Pilot bearing stuck. Help !

MartianBob

Registered User
I can't get this thing out.

Tried the grease trick, no go.
Then used a seal puller and destroyed the inner race.
Now I have what looks like just a steel bushing in there.
Rented a puller with 3 small steel hooks and the puller broke.

Any suggestions are appreciated. I have to get this thing put back together.

thanks
Bob
 
You can use a dremel with a carbide bit to very carefully cut through the race. As you get close to all of the metal being removed the race shoud POP open a little bit.

Had to do this on a bearing that came totally apart on the rear axle of a Chevy truck.
 
Wish I could tell you that there is an easy trick, but I didn't have that expierience. I tried all the supposed "tricks" but they didn't help me any. I ended up with a chizzel and a hammer. Had to chizzel through the bearing in two different places to be able to remove a piece of it. After that it finally came out. Took about 3 hours. I would only recommend this as a last resort, but you do what you have to do sometimes. Hope it doesn't come down to this for you

Brandon
 
...

Tach weld a 3/8 drive extension or socket to it ? and spin it off ?? i dont know just a sugestion...i dont know if it would work ? just because someone gave me this idea when my crank bolt snapped flat with my crank, but i ended up useing an easy out and it came right out.... Alex L
 
I'm not kidding. When all you have left is the inner part of the bearing, you can't get a grip on it with any type of puller.

A dremel with a carbide bit will cut it. all you need to do is break the ring and the pressure will allow it to loosen. Just be careful with the dremel bit that you don't bite into the shaft. Because the bits are round, it's hard to tell when you are through the metal of the bearing. Just take your time.
 
Dremel tool

The little abrasive cutting discs that mount on a mandrel for a dremel tool would be a good choice also. You'll break a few in the process, so make sure you have plenty. You could also cut it in two places approx. 180 degrees apart. Then it will fall out.
 
They make a more expensive disk that is thicker and doesn't break as easy. I had to use them to cut my cats out from underneath my car. (took 3 per side) $10 for a pack of 5 uses them up fast.

A carbide tip is best if you can find one. Not all hardware stores carry all the bits.
 
Got It!

Thanks for all the replies.

I finally got it!
I drilled 9 holes in the remianing steel bushing and it finally weekened enough for the puller to pop it out.

The new pilot bearing had to be hammered in with a sledge. I hope I never have to remove that one.

I am going to invest in a dremel tool now.

Cheers
Bob
 
Hammered?

Man, I hate to hear that you hammered that bearing in. Bearings are precision components, and you don't do any good to them by beating on them with a hammer. Being as it's such a tight fit, you might have increased the preload to the point that it will wear really quickly. I'm sure it was supposed to be pressed in, but not like that. Oh well....I hope is serves you as you expect. Good luck!
 
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