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Blind Hole Bearing Puller Tool
- Thread starter Kroll
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Messages
- 658
When I was a mechanic, I pulled countless blind bearings. Pilot bearings in particular have a bad habit of getting really stuck.
I have use pullers with legs, blind bearing pullers (I have a very expensive and very well made German kit), and the "hydraulic" method.
By far the easiest and most reliable is the hydraulic method. Blind hole pullers are the least effective on bearings like you pictured. The cage tends to collapse and it just pulls the needles out, and you are left with a mess. Pullers work best on bushings or outer races. I have had them pull the inner race right off the outer.
Legged pullers are next to useless unless the bearing will more or less slide out with very little effort.
Even with factory made blind pullers, the results are intermittent. Some times it works well, other times the puller just makes a huge mess out of the bearing. Once a blind hole puller has done it's damage, about the only way to remove the bearing it to carefully split it.
It is best to always start with the hydraulic method.
carefully pack the hole with general purpose grease, try to get as few air bubbles in it as possible. just keep putting it in there, and packing it down with a drift punch or dowel. Fill it all the way up. Line up a drift that fills the hole as close as possible, and hit it with a really hard sharp blow with a large hard steel hammer (a ball peen is best). It is a good idea to hold the drift with a punch holder, it really sucks when you miss the drift and hit your hand. Wear goggle, or better yet a full face shield. Sometimes the grease will spray, and it is usually very hot.
I have had stuck bearings come out with so much force the grease smokes, and the part is too hot to touch.
Your bearing looks to be in good shape, it should come right out of there. There are other alternatives I would pursue before buying a tool that will see almost no use. There is no reason you could not clamp it in the mill, run a boring head down far enough to clean off the end, remove the needles, then bore the cage out so it is only a couple thou thick. You can then peel what is left out easily with a pick and needle nose pliers.
I have use pullers with legs, blind bearing pullers (I have a very expensive and very well made German kit), and the "hydraulic" method.
By far the easiest and most reliable is the hydraulic method. Blind hole pullers are the least effective on bearings like you pictured. The cage tends to collapse and it just pulls the needles out, and you are left with a mess. Pullers work best on bushings or outer races. I have had them pull the inner race right off the outer.
Legged pullers are next to useless unless the bearing will more or less slide out with very little effort.
Even with factory made blind pullers, the results are intermittent. Some times it works well, other times the puller just makes a huge mess out of the bearing. Once a blind hole puller has done it's damage, about the only way to remove the bearing it to carefully split it.
It is best to always start with the hydraulic method.
carefully pack the hole with general purpose grease, try to get as few air bubbles in it as possible. just keep putting it in there, and packing it down with a drift punch or dowel. Fill it all the way up. Line up a drift that fills the hole as close as possible, and hit it with a really hard sharp blow with a large hard steel hammer (a ball peen is best). It is a good idea to hold the drift with a punch holder, it really sucks when you miss the drift and hit your hand. Wear goggle, or better yet a full face shield. Sometimes the grease will spray, and it is usually very hot.
I have had stuck bearings come out with so much force the grease smokes, and the part is too hot to touch.
Your bearing looks to be in good shape, it should come right out of there. There are other alternatives I would pursue before buying a tool that will see almost no use. There is no reason you could not clamp it in the mill, run a boring head down far enough to clean off the end, remove the needles, then bore the cage out so it is only a couple thou thick. You can then peel what is left out easily with a pick and needle nose pliers.
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2014
- Messages
- 658
Quite the opposite actually. A good Timken or NSK will be of higher quality that the bearings from 1965.
Not everything was better back in the good old days. In fact most things were worse. All we see today is the good stuff that lasted through the years...
Guys thanks for all your thoughts on this and I will be passing on the tool.I guess they are kinda like fishing lures,look good like they will work but the only catch is the person that brought it.I think that I will just stick with the bearings that in there.I will need to replace one but its already out in pieces just like what has been describe.The bearings that I purchase is INA made here in the states,but don't know if they are any good.Thanks for all the replys
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2013
- Messages
- 4,130
INA bearings are very good industrial quality bearings.
i have hundreds of them running in machines all over the west coast, right now as we speak.
i might reiterate others' sentiments by saying, don't fix something that ain't broke.
if there is excessive heat, noise, vibration, poor operation, or failure - that's the time to get gung ho
conversely, the best way to learn something is to completely screw things up and then find a way to get yourself out of the hole you dug
i guess it would depend on your intentions, in the depth of repairs.
personally i'll let a machine operate until it tells me otherwise,
then once it has failed, i like to build it from the ground up- replacing anything and everything that is deficient.
i build machines for continuous duty, your needs may differ greatly
i have hundreds of them running in machines all over the west coast, right now as we speak.
i might reiterate others' sentiments by saying, don't fix something that ain't broke.
if there is excessive heat, noise, vibration, poor operation, or failure - that's the time to get gung ho
conversely, the best way to learn something is to completely screw things up and then find a way to get yourself out of the hole you dug
i guess it would depend on your intentions, in the depth of repairs.
personally i'll let a machine operate until it tells me otherwise,
then once it has failed, i like to build it from the ground up- replacing anything and everything that is deficient.
i build machines for continuous duty, your needs may differ greatly
Thanks Ulma for replying,I guess only reason I have is because I have the lathe completely taken apart down to the last screw.Its all painted which can be seen here http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/colchester-1965-roundhead-lathe-restoration-project.38208/
I just wanted piece of mind knowing that they have been replace.
I just wanted piece of mind knowing that they have been replace.
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2015
- Messages
- 9
I have a similar puller from HF. works well on bearing races that are pressed in with flange, like a pilot bearing or races of a motorcycle swing arm.
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2014
- Messages
- 2,156
I have not used oil for the hydraulic method, But have used lite weight grease. it helps as it will still provide the hydraulic action but will not push out around the shaft as easy. Have used it to take out many stuck pilot needle bearings along with bushings. IT is messy any way you go about it. That one looks like you would have to mount it on something in order to do the Hydraulic as it would just push out the back. I agree if it ain't broke don't mess with it, But inspect it very well, and if you find any defect on any needle or the shaft redo it.