Bearing Stuck To Suspension Pivot Bolt

[V12man]

At the risk of damaging the bolt if you not careful. try this.

 

Position the bearing on a hard surface like a vice. Position a cold chisel on the outer race and smack it with a hammer to crack the outer race, once its cracked you should be able to pull the outer race off with the balls, if not, then turn it and smack the opposite side to fracture it in two places. Once the inner race is exposed then do the same procedure. Once you cracked the inner race it will slide off fairly easy.

 

Use safety glasses, bearings like to shatter when you smack and break them. 

 

Removed lots of stick bearings this way - works every time

You could also tig the bearing outer race a bit bigger and use a puller.... but overkill....

 

Vice, nut and hammer - 20 sec and done... just don't clamp the bold head in the vice - bearing only.

[dev null]

Looking at the end of the bolt opposite where the bearing is, it looks as though there are 2 ridges worn into the bolt. Can't make a call from that photo, but maybe it needs replacing anyhow

 

No, it is just a dirty ring.  I felt it with my nails, and it is fine.

 

I am developing an interesting language dialect with this thing.  Tried forcing carpenters knifes in between bolt head and bearing.  The knife edge just deforms.

 

I tried moering (emphasis on 'moering') it out, supporting the outer race onto some other old bearing inner race I have lying around that is a perfect size to clear the actual bolt head.  Did not budge at all.  I actually moered the bearing into the supporting inner race I used.  I just do not have enough of a supporting lip area to work with. Measuring with a caliper, the bearing has an OD of 22mm (obvious), and the bolt head 20.9mm, so I have a lip of 0.55mm to work with, discounting the rounded edge of the bearing outer race, which just about halves the 0.55mm to about 0.3mm.

[RockCoach]

You could also tig the bearing outer race a bit bigger and use a puller.... but overkill....

 

Vice, nut and hammer - 20 sec and done... just don't clamp the bold head in the vice - bearing only.

 

There was a bike in last week which took a couple hours to remove seized the bearings (in the frame and on pivot bolts) using bearing pullers and vice. I don't think the bike had ever had a pivot service from new. Bike is about 15 years old.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Robodog

[Bobbo_SA]

No, it is just a dirty ring.  I felt it with my nails, and it is fine.

 

I am developing an interesting language dialect with this thing.  Tried forcing carpenters knifes in between bolt head and bearing.  The knife edge just deforms.

 

I tried moering (emphasis on 'moering') it out, supporting the outer race onto some other old bearing inner race I have lying around that is a perfect size to clear the actual bolt head.  Did not budge at all.  I actually moered the bearing into the supporting inner race I used.  I just do not have enough of a supporting lip area to work with. Measuring with a caliper, the bearing has an OD of 22mm (obvious), and the bolt head 20.9mm, so I have a lip of 0.55mm to work with, discounting the rounded edge of the bearing outer race, which just about halves the 0.55mm to about 0.3mm.

 

Kinda thinking you're left with the Dremel option mentioned earlier, slow and carefully you will be able to cut it off.

[David Marshall]

Are you sure that it is a solid bolt? Does the head not remove like the other side (if you clamp the shaft and unscrew)?

 

Otherwise plan B.  I pressed a seized bolt out of a shock mounting - you could hear the screech two blocks away.  Pity you are in CT.

[Stretch]

Yes, a special item, only supplied in a suspension bolt set from BMC, and priced at about 65 quid (about R1200 - R1500 then).

 

https://www.evanscycles.com/bmc-fourstroke-and-supertrail-bolt-kit-00116836

i used to think that with my previous bike until I started investigating and found and engineering shop to supply them to me at a fraction of the cost...unless you are a weight weenie and want titanium or something

[dev null]

People

 

I was lucky this morning.  The problem is now someone else's problem.  I went to Malan's shop here, who is also a BMC dealer.  The techie browsed through some drawers and found a spare bolt for me.  He gave it to me in exchange for my problem bolt, and said that he will figure out a way to get the bearing off.  I also ordered a set of Enduro MAX replacement bearings.

 

This was my first suspension pivot service for this bike.  I have had the bike for 5 years.

 

My advice to others: don't wait too long before servicing your suspension pivots.  Lest you have the same problem as me.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Moridin

[ichnusa]

Good result for you... not so good for all of us who wanted to find a solution to your problem!

[Showtime]

Like they say if the big hammer doesn't work it's an electrical fault.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[eddy]

There was a bike in last week which took a couple hours to remove seized the bearings (in the frame and on pivot bolts) using bearing pullers and vice. I don't think the bike had ever had a pivot service from new. Bike is about 15 years old.

Not necessarily.

 

It could have had regular "major services" at a well known golf, apologies cycle, store out north.

 

I learnt this the hard way.

[Danger Dassie]

Like they say if the big hammer doesn't work it's an electrical fault.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Or you're not using a big enough hammer .... 

[RockCoach]

Not necessarily.

 

It could have had regular "major services" at a well known golf, apologies cycle, store out north.

 

I learnt this the hard way.

 

really?

[eddy]

really?

Yip.

 

I bought my first DS bike, a Spez Epic from Anton at Summit in 2004.

 

For convenience sake, the bike was taken to a large and well know business for its regular services.

 

In around 2009 I took the bike to Mike's as they had recently opened close ro me and I like supporting small businesses.

 

Mike called me to come and see my bike and from the bearing condition it was clear that none had ever been checked, lubed or replaced.

 

I am wiser and more knowledgeable now and will not fall for absence of services again.

[dev null]

Which is why I service all our bikes myself.  Because then I know what was checked and what needs to be checked.

 

Lesson I learnt from this was to check ALL the bearings on my bikes more often.  What really upset me about my bike was the fact that BMC used bearings with VRS seals in an area which get constant bombardment from water and mud.  VRS seals are used on high speed bearings, and thus have a bigger clearance around the races to prevent excessive friction.  The downside is less of a seal from the outside elements.

[David Marshall]

Not to make any excuses for the trade but certain things can't easily be seen in a service.  Owners have to take some responsibility.  Things like fork and shock service intervals and to some extent suspension bearing condition can't be seen without extensive stripping (and cost).  You need to keep track of these things and let your mechanic know the status of your bike.  By the time the wear is obvious it should have been done at an earlier service.

[dev null]

Not to make any excuses for the trade but certain things can't easily be seen in a service.  Owners have to take some responsibility.  Things like fork and shock service intervals and to some extent suspension bearing condition can't be seen without extensive stripping (and cost).  You need to keep track of these things and let your mechanic know the status of your bike.  By the time the wear is obvious it should have been done at an earlier service.

 

Service books for bikes?  Could that be the next step?  Some owners are just too ignorant or lacks the knowledge to know what needs checking.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Moridin