice and clean. Soak around the bearing with penetrating fluid for easier removal. Quick job if you can pick the knack up

I find getting a raw bolt from your local hardware store is a major help. Never mind trying to tap them out evenly with a drift and hammer, just place the rawbolt inside the wheel, tighten it up so it expands widthways, make sure it is very tight and tap with a hammer. Should knock them out nice and clean. Soak around the bearing with penetrating fluid for easier removal. Quick job if you can pick the knack up

I recently read that very good tip on another thread, I'd never thought of that before! Still waiting to try it for myself.

I've always welded on an old nut or bolt and tapped that out, but then I've got a welder permanently set up in the garage, so it's an easy option.

Will try the rawlbolt next time.

Pete

Hi, rawlbolt everytime, as before, go steady works a treat .

When you get the new bearings pick the seals off the sides and pack more grease in, there's never enough in there from new, and if you can wait put the new bearings in a plastic bag and put them in the deep freeze overnight and they will shrink slightly making putting them in alot easier do this as well as the boiling water over the hub as previously mentioned and they will go in a treat

The bearing and hub quickly normalize in temp as the hub temp drops and the bearing temp rises so it's usually not ever a problem (and the temp differential is small). If you use a big socket that just fits inside the hub and attach a long extention to it you can tap the bearing in easily. The long extention makes it simple to keep the bearing straight when driving it in.

Jon

When you get the new bearings pick the seals off the sides and pack more grease in, there's never enough in there from new,

Should'nt be neccessary they only need to be 1/3 packed,

Why? Too much grease can cause the balls to skid and not roll on the raceways and wear flats on them. If the extra grease is not the same, Mixing greases is bad practice as it can lose its properties like set like a wax or turn fluid.

Before now for my Enduro bike I have tried removing the grease by soaking in a solvent and replaced it for a water proof grease but it is not worth messing.

Edited February 8, 201115 yr by RichT

Thats a fair comment Rich i just like to get some good qaulity silicone grease in there.

An added insurance is put alittle never seize on the out bearing surface before putting it in and this will make removal easier next time. I also pack in between the bearings with grease to keep water out of the hub

Good luck

Dustin

I agree with not overpacking but the amount of grease in some bearings is pathetic and is bound not to be of a waterproof variety. Remember the coating that is all you get in most will soon be washed away, seals or no, so get a reasonable amount of good waterproof grease in. Picks available currently at Aldi for about 3 quid to ease the job.