How Do I Get The Darn Bearing Race Out?

[gheumann]

I have a Syil X4 mill - about 10 years old. The spindle bearings are dead. I have successfully removed the spindle cartridge from the cast head housing. I have successfully removed the spindle from the sleeve that holds the bearings. I have successfully pressed out both inner bearings. I have gotten the lower, larger bearing race out. But there was a "gap" below that race to get my puller jaws into. The upper race has no such gap - there's nothing to grab to pull on.

I saw one YouTube where a guy actually welded a bolt to the race and then pulled it out by the race. Clever, but I don't know how to weld. (Ugh...... its on my list) and don't have ready access to a welder. Before I go that route does anyone have any other ideas?

 

[Ulma Doctor]

Hi Gheumann,
blind races are a PITA to get out. heres' 3 ways i get em out...
1: as you stated, i'll weld a bead on the inner portion of the race- the bearing race will shrink upon cooling just a few thousandths, race falls out easily.
2: if the housing is not especially thick, i'll take a heat gun or propane torch and heat the outer housing to expansion until the race comes out
3: if 1&2 are not working or not possible, i get cro-magnon and cut the race with a die grinder. (or scarf it out with an air arc torch)
be careful when cutting the race, i'll just cut the race about 80-90% through its thickness and lay a cold chisel in the groove.
with a swing of the hammer, usually the race will crack, troubling you no more.

hopefully you can use one of these methods to get you out of your pickle, if not i'd like to hear what worked for you!

 

[talvare]

cut the race with a die grinder.
be careful when cutting the race, i'll just cut the race about 80-90% through its thickness and lay a cold chisel in the groove.
with a swing of the hammer, usually the race will crack, troubling you no more.

I have also removed several blind races using exactly this method. Sometimes if it's a small bearing, the die grinder isn't even needed, just the cold chisel. Just be careful not to damage the housing with the chisel.

Good luck

Ted

 

[royesses]

I don't know the size of your bearing race, so a suggestion would be a blind hole bearing puller.
http://www.harborfreight.com/blind-hole-bearing-puller-95987.html

Also may be able to rent one at your local autozone or auto parts.

 

[Wreck™Wreck]

Weld around the inside of the race and it will shrink and fall out.

 

[intjonmiller]

I saw one YouTube where a guy actually welded a bolt to the race and then pulled it out by the race. Clever, but I don't know how to weld. (Ugh...... its on my list) and don't have ready access to a welder. Before I go that route does anyone have any other ideas?

Weld around the inside of the race and it will shrink and fall out.

Hmmm...

 

[Groundhog]

I replaced the bearings in my Syil X4+ spindle a few years back. I was able to remove the race by heating the spindle with a heat gun, but just barely. My next attempt would have been to weld a bead to the face of the race.

If I were you would take the spindle out of the mill (easy to do) and take it to a welder if needed. You don't want to get the spindle too hot (like red hot with a torch) for fear of distortion.

Have you found quality bearings? There was one bearing that I was never able to find a good replacement for (the top taper bearing if I remember right). The ones I found were for motorcycle steering heads and are at the bottom end of the quality rating. Not good for 3,000 rpm bearings. The one I did find I had to import from Australia and it was still not a real good bearing. It has more run out than I want and is noisy (and getting worse). I still have all of that info if it would be of help to you. Message me if you want me to dig it out. If you have found a source for quality bearings please let me know. I would like to replace my so-so bearings.

 

[tertiaryjim]

Though it may not be the case.....Sometimes a race with no cutout or gap to get a puller in has a slip fit and the old grease n whatever is holding it.
I have removed some by blowing air behind the race.

 

[jpfabricator]

Post some pictures please.

Sent from somewhere in East Texas by Jake Parker!

 

[gheumann]

Thank you all for the great ideas. That harbor freight puller might have done the job. I am fortunate to live in an Ag area and there are a lot of old timers around who've been fixing tractors and welding up stainless steel tanks, etc - for 40 years. They're hard to find - but I found one. I had prepared a bolt with rounded sloped ends to weld to the race if need be; it wasn't needed. He welded a bead around, let it shrink and the whole thing just about dropped out. (I actually had turned a fixture to support the sleeve and provide room for the race to drop out - there's not a lot of sleeve diameter to work with so it had a recess to center the sleeve over a hole just .005" bigger than the race. We held the two pieces together and banged it on the wood work bench and out came the race. )

I measured it after - it must have shrunk at least .002"!

So - onto the rebuild..... BUT - because I am down and risk losing business (I'm sure as hell losing time) I had ALSO contacted Syil. Those guys are great. They called me today. When the newer model 4 came out they bought the last few old ones from China, for parts I guess. Late today they offered to send me a whole new spindle, for considerably less than a new one would cost. It is already on its way to me. I was blown away - that is great customer service. I will probably complete the rebuild just on principle if the bearings are outrageously expensive- and to see that I can do it without screwing it up - but I'm going to be back up and running (which is priority 1) soon.

Thanks again......
P.S. - My spindle doesn't have taper bearings, even though the manual says it does. Just straight ball bearings. It is rated for 5000 RPM though.....