8-3/4 Wheel Bearing Removal

[1moreproject]

What’s the easiest way to remove the bearing collar and bearing from an 8 3/4 axle? Would running a bead of weld around the OD of the collar expand it or shrink it on tighter? I know the weld trick works great on bearing cups but that’s welding on the ID to shrink the OD.

 

[Meep-Meep]

What I do is rest the collar on something solid (like an anvil) and put a chisel across the surface and whack it good. I actually made a V block stand out of a piece of heavy angle iron to support the axle. When you strike the chisel the mark will be along the axle center line. Then roll the axle a few degrees and smack it again. Keep doing this all the way around until the collar looks like a knurled surface. What is happening is the collar is expanding a tiny bit every time you hit it and it will eventually expand to the point that it will fall off on it's own.

It will be hard to get a puller attachment around the bearing so I either destroy the bearing cage and pull the rollers to get the the outer race off or use an abrasive wheel and cut the race at 180 deg and take it off that way. Once you have the inner race fully exposed you can grab it with a press fixture and it may come off that way. Otherwise you may have to slice it with an abrasive wheel almost all the way through (without hitting the axle!) and use the chisel to split the hardened steel. Once the race has been split it should come off easily. It can be an ugly job so get the BFH ready! It is advised you don't use heat to aid in the removal of the bearing.

Also remember there is a thin seal in the plate and the new bearings need to be packed with grease as they don't get lubed by the rear end oil.

 

[greenmonsta79]

bearing puller plate and a press! WALLA!!!! just did mine last week!!

 

[1moreproject]

Thanks, I'll go the chisel route and leave my MIG gun in it's holster.

 

[mick1967gtx]

how are you installing the bearings on the axle ,can you use a punch and hammer