Bearing puller

I need an external bearing puller for a 52x25x15mm wide bearing. Whilst it may never be used again I don't want to order something that simply doesn't work and a lot of the Amazon reviews of cheaper pullers are very uncomplementary. I'm in Italy and will have to order online or pay a fortune, there simply isn't a market here for this kind of item to hobbyists. Many companies have quite high minimum charge for orders. What should I look for? I presume 3 arms are better than 2?

I have a three bearing puller which can also be used as an internal puller, I also have a two legged puller, whether you use a three or two legged puller is down to whether either will fit. Machine Mart sell a flat plated puller with various legs, part no 040810698, I have one and it works well.

Martin P

I only have an inexpensive gear puller which has served me well for 20 years. (this one advertised on ebay for $12.50) Also available from hardware stores and car accessory stores. (there must be similar stores in Italy where you can check the quality before buying)

Paul

Sykes Pickavant are probably one of the best names in pulling equipment but prices are high. The bearing described is unlikely to present much of a challenge even to a cheapish puller. My personal preference is for a 3 legged puller but check the access for the legs of the puller, some have quite chunky ends and space can be tight, I have had to modify the ends to get into position on occasion. My apprentice made puller has served me well for nearly 50 years and it is made from mild steel.

Mike

£33.40 + vat will get you a 4 piece puller set from simplybearings.co.uk. Usual disclaimer, just a satisfied customer. Buy for one job, end up using them many times subsequently and being thankful you had them.

Hi, I have one similar to this Gear Puller which works OK on most bearings.

Although this one is more like mine Hydraulic Puller

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 28/02/2021 23:17:17

In the US the auto parts stores loan tools to their customers. Is it the same in the UK?

I have an inexpensive set of 3 which came with a small, medium and large puller, no its not the best quality but it works fine. I couldn't see the point in buying an expensive puller when it's something I will seldom use, in fact I haven't used it in the last 2 years.

My first consideration is whether this bearing is to be used again or is being replaced. There are different strategies available, dependent on the situation. For one single bearing, I would likely arrange my own puller without resorting to buying in, if the bearing is to be replaced. If re-using the bearing, it will need to be removed with pressure/force applied to the inner race, not the outer.

Agree with NDIY that for a one time job making rather than buying is a good option.

I'd take inspiration from something like this :- **LINK**

Many, many years ago I made one with simple arms fixed to the cross bar at the right distance apart dropping down to hook over the bearing with something spectacularly crude to stop them springing apart. Usual thing. Sunday morning, had to be done for Monday and the only puller much younger Clive had to hand wasn't quite wide enough!

Although I have one of the multi arm 2 & 3 legged spider sets like Nicks' link and Pauls' picture, expensive Pickavant too, I'm no great fan. All too often the leg ends are too cumbersome, the angle of dangle is unfortunate, assembly takes longer than I'd like (especially if I get one leg wrong way round!) and the thing flops about in 86 different directions simultaneously when trying to fit it.

Much prefer legs solidly fixed to the cross bar.

If you do make one use a fine thread on the bolt.

Clive

Have you tried car parts sellers or link some of these are local

Had sykes pickavant for over 40 years, with the right parts you can pull anything, very good but pricey. The hydraulic unit must never be hit with a hammer !

The job in hand, a Metre of 10 or 12 mm threaded rod and a bit of imagination should do the trick. It depends on where the bearing is and what access you have. A plate may be 10mm thick 3 holes at 120* to suit rod and a second with a U shaped hole to suit shaft and an OD such as to allow the 3 rod to sit round the bearing. 6 nuts slowly and equally tightened and tapping the top plate with a hammer - should work ! Good luck Noel.

Edited By noel shelley on 01/03/2021 12:03:35

I struck lucky for once. I popped in on a friend, a garage owner/mechanic to change some tyres. I help him a lot with translating English/Italian and vice versa. He gave me two brand new Beta external pullers. When He started his business he ordered one each of three sizes, they sent him 3 each of 3 sizes but as it was their error he got to keep them all.

Almost nothing has ever defeated my Sykes Pickavant pullers. (Only Ford halfshaft bearings, until the retaining ring had been split and removed )

When removing or fitting rolling bearings, the force should be applied to the inner or outer track (whichever is fixed on the shaft or in the housing ), if the bearing is not to be damaged.

If the bearing is to be replaced, it does not matter so much, but if the bearing disintegrates, it can be difficult removing just the inner track from the shaft. Believe me!!!!!!!!!!

When direct access behind the bearing is not possible, the type m,of puller consisting bof two halves, clamped together behind the bearing has to be used. If making your own puller:

It needs to be strong enough not to bend under the applied load. If in doubt, make it thicker!

If the forcing thread is not central, at least two symmetrically placed ones will be needed, being equally tightened in small stages.

I have seen 1" channel bend under the load applied by a 1/2 BSF thread when trying to remove a brakedrum from the taper on a semi floating halfshaft!

Heat can help!

Howard

If the bearing is to be replaced, it does not matter so much, but if the bearing disintegrates, it can be difficult removing just the inner track from the shaft. Believe me!!!!!!!!!!

If all else fails a grinding disc or hot spanner[ will come to the rescue in those situations. I think it is Kuhn power harrows, in particular, that give a bit of bovver at times.

Hi, if the bearing falls apart and leaves the inner race on the shaft, holding the shaft vertical with the inner race towards the floor and then heating the inner race with a oxy/acetylene welding torch or maybe even one of this type of Blow Torch, will very often allow the inner race to just drop off, but heat as much area of the race as you can, without directing too much heat onto the shaft, you can stand the shaft in a pot of water close to the race, to help stop the shaft getting hot too quickly. If it doesn't drop off before it does get too hot, you'll have to let the whole thing cool down and then try again, if it still doesn't move you'll have to resort to cutting or drifting it off. If you do drift it off, use a piece of mild steel bar, don't use brass as it will splinter bits of brass of the bar and don't hit the race with a hammer either.

Regards Nick.

Nick,

A friend attempted to remove the bearing from a Vauxhall half shaft. He came to me after his brutal methods had removed the outer track, balls and cage, and ruined the shaft retaining flange.

Having succeeded for him, I vowed never to be in that position again, and constructed my own press using a 6 ton hydraulic jack. But Ford halfshaft bearings needed the retaining ring to be split and removed before bearing and shaft would part company!

At John Stevenson's wake we were told of how he removed a bearing from an alloy housing, which had defeated everyone else.

In typical John fashion, once the customer was safely out of the way, he removed the bearing in a very short space of time, using an arc welder, but leaving no trace!

Howard

Hi Howard, if you mean the outer race with no way of getting behind it, then yes, run a few beads of weld inside the track and then let it cool down and the race will shrink, done that a number of times.

Another way for really stubborn ones, is to get a piece of thickish flat bar or a disc that fits inside the race, drill a hole in it and tack a bolt in and then weld the bar onto the race and using a short piece of tube a little bigger than the race and another piece of bar /disc, wind it out with the a nut on the bolt.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 01/03/2021 18:50:27

Howard/Nick,

Using an electric welder is one common method of removing dry cylinder liners (paricularly Perkins engines🙂 )

One or two beads from end to end and they just drop out.