Pressing on bearings?

ChrisNeilan · Post by **ChrisNeilan** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:51 pm

I am about to try to press on the bearings onto my Mark V driveshaft. I pulled the off with this puller, and thought I'd pull them on with it as well. Good or bad idea?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 1:05 pm

ChrisNeilan wrote:I am about to try to press on the bearings onto my Mark V driveshaft. I pulled the off with this puller, and thought I'd pull them on with it as well. Good or bad idea?

BAD!

When pulling or pressing, the race that is being restrained by the bore/shaft needs to be pulled/pushed.

Applying pressure to the 'free' race requires that force to be transmitted through the bearings to the restrained race.

That wheel puller is ok for pulling bearings that are to be discarded.

For the 'shaft at hand', a pipe with a good square end that just slips over the shaft will suffice.

The key here is 'gentle pressure'. I.E. gentle tapping rather than banging.

Any 'pressing' need be done in a straight line parallel to the shaft axis.

A large vice used with a short pipe works.

Glad you asked first!!!!

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 1:21 pm

I have an old Craftsman drill press that I use to put the bearings on. Just make sure that the bearing is square to the shaft and put pressure on the inner race. Once the baring starts on the shaft a sleeve can be used to go the rest of the way. The bearing is a snug slip on fit. Twenty ton press NOT needed.
Bill V

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 1:32 pm

ChrisNeilan wrote:I am about to try to press on the bearings onto my Mark V driveshaft. I pulled the off with this puller, and thought I'd pull them on with it as well. Good or bad idea?

I had made various length arms for these type of gear pullers so I could both remove and install bearings and gears. It is very critical that the bearing/gear being removed or installed does not tilt or misalign on the shaft during this process. It is very hard on the ball bearings when pulling on the outter race while the inner race is being forced onto a shaft so do not use a hammer on the bearing puller. Many times, I found the end "L" of the puller would not fit between the bearing and adjacent part so I purchased a bearing separater and puller set from Harbor Freight about 12 years ago (http://www.harborfreight.com/bearing-se ... 93980.html) and used this set until I got a hydraulic press about 5 years ago. I still use this puller set in some cases and the bearing splitters from this set with my hydraulic press. I use various diameter pieces of pipe that I squared the end on my metal lathe to press/drive on most bearings making sure I do not put any pressure on the ball bearings and making sure the bearing/gear is aligned straight on the shaft when doing this. There are pictures of the HF puller being used to remove and install the Drive Sleeve bearings in previous posts.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 1:57 pm

JPG40504 wrote:A large vice used with a short pipe works.

I have changed a half zillion bearing over the years on all kinds of stuff.
In my farm shop I have kept a whole batch of different lengths and diameters of scrap pipe for pressing bearings. I also have several piston pins out of different engines that I have kept for that purpose. One of my most common tools at the hydraulic press and the big vises is sockets. You can very often find a socket that will serve. Just take your time and resist the urge to pound the crap out of it.

.

ChrisNeilan · Post by **ChrisNeilan** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 4:55 pm

[quote="JPG40504"]BAD!

That wheel puller is ok for pulling bearings that are to be discarded.

For the 'shaft at hand', a pipe with a good square end that just slips over the shaft will suffice.

The key here is 'gentle pressure'. I.E. gentle tapping rather than banging.

Any 'pressing' need be done in a straight line parallel to the shaft axis.

A large vice used with a short pipe works.

Glad you asked first!!!! ]

I learning to pay attention to that voice in my head!

.

ChrisNeilan · Post by **ChrisNeilan** » Sat Jan 25, 2014 5:01 pm

robinson46176 wrote:I have changed a half zillion bearing over the years on all kinds of stuff.
In my farm shop I have kept a whole batch of different lengths and diameters of scrap pipe for pressing bearings. I also have several piston pins out of different engines that I have kept for that purpose. One of my most common tools at the hydraulic press and the big vises is sockets. You can very often find a socket that will serve. Just take your time and resist the urge to pound the crap out of it.

.

Mongo no pound!