Wheel bearing race installation

[Aeronet]

I'm going to do the front brakes on my Charger. I bought new rotors and they have the bearing races installed. I also bought new Timken bearings and races.
My question is, can I install the Timken races with an installation tool by hammering them in? I don't have a press.
Kind of a stupid question, but I would like confirmation by someone who's done it.

 

[steve340]

Yep you can tap them in with a long pin punch. Drift them in square and knock them down a little at a time working around and around. A little care and patience it will be easy.
Do not use a punch that is hard steel.
Put the rotors on a solid wood bench or block. The sound will change when you finally knock the races home.
Be sure to carefully pack the wheel bearings with the correct grease or they will not last.

 

[Aeronet]

Thank you steve340. Exactly what I wanted to know.

 

[TopBanana72]

I bought new rotors too that had the bearing cups (what you are calling races) installed already. I didn't need to use the ones that came with the Timken bearings.

 

[steve340]

The Timken races are probably good quality compared to the cheap Chinese **** installed in the rotors.
Changing them is a no brainer in my opinion.

 

[DGE330/NC]

freeze the bearing race. they will go in better. put them in freezer for a few hours. And then tap in if needed.this is what we do at work when we rebuild mechanical press brakes but we use dry ice.

 

[Officer Higgins]

Last timken wheel bearings i bought were made in China anyway.

 

[Aeronet]

I just glanced at one of mine, but saw USA on it. Nothing on the box.
In the past I used to just put a new bearing in the new rotor and not worry about the race, but last time I replaced the rotors was about twenty years ago. It's the Chinese quality I'm concerned about. If the Timkens are made in China then replacing the races might be pointless.

 

[Officer Higgins]

Yeah man i hear you.

 

[toolmanmike]

Yes, use a brass punch or a bearing race tool. Something like this: You may be able to rent or borrow a set from your local parts store or rental store.

https://www.mactools.com/en-us/Spec...a56101735e71/Race-Bearing-and-Seal-Driver-Set

 

[steve340]

It really is a lottery with bearings these days. They can be made in China and be good or they can be bad. It really depends on the factory, the material and manufacturing process.
But whoever made those rotors bought the cheapest race they could to install to machine the rotor true.
I heard from the Saeco bearings rep a few years ago their product was being replicated.
The replica looked exactly the same even down to the packaging but when installed would fail within weeks. They were struggling with a serious lose of product reputation at the time.
If your Timkens were supplied by a reputable bearing company you should be able to trust them.
If you bought them on EBAY for the cheapest price maybe not.

 

[Aeronet]

I looked at everything. The Timkens sit farther down in their race compared to the races in the rotor. The Timkens say USA. After looking at it I'm going to buy a bearing removal tool and an installation tool.
It looks like the hard part is getting the races out.
I also looked at a couple of old rotors I have, made in the US or Canada. They are rusty but they have very little wear. I think I'll clean them up and have them turned and install new bearings in them; a good winter project.
By the way, I got all the parts from Rockauto, rotors, pads, hoses, bearings, seals, and bushings and seals for the pin type calipers.

 

[RJRENTON]

IMO....
The Timken bearings (called the cup or stationary part and the cone or rolling element) are produced in matched sets or cup and cone and should be installed together. Using a cup ftom one manufacturer vs a cone from a different manufacturer is NEVER a good idea even though they have the same number, due to small tolerance differences between the two manufacturers. Use matched sets....
I use a large brass drift pin, which was the stem of a old rising stem 6" gate valve, to tap out the bearing cups from the brake housings and later to install the new bearing cups back in. Remembet to pack the bearing cone assemblies with a grease of your choice, before installation.....btw, I like Mobil One synthetic wheel bearing grease API NLG #2.
BOB RENTON

 

[MoparDanMan]

I'm going to do the front brakes on my Charger. I bought new rotors and they have the bearing races installed. I also bought new Timken bearings and races.
My question is, can I install the Timken races with an installation tool by hammering them in? I don't have a press.
Kind of a stupid question, but I would like confirmation by someone who's done it.

Yes you can, I always use a brass drift and a ball peen hammer. I have never had an installation tool.

 

[MoparDanMan]

I looked at everything. The Timkens sit farther down in their race compared to the races in the rotor. The Timkens say USA. After looking at it I'm going to buy a bearing removal tool and an installation tool.
It looks like the hard part is getting the races out.
I also looked at a couple of old rotors I have, made in the US or Canada. They are rusty but they have very little wear. I think I'll clean them up and have them turned and install new bearings in them; a good winter project.
By the way, I got all the parts from Rockauto, rotors, pads, hoses, bearings, seals, and bushings and seals for the pin type calipers.

The races come out easily. If you look at the backside you will see two notches, use a punch (you don't care if these races get dinged) and knock them out. You don't need to spend money on removal and installation tools. I've been doing it this way for over 50 years.

 

[MoparDanMan]

Yes, use a brass punch or a bearing race tool. Something like this: You may be able to rent or borrow a set from your local parts store or rental store.

https://www.mactools.com/en-us/Spec...a56101735e71/Race-Bearing-and-Seal-Driver-Set

View attachment 960052

You don't need this, a brass drift works great and doesn't cost you $110.00

 

[Sparky Anderson]

Boy, with all this Chinese talk, first off be careful with the Chinese Virus, second tap the cup in with a driver, good idea to put them in freezer and if it comes with one in the rotor, better off to keep it a matching set unless u only planning on driving your car less then a thousand miles a year. Finally wash your hands and don't touch your face, maintain 3 foot distance ! Everybody stay safe.

 

[Aeronet]

Ok, I bought a set of brass punches and a 16oz. ball peen hammer (all made in USA) and am having no luck getting the races out. There aren't tabs in the casting to aid removal. The brass drifts are distorting and the races aren't moving. I think I'm going to have to buy a slide hammer removal tool.

 

[Cranky]

If you are adamant about removing the supplied cups, then it doesn't matter what you use to drive them out but I usually use the 'old' cups to install the news ones. Also, if the supplied cups look like they are not Shineese made, they will work fine....and you can usually tell the difference fairly easily between Shineese bearings and ones made ANYwhere else!

 

[Aeronet]

It's a skill I would like to learn. I'll keep at it 'til I figure it out. I'm one of those people that has to do it to get the "aha" moment.
The rotors look like good quality, but made in China. I have the Timkens with races/cups so I thought I would replace the installed races with the Timkens.
I think I read in a shop manual to chisel (very carefully) the races out.
This is all just good fun to me. The Timken races do seem better than those supplied with the rotors, as far as fit is concerned.
Adam Ant. Goody Two Shoes. Took me many years to figure that one out.