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bearing pullers and presses


Eddie Stafford

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I do all the maintenance and servicing of my bikes (and my friend's bikes) myself, except for the servicing of shocks and the replacement of frame, hub and press fit BB's.  I want to start replacing frame and hub bearings and did some research on the internet.  It looks like I will not need a “bearing puller” as in most videos I found people use a punch and mallet to remove the bearings.

 

What I will need is a “bearing press” and from looking at the online websites these are expensive, Park Tool HBP-1 Hub Bearing Press Set - R5,500 and Enduro Bearings BRT-005 Hub Press – R5,800.

 

There are cheaper ones, but they seem to be for specific name brands or come without the drifts.

I found this one - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BEARING-RACE-INSTALLATION-TOOL-UNIVERSAL-BICYCLE-BEARING-CARTRIDGE-PRESS-/281711415630 - that is cheaper than the name brands and it includes the drifts.

 

Another possibility seems to be to buy a bearing press only and then to buy the specific drifts that you need for each specific bearing.

 

Can anyone offer advice on what the home mechanic will need to replace hub and frame bearings and if any other bearing presses are available in SA.

 

Thank you.

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If you're not doing a lot of them, then the expensive presses are simply not worth the outlay - just go to your LBS for that.  

The cheaper option that you listed is also not great - there's nothing to keep the bearings centered as you're pressing them, so the chances of going skew are very high.  Doing that in a hub can be bad news.

I'm also seriously not a fan of using a punch and mallet as it puts a lot of pressure on the edge of the hub on whatever you're resting the hub onto - again risk of damage is high.  And if your punch is smaller than the bearing and you're punching it in sections to get it out then it can also drift skew.

Some bikes are easier than others and will offer no resistance.  Others will be proper b*tches and will cause you to wish that you had never started!  

 

All in all, do it properly or don't do it at all.  It's very easy to stuff up a bearing if you don't do it correctly.

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I do all the maintenance and servicing of my bikes (and my friend's bikes) myself, except for the servicing of shocks and the replacement of frame, hub and press fit BB's.  I want to start replacing frame and hub bearings and did some research on the internet.  It looks like I will not need a “bearing puller” as in most videos I found people use a punch and mallet to remove the bearings.

 

What I will need is a “bearing press” and from looking at the online websites these are expensive, Park Tool HBP-1 Hub Bearing Press Set - R5,500 and Enduro Bearings BRT-005 Hub Press – R5,800.

 

There are cheaper ones, but they seem to be for specific name brands or come without the drifts.

I found this one - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BEARING-RACE-INSTALLATION-TOOL-UNIVERSAL-BICYCLE-BEARING-CARTRIDGE-PRESS-/281711415630 - that is cheaper than the name brands and it includes the drifts.

 

Another possibility seems to be to buy a bearing press only and then to buy the specific drifts that you need for each specific bearing.

 

Can anyone offer advice on what the home mechanic will need to replace hub and frame bearings and if any other bearing presses are available in SA.

 

Thank you.

the boca press is just fine for most small bearings - not big enough for BB or headset bearings

 

You could make your own with a bit of threaded rod and some washers - easy enough, although getting the proper size ends made up by an engineering shop/friend will be best.

 

The bearing puller does make life easy though - you can find it locally for about 1500 if you look around - a lot cheaper than the enduro branded one (and identical)

 

http://www.parktool.com/product/home-mechanic-bearing-cup-press-hhp-3 is pretty economical too

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You can replace the frame and wheel bearings with a punch.  Sit on a chair with the hub or part supported by your knees and tap the bearing in by alternating the punch from side to side (180 deg apart).  Tap on the outer race only and be careful not to damage the inside of the hub or the bearing seal.  Correct choice of punch size is important.  You will hear a different sound (slight ring) when the bearing is seated.  That said my hand vibrations are a little extreme and I use an Enduro press.  You will still need to punch in one of the bearings on a hub with an axle with collars as you can't fit the tool over the axle - unless you buy one of the dedicated tools.

 

Headset bearing cups and BB's can be pressed in with a woodwork vice or a steel vice with aluminium jaws.  I have a couple of fancy presses but still prefer the vice.  Best to do one side at a time and to have two people.

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Thank you very much for the advice. 

 

The three wheelsets that I have and that I want to be able to replace the hub bearings are Syncro X1.5 (from Spark 910), Stans 3.30 hubs and American Classic 225 hub.  I think I will attempt the removal with a punch and mallet and will see if I can hold of a Boca bearing press. 

 

Interesting, I read the American Classic manual for overhauling their Disc 225 rear hubs and they suggest a punch to remove the bearing and to use the old bearing to hammer in the new bearing.

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I have used a vice for headset bearings ... no problem :) 

 

I was thinking about the way for the BB bearing - and I think making your own with a threaded rod is probably what ill do ... that is when I get a bike thats needs them ...

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I am planning on doing my BB, headset and if i can hub bearings this coming weekend.

 

Bought a threaded rod and a couple of different sized washers last weekend and it came to a massive total of R40 and that included 2 threaded rods!

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Interesting, I read the American Classic manual for overhauling their Disc 225 rear hubs and they suggest a punch to remove the bearing and to use the old bearing to hammer in the new bearing.

The old bearing works well, otherwise use a socket head with a marginally smaller diameter than the bearing outer race to seat it. With a plastic hammer, obviously.

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An a related topic, what are good suggestions for hacked tools to press on a new crown race?

 

PVC pipe with cut on two sides.

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An a related topic, what are good suggestions for hacked tools to press on a new crown race?

Delete.

Had it wrong.  

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Just a word of warning with the washer/socket tools.  You need to get the pressure onto the outer race of the bearing.  I would sand off the rounded edge on a socket to get the surface absolutely flat before using one.  If you use the old bearing don't press it into the hub or frame 'cos you won't get it out without pressing everything out again.

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An a related topic, what are good suggestions for hacked tools to press on a new crown race?

A case of beer dropped off at you LBS's workshop ....

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