Any tips for removing seized swinging arm bearings? And putting in the new ones?

I managed to remove the top hat inner races after a struggle but the seals and the outer races are still firmly in place. I would like to avoid the use of a hacksaw if possible.

Edited May 5, 20197 yr by trapezeartist
Bloody auto-correct

I would recommend heating them with a propane torch and knocking them out with a socket ? If you have a bench vise large enough, you can use it as a press to push them out and push the new ones in

I spent some time this afternoon knocking seven bells out of them with a socket on the top.  Cold, that achieved nothing. I have an electric paint stripper but I’d be reluctant to give it too much heat as it may ruin the powder coating. My bench vice went to meet it’s maker after being used too many times as a press, so I think I’ll take the swinging arm to someone with a proper press, who can also push in the new ones.

That’ll be cheaper than a swing arm!

you can use threaded bar, nuts and washers as a homemade bearing puller. A bit fiddly though. 

1 hour ago, pindie said:

That’ll be cheaper than a swing arm!

you can use threaded bar, nuts and washers as a homemade bearing puller. A bit fiddly though. 

I tried that last night, without success ☹️. I used sockets and one of the bolts from the linkage. The bolt was M10 which is the biggest which will go through a half-inch socket and wound it all up as tight as I could. It didn't even look like moving. It will need properly turned-up rings and a bigger bolt if this method is to work at all. Or a hydraulic press.

Success this evening.? An hour and a half working away withe dremel and they’re out. It sorely depleted my stock of carborundum points though, and I was in danger of running out before finishing the job.

Now I’m worrying about putting the new ones in. The old ones were not corroded into the arm as I expected so there’s not much reason why the forces should be any different. And brutality is not an option with the new ones.

I smear the outer surface or the internal surface with anti seize copper grease. I’ve no idea if this is a good idea but I’ve never had a stuck bearing yet! Don’t try and grease a bearing with copper grease. Only decent waterproof grease is suited to that role. 

The new bearings are in ?. Using a big bolt and various combinations of sockets and washers to make an insertion tool. I followed pindie’s advice with the copper slip grease. It took a pretty heavy force on the spanner to work them in. It’s much easier on insertion though because the bearings are pushed in one at a time from each side. Attempting to push them out requires both bearings to be moved at once.

Let’s hope it helps! 

I’m glad you have it sorted.