Well, I have a real situation this time!

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
Lost the rear axle seal on my Aerostar, throwing oil all over the place, so I figured pull the axle, put a new bearing and seal in, well went to pull the old bearing and all that came out was the cage that held the roller bearings in place, the outside rim of the bearing is still stuck in the axle housing and it does not have enough lip on it to get the puller to hold, so now I am trying to figure out the best way to get that bearing rim out of the axle housing so I can put the new parts in.

Anyone have any good ideas on how to get the bugger out of there?
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,581
Lost the rear axle seal on my Aerostar, throwing oil all over the place, so I figured pull the axle, put a new bearing and seal in, well went to pull the old bearing and all that came out was the cage that held the roller bearings in place, the outside rim of the bearing is still stuck in the axle housing and it does not have enough lip on it to get the puller to hold, so now I am trying to figure out the best way to get that bearing rim out of the axle housing so I can put the new parts in.

Anyone have any good ideas on how to get the bugger out of there?

You need one designed to pull your size bearing race. They make different sizes and it needs to take hold of both sides. What year is your Aerostar?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/otc-7494a/overview/
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,581
Everyone is using those things to keep from replacing an axel, but appears to be nothing out there discussing how you get it back out. Can you put the c-clip back in and use it?
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
I am just cutting it out with the dremel, cut and crack should work.
 

rickryder

Commander
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
2,722
Yeah MT just cut a slash it it almost all the way through and take a chisel in the groove and it will split..... done this plenty of times ;)
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
Yeah MT just cut a slash it it almost all the way through and take a chisel in the groove and it will split..... done this plenty of times ;)

What type of cutter did you use, I have been using diamond round bits, but I am heading out to get some dremel carbon tungsten bits, if I don't, it is going to take forever to cut through this darn thing. I sure wish I was at home with my shop!
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,297
Use a dremel cut-off wheel. I usually weld a bolt to the race and then pull.
 

rickryder

Commander
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
2,722
I use my angle grinder and a steel cut off wheel....you have to cut on a diagonal across the inner race thats left on the axle/spindle...don't cut into the seal race area just behind the bearing race.
 
Last edited:

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
I use my angle grinder and a steel cut off wheel....you have to cut on a diagonal across the inner race thats left on the axle/spindle...don't cut into the seal race area just behind the bearing race.

Everything is gone, except the outside area of the bearing itself, the seal is gone, the double cage is gone, all the roller bearings are sitting in a bucket, just the axle tube and the bearing mating surface. There is nothing on the axle, this does not press onto the axle.
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,581
Since the axel shaft was worn and then a saver bearing was used, I'm guessing the axel this time is unusable. If that is the case what about getting another complete rear axel from a junk yard.
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,465
Use a dremel cut-off wheel. I usually weld a bolt to the race and then pull.

Ayuh,..... If ya weld enough passes inside it, 'n quench it with water, it'll fall out from shrinkage,.....

Stuff damp rags in the axle tube to stop the weld splatter,...
 
Last edited:

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
I am not at home, so I don't have a welder available to use, I just spent about 15 minutes grinding and then wacked it with the chisel and part of it broke, so I will have it out of there in the morning. As far as the axle, I can use another axle saver bearing and run the axle, the only small damage is where the original bearing rode and if need be, I can hit the local pick and pull and pick up a used axle for less than $30 bucks if needed. One of the biggest issues right now, is I am out of town visiting for the holidays and I don't have access to my tools, so it makes things a bit more difficult when you are working with minimal tools.
 
Last edited:

rickryder

Commander
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
2,722
Sorry misunderstood... thought you were working on a spindle /timken style bearing.. your inside the axle tube itself maybe a jaw style slide hammer from the auto zone or whatever is around.. you should have some sort of lip to catch on the inside...

like pulling a gimbal bearing ;)

 
Last edited:

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
Nope, not happening, as I explained in my first post, the slide hammer and bearing puller, did nothing but pull the cage that housed the bearings, left the outer ring of the bearing in there, which is what I am working on now, not enough lip on this type of bearing to use the puller. But no worries, I have it almost cut all the way through, so it will be out in the morning and have the new bearing in it.

Thanks for the help.
 

rickryder

Commander
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
2,722
Ok gotcha MT... I guess that aftermarket bearing outer race does not stand above the stop in the axle tube to give you a spot to grab....normally you can grab the edge and pull it out.. Good luck hope it pops right out!
 

MTboatguy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
8,988
Boy I don't want to have to do anything like this again, talk about a pain, 3 tungsten bits later and a day and a half of grinding and that SOB is finally out of there, I have never seen a bearing like this one, talk about heavy walls on the bearing riding surface!
 
Top