Removing wheel bearing outer from front upright

[mangocrazy]

I'm currently trying to strip a pair of front uprights (from a Lancia Beta) of all the parts connected to it. I've had to drift out the hub from inside the wheel bearing using a combination of brute force, ignorance and heat. Consequently I now have just the bearing outer still inside the front upright bearing carrier (the inner sleeve, ball bearings and cage are now in pieces in the bin). Given that there is no bearing lip visible on which to visit any violence, how do I go about getting the bu99er out?

Dremelling the bearing outer would be extremely time-consuming and tedious operation, and I really don't want to damage the inner face of the bearing carrier. The only thing I can think of is running a couple of weld beads around the inner face of the bearing in the hope that it will shrink enough to be removed more easily with a chisel. Is this a viable plan?

 

[Paul.]

Yes, done it many times, usually just 3 or 4 short runs with a 2.5 electrode is enough and it will just fall out,

 

[Hopefuldave]

Should work, if worst comes to worst you could weld a piece of bar to the race to get some force to it

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[dcocks]

Yes, done it many times, usually just 3 or 4 short runs with a 2.5 electrode is enough and it will just fall out,

That is how I would do it as well, works a treat

 

[Ashley Burton]

John aka @doubleboost has a great video for this situation:

6:25 Onwards

 

[Dcal]

Just reassemble the inner race with a few of the old ball bearings and press it out with a bench press pushing on the inner race.
The problem is usually getting the inner outer race off the stub, where a run of weld works great.
If that doesn't work follow Doubleboost's instructions as
https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/members/ashley-burton.30884/ post

 

[piman]

Hello Mangocrazy,

my usaual method is one of these:-
Alec

 

[mangocrazy]

That Doubleboost video was brilliant, pretty much exactly what I'm trying to do. Thankfully my upright/hub assembly is free of sensors, so that's one less thing to worry about.

Also the bearing was retained by a castellated screw ring, not a circlip, and I had to make up a tool to use with a windy gun to shock it free. I don't have any type of press (other than a vice), so after running weld around the inner of the bearing it will probably be judicious use of a chisel onto the weld I've just applied to tap it out of the housing.

But at least we have a plan now...

 

[mangocrazy]

Hello Mangocrazy,

my usaual method is one of these:-
AlecView attachment 158730

There's no way to get one of those in. The inner race of the bearing is flush with the lip on the upright. Nice idea though...

 

[rikrobson]

The outer is likely to be held in with either 2 circlips, one either side, or one circlips and a lip on the casting. If you haven't removed a circlips one will be hiding in there and you'll need to get it out. They usually rust in Well and some have a tang or recess instead of the usual lugs worth holes in. I just change a rear bearing on my x-trail on the vehicle. The circlips was well hidden on the inside of the beating and had just a wee tang to prize it out. Once the bearing circlips was removed the bearing pushed out with an on car bearing remover kit.

 

[mangocrazy]

The Beta doesn't use circlips. As you say, one side of the housing has a lip, the other has a screw thread into which a castellated fixing with exterior thread is screwed in, and they are a twastard to get out. Later Lancias dispensed with that arrangement and used a ciclip, like most other manufacturers. There is also an indentation in the housing wall that you punch the outer into to lock it. These are the parts:

https://353652584127257704.weebly.com/store/p301/Wheel_Bearing_Retaining_Ring.html

 

[rikrobson]

That looks like its going to be a fun job.

 

[mangocrazy]

Well, I'm happy to report that the bearing inners literally dropped out after running a couple of weld beads around the inside of the bearing outers. Couple of half-hearted taps and they dropped out - fantastic! Now I can get the uprights cleaned up and blasted and ready for their new challenge. I'd already removed the castellated retaining rings (and what a job that was). I don't know any other car that uses that retaining system - wtf is wrong with a circlip like everyone else uses?

It's great when a plan comes together...

 

[Dcal]

I'd have left the bearing race in place until the uprights are blasted to protect the machined surfaces.

 

[premmington]

I done a Renault Master front bearing today - our Sealey 30ton floor press would not budge the stub out of the wheel bearing inner race.

Had to resort to taking hub to mates workshop to use his English made 50ton air over hydraulic press.

Conclusion = 20tons on a monster press made in England is more pressure than 30tons on a Sealey press made "god knows where".

 

[mangocrazy]

I'd have left the bearing race in place until the uprights are blasted to protect the machined surfaces.

I'm getting them aqua blasted, so there will be no damage to bearing surfaces. They only need a light clean up.

 

[Dcal]

Grand job.

 

[Paul.]

the bearing inners literally dropped out

Told ya, well done