Hi Mike, The roller bearing on the drive side is meant to come apart like that and can actually 'float' a little from side to side to allow for crank expansion. The ball bearing on the timing side locates the crankshaft on its axis. I take it you are going to replace both? The best way I have found for heating crankcases is in the oven - but they had better be damn clean (dishwasher works great on parts :) The cases can be laid bearing side down in the oven and the temperature turned to about 150 degrees C, after maybe 45 mins you will hear a clanking as the bearing falls out. Dead easy, but very smelly if not clean. If no oven is available, a gas torch and spitting does work as does a moistened finger and a quick dab. One of the problems is that aluminium conducts heat very well and all the heat you apply at the bearing area soon dissipates. But if you heat the bearing area too much it could also melt at just over 600 degrees C. Also there's the worry of distortion of the cases, so it's the wife's oven for me :)
Hi Bob. Thank you so much for your advice. I really appreciate it. Yes, I'm definitely going to replace both bearings. I'm going to try and cut the race/roller bearing cage off with a small Dremel tool. Then hopefully will remove the bearing with a puller that I have on loan.Best wishes. Mike
I would try and pull the bearing off with all the rollers and cage still in position, so long as you can get the puller behind the rollers they will butt up against a lip on the outer race and it should come off fairly easily, once you remove the cage there's sometimes less to get hold of. Do you have one of these? www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/pullers/large-bearing-separator-3979.html
Thanks Bob, I'll try and get one of those HF separators. I tried the puller that my friend lent me but it didn't fit tightly enough. The HF tool looks like it might be better. Cheers, Mike
Yeah some of the DIY stuff can be pretty flimsy - like the tyre levers I bought off ebay that seemed to be made of lead - but hopefully the puller will work nicely and maybe you'll film it. Good luck.
Hi Mike, The roller bearing on the drive side is meant to come apart like that and can actually 'float' a little from side to side to allow for crank expansion. The ball bearing on the timing side locates the crankshaft on its axis. I take it you are going to replace both?
The best way I have found for heating crankcases is in the oven - but they had better be damn clean (dishwasher works great on parts :) The cases can be laid bearing side down in the oven and the temperature turned to about 150 degrees C, after maybe 45 mins you will hear a clanking as the bearing falls out. Dead easy, but very smelly if not clean. If no oven is available, a gas torch and spitting does work as does a moistened finger and a quick dab. One of the problems is that aluminium conducts heat very well and all the heat you apply at the bearing area soon dissipates. But if you heat the bearing area too much it could also melt at just over 600 degrees C. Also there's the worry of distortion of the cases, so it's the wife's oven for me :)
Hi Bob. Thank you so much for your advice. I really appreciate it. Yes, I'm definitely going to replace both bearings. I'm going to try and cut the race/roller bearing cage off with a small Dremel tool. Then hopefully will remove the bearing with a puller that I have on loan.Best wishes. Mike
I would try and pull the bearing off with all the rollers and cage still in position, so long as you can get the puller behind the rollers they will butt up against a lip on the outer race and it should come off fairly easily, once you remove the cage there's sometimes less to get hold of. Do you have one of these? www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/pullers/large-bearing-separator-3979.html
Thanks Bob, I'll try and get one of those HF separators. I tried the puller that my friend lent me but it didn't fit tightly enough. The HF tool looks like it might be better. Cheers, Mike
Thanks again Bob, I just picked up one of the HF gear separators at lunchtime so will try it out soon.. hopefully it will last more than one time ;)
Yeah some of the DIY stuff can be pretty flimsy - like the tyre levers I bought off ebay that seemed to be made of lead - but hopefully the puller will work nicely and maybe you'll film it. Good luck.