Help with Pressing Bearings into Pulley

[TimP]

Hi. I'm in a jam.

I'm in the middle of an Alternator upgrade on a B2150.

The upgrade kit was sent in a bax with no real instructions on how to proceed.

One of the items is a Tensioner Pulley and I also was sent two bearings for it.

I "assumed" that the two bearings got placed into the pulley... but they are SO tight I am now wondering if they inside the pulley at all.

I tried tapping the first one in slowly with a block of wood and a rubber mallet and it started to go in, but the further I pushed it in the more the seal deformed until finally the seal is ruined.

Of course, it's Saturday night and can't get a replacement bearing (if my local dealer even has one in stock.)

I don't have a bearing press.

So... two questions:

1.) Do the bearings really go inside the Pulley? ( it really seems like they should )
2.) How do I press them in without ruining them ?

I guess it's possible that the bearings are not the correct ones for the pulley.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Tim

 

[arsenix2001]

I would venture either you got it started slightly cocked, easy to do. Or wrong bearings. I used to use a socket the same size as the race. Good luck

 

[TimP]

I would venture either you got it started slightly cocked, easy to do. Or wrong bearings. I used to use a socket the same size as the race. Good luck

It's very possible I got a little cocked whan I first started.

Is there some sort of super slick compound I can use to help ?

I have read of people who freeze the bearings and heat whatever they are going into, but I don't know if that is going to help.

 

[Soundguy]

grease the bearings before installing.

harbor freight makes a seal / bearing driver kit.

pretty much just billed aluminum discs and a handle to hold to to hammer them in.

aside from that.. I've also used large sockets.. just get one to fit the lip, but small enought to fit the ID of what you are pressing the bearing into.

soundguy

 

[TimP]

grease the bearings before installing.

harbor freight makes a seal / bearing driver kit.

pretty much just billed aluminum discs and a handle to hold to to hammer them in.

aside from that.. I've also used large sockets.. just get one to fit the lip, but small enought to fit the ID of what you are pressing the bearing into.

soundguy

Soundguy,

I'll try lubricating them up a bit.

I am looking for someone with a bearing press who will let me borrow it for an hour.

I was using a socket to try to drive the bearing in.. but I started it with a rubber mallet first.

Someone else siad to use a socket, but a heavy hammer and let the hammer do the work.

I hope I get it right... these dang bearing cost $10 each.

Thanks, Tim

 

[Soundguy]

an arbor press makes a decent (small)bearing press... also affordable at harbor freight..

soundgguy

 

[crazyal]

If you have to replace a bearing why don't you ask your dealer to install it. Chances are they have a press and can do it without doing any damage to them.

 

[gwdixon]

I have a large vice that I use for replacing the bearings in PTO U-joints. It keeps things fairly straight.

Fluid Film is used for a lubricant but grease or anything slick will do.

Sometimes a pipe is needed to put on the vice's handle to increase the leverage. Also sometimes the bearing goes in by jumps instead of smoothly sliding.

Anyway, the first requirement for this method is a large vice.

 

[TimP]

an arbor press makes a decent (small)bearing press... also affordable at harbor freight..

soundgguy

I'll take a look.. THANKS.

 

[TimP]

If you have to replace a bearing why don't you ask your dealer to install it. Chances are they have a press and can do it without doing any damage to them.

That's a good idea.... I gotta go there anyway to get another bearing.

Thanks.

 

[TimP]

I have a large vice that I use for replacing the bearings in PTO U-joints. It keeps things fairly straight.

Fluid Film is used for a lubricant but grease or anything slick will do.

Sometimes a pipe is needed to put on the vice's handle to increase the leverage. Also sometimes the bearing goes in by jumps instead of smoothly sliding.

Anyway, the first requirement for this method is a large vice.

A vice! I hadn't thought of that.

I can use a vice with the socket and slowly apply pressur eto try to seat the bearin gin the pulley.

I don't have a vice either.. but I think my neighbor has one.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Bota4me]

One of the tricks ive used over the years always worked great was throw the bearings in the freezer for a couple hours then heat the pulley with mapp gas press cold bearings in with vise and socket.
Good luck

 

[tcartwri]

Put the pulley in the wifes oven at 300 for about ten minutes. Ideally have the bearing in the freezer for an hour or so. Use some light engine oil on the mating surfaces and it will almost fall into place. You will likely have to drive it home with a hammer and socket. The socket should be almost the same diameter as the outer race on the bearing, as you do not want to drive it in using the inner race or risk damaging the seal again.

 

[TimP]

I've read about this hot & cold treatment before.

I know that's what they do with some jet-drive wear rings to get them into place.

Thanks

 

[don white]

One simple rule. The bearing race that is the press fit is the race you push. If the outside race is being pressed into a bore then you must push on the outside race only. The result of not doing it this way is that the balls dent the races and you get premature failure. If you are pressing a shaft into the inner race same thing the inner race must see the pushing load.

A drill press can work to get a bearing started straight. Starting straight is the key.
You should not need heat for pressing a bearing into a pulley.
Sockets do work well for pressing in bearings.
Dial calipers work to check the fit. You should probably have less that .001 interference fit. I am guessing the bearing OD is around 1". The handy rule is half a .0005 per inch of diameter.

 

[TimP]

One simple rule. The bearing race that is the press fit is the race you push. If the outside race is being pressed into a bore then you must push on the outside race only. The result of not doing it this way is that the balls dent the races and you get premature failure. If you are pressing a shaft into the inner race same thing the inner race must see the pushing load.

A drill press can work to get a bearing started straight. Starting straight is the key.
You should not need heat for pressing a bearing into a pulley.
Sockets do work well for pressing in bearings.
Dial calipers work to check the fit. You should probably have less that .001 interference fit. I am guessing the bearing OD is around 1". The handy rule is half a .0005 per inch of diameter.

The bearing I have is being pushed into the race of the pulley.

I was using a socket that matched the outer diameter of the bearing.

I gotta try to sand the inside of the pulley to make sure there is not any paint or "bumps" on it too.

 

[Old Coot]

If you don't have a vise or presss. One way of pressing a bearing in, is to put a bolt through a washer on opposite side of the pulley and through the bearing and into a washer or socket of the right dia. on bearing side, then into a nut and washer. Just tighten the nut and pull the bearing in. Make sure bearing is aligned with hole.

 

[gwdixon]

If you don't have a vise or presss. One way of pressing a bearing in, is to put a bolt through a washer on opposite side of the pulley and through the bearing and into a washer or socket of the right dia. on bearing side, then into a nut and washer. Just tighten the nut and pull the bearing in. Make sure bearing is aligned with hole.

OOOH, that might work really well with an air impact wrench.

Won't work on U-joints but it is worth a try on other bearings.

 

[devildog1]

Put bearings in freezer over night then have everything ready to next day so that you can take bearing out of freezer and tap in pulley.
DevilDog

 

[TimP]

If you don't have a vise or presss. One way of pressing a bearing in, is to put a bolt through a washer on opposite side of the pulley and through the bearing and into a washer or socket of the right dia. on bearing side, then into a nut and washer. Just tighten the nut and pull the bearing in. Make sure bearing is aligned with hole.

That's really good idea.

Easy and cheap.

Thanks for the idea.

Tim