Just got my dif set up yesterday, and am going to install it today. Ran into a problem. It has been "repaired" by the wonderful fix it bearings that locate the running surface outboard a bit. I have never seen them before, but the problem is that I can't get them out. I have pounded, heated, used a slide hammer, etc. ZThey're stuck.

I am wondering what the inside feature if the axle tube is on a twelve bolt. I can get in there with my sawzall and cut the races in half ad that should do the trick (all of the rollers, seal material, etc have recently departed the area, with help from my BFH). There is a seal on the inboard side, as well as one on the outboard side of the bearing itself, I am assuming that these are all part of the fix it bearing? It has been a while since I replaced rear bearings, I don't recall seeing a seal on the inside before.

My guess is that there is a step on the inside of the axle tube that locates the bearing. If this is true, then I should be able to carefully cut the old races and get them out, without hurting the tubes.

Help?

Mark

The bearing material is very hard, won't cut easily.
If you get the rollers out, weld on the race, and it will shrink and come out easily.
You need to weld almost all the way around where the rollers run.
Stuff some tin foil inside the tube to keep the spatter from getting in there.
David

Mark there is a bearing removal tool available from quite a few companies, I have the Snappy version, and it will attach to the end of your slide hammer and end your misery.

I believe the part number is CJ127A for the 12 bolt axle bearing.

This is the only way to extract the race itself without damaging the tube end.

hey, you can use the sawzall method but you almost always leave a mark in tube, but it does nothing as long as you don't get crazy with it, also i like to stop just before it cuts thru and then use slide hammer to pull 1/2 out and start to pull it, goodluck
the slide hammer tool is the best way, but it can be done with good results with a sawzall
jake

Originally posted by chicane67:
Mark there is a bearing removal tool available from quite a few companies, I have the Snappy version, and it will attach to the end of your slide hammer and end your misery.

I believe the part number is CJ127A for the 12 bolt axle bearing.

This is the only way to extract the race itself without damaging the tube end. I agree, I've never seen one that tool couldn't remove.

Even on the larger truck bearings.

Grind the race in half. I get some stones and a high speed tool. Cut it almost through and then hammer it out.

I ran into this problem before. I got a long piece of pipe (1/2" diameter maybe ?), inserted in one side of the housing, and hit it with a hammer to knock the other side out.

[ 02-26-2003, 12:48 PM: Message edited by: Rons68 ]

Hey Ron,

You sound like you are about as "shade-tree" as me!!!
Great, cheap idea.... pdq67

Here's how it went. Man, nothing good comes easy.

Since the rear had been set up already, I didn't want to remove the posi unit, etc, so I decided to order the removal tool. I got it from Snap On, thanks for the number Tom. Only problem is, the threaded end was too large to adapt to my slide hammer. If you haven't seen one of these, it is essentially a threaded piece with a swivel connected to it. The swivel allows you to slide the piece through the bearing, and then grabs the race from the inside. Anyway, I drilled out the rivet holding the swivel to remove it, and then drilled a hole through the shaft of my slide hammer to connect the swivel piece directly to the shaft. Worked pretty good.

Except that it wouldn't get the bearings out. I slammed that thing a bunch, and the bearing didn't budge. My slide hammer is a three pounder, I am sure that a bigger one would have influenced things a bit better. It was late, but there was no way I was going to leave the bearings in there before I called it a night.

Broke out the sawzall. Nope. It would have taken me an hour to cut through one side. Keep in mind that these are the fix-it bearings, the races are probably 1.5" wide, not like an ordinary wheel bearing.

Then I broke out the wire welder, taking David's advise. Welded the ID of the race, let it cool for a minute, then used my slide hammer, and the first bearing came right out. Success!

Sort of. Tried it on the other side, and it still wouldn't come out. On the previous side I had done some heating, pounding, etc earlier in the week, and I think I loosened it just a little. So I did the same thing on the other side. Liquid Wrench, heated the outside of the axle tube, tapped it with a hammer.....

After about 15 minutes of this, I was finally able to get the thing out. Success at last.

Now all I have to do is clean all of the crud out of the axle tubes.

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys. What a pain.

Mark

Some day you'll call me when youre not up to your neck in the 'To Do' list of things.....

I still have to get over there for the compressor.

Dont hesitate to give me a buzzzzz. I gota KRL 1003 full of stuff you dont need to buy.... :cool: