I can't seem to press these things off. I have a little 12 ton press but no good way to set it up. I had to remove the heavy press surface and use 1"x1/8" angle just to fit between the wheel flange and bearing....it just bent the angle. I've realy only tried one so far but will need more angle. Obviously I need a stronger setup. I't seems like they're realy on their, Is this normal? Tips? Thanks, John C. Oh, hello Doug B.
I've always had to cut the collars off to get the bearings to budge. They're tight....and 1x1x1/8 angle is WAY too thin to be pressing on safely. You're going to want to find a bearing separator. Makes jobs like that a breeze.
Is that an 8-inch rearend? You ought to just buy new axels...stock ones are not expensive and come with new bearings...
The collar is what normally is the problem, although the bearings can be a pain too. torching off the collar is not my preferred way to do it. I use a die grinder and cutoff wheel to split the collar, takes some doing and a good chisel to finish the job. A cheap bearing seperater can be had from places like Harbor Freight or Northern Tools. Will make the bearing removal much easier. Various methods of pre=heating the new collar can be used for re-installation. I think a good shop that does this all the time may be the best bet in the long run, for quick turn around and peace of mind.
