Can't get The Front Wheel Bearings out

I've been trying to knock out the wheel bearings for over an hour with little success. The middle spacer is the main problem. It only moves slightly inside the hub, making it almost impossible to get any surface area on the inner race to hit with the punch.

Am I doing something wrong here, or is there a secret to getting the bearings out?

I had the same problem, it's normal I think. You will get them out eventually. Have you tried heating the wheel around the bearing, and getting a bigger hammer?
You won't be using that bearing again anyway.
There are also bearing pullers for rent.

the only thing I have done is use the punch and keep working around the race so that it will come out even, if you just hit one side it will get itself in a bind

There is the obvious -- did you remember to remove the circlip/snap ring?

Also, when hammering the first side out, the center spacer is made so that, if you go at it from one side, the space leans far enough over so you can get a good shot at the bearing with a drift pin or rod. If you go at it from the other side, the spacer does not move over far enough to give you access.

Pretty much, yes to everything you guys have said. I have tried heating the outside of the hub, I definitely removed the snap rings on both sides, tried the larger hammer. I wish I could get get a blind hole bearing slide hammer in there, but like I said, that spacer leaves almost no surface area to grip on the inside. I know by the picture in the Clymer manual, the spacer "should" go into an angle, allowing "easy" access to the inside of the bearing. But, no matter what I've used, I have been unsuccessful in making the spacer "lean over".

I'm thinking tonight after work, I'll probably just cut the inner race out on one of the bearings with my dremel. After that, It should make things a little easier.

get a long bolt and weld the head of it to the berring then proceed to hit the end of the bolt with a hammer. Thats how i had to do it on my old honda 450's rear wheel.

Forgot to say put the bolt through the berring

Post edited by: Frank, at: 2007/04/16 20:50

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi fellow KZer. Believe me, this bearing remover will pay for itself with just one or two wheels.
Seriously, it is one of the best damn tool investments I've ever made.:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

www.pitposse.com/whbereset.html

It's funny, I was going to make the same post about getting the bearing out at lunch but you guys already answered my question. My inner sleeve leaned better on the other side I was trying it turns out. When I got back to work I had the bearings out in no time. I love this site.
Mark

inline4 wrote:

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi fellow KZer. Believe me, this bearing remover will pay for itself with just one or two wheels.
Seriously, it is one of the best damn tool investments I've ever made.:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

www.pitposse.com/whbereset.html

Hmmm.... Looks like it would be a good investment. I was planning on buying a blind hole bearing puller for future bearing jobs, but maybe this tool would be better. Although, it's not apparently available right now on that web site. :S

****Update****

I'm not sure what I did right, but somehow after I hit the inner race a few more times today, suddenly the middle spacer became really loose! YAY!!! I had both bearings out in less than a minute.

I still have to do the rear wheel bearings, but that won't be until maybe next weekend.

markmeinteil wrote:

****Update****

I still have to do the rear wheel bearings, but that won't be until maybe next weekend.

When you get ready to tackle this project:

been there, done that

So get this. I got my new bearings for the front along with my new tires. YAY! So, as I drive the new bearings into the hub, I hear them bottom out like they should on both sides, but now the inner races won't turn freely! aghhhh! I'm starting to think maybe that spacer in the middle was incorrect to begin with. It's just too long. Anywho, instead messing with it for hours, I ordered that bearing puller set Inline4 suggested. I'll be waiting on that as well as a wheel balancer I ordered on Friday.

I wish I would've bought all this stuff at the same time so I wouldn't have to wait around for parts to arrive.