Thread: Seized bearing races

Seized to the spindle?

You can cut the cages, discard the rollers, and slice the races with a grinder equipped with a cut off wheel. Once you get them cut most of the way through, give them a whack with a chisel in the cut, they are very hard/brittle and will crack then slide right off. Be careful not to hit the area where the seal rides on the spindle with the grinder, you will likely need to make your cut at an angle to avoid this.

Most bearing splitters have threaded holes that will allow you to attach a bolt-on flywheel type puller. That may work as well if you have or can get those tools. The wedge alone on the splitter may get them moving enough too, without the need for a puller.

What he said. Siezed to the spindle or siezed to the hub? It's the spindle you have to be very careful to protect when you are cutting. Hubs can be cheaply replaced.

Seized in the hub. Once down to the outer race left in the hub. Weld a bead inside the race all the way around. Once it cools and shrinks it will fall out or be easily tapped out. Stuck on the spendle a fella with a cutting torch can wash the race off the spindle usually without a nick.
These are old welder machinist tricks used on stubborn bearings all the time

Seized on the spindle. I have a cutter but was more interested in protecting the spindles a little more. I don't have any experience with a bearing separator so I thought that maybe someone has.

The tool I'm talking about is sometimes called a separator. Sometimes a splitter. No threaded wedge is involved. Sometimes shafts have multiple roller bearings inline on the shaft. The tool is made to slide between each bearing. The tool also has a puller screw that attaches to the end of the shaft like any other gear puller. It pulls the first bearing away from the second bearing.

If they are not severely stuck that will move it. They work much better when set up square and true with the spindle so that it pulls evenly on the bearing and does not cause it get crooked and bind. If the inner race is well stuck you will pull the outer race, rollers and cage apart leaving the inner race. The inner race being left, it can be cut with a demel and a small cutting disc. Cut almost down to the spindle then tap with a hammer to crack the race the rest of the way. Once cut it should spring open enough to move off the spindle fairly easily.

Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

Seized in the hub. Once down to the outer race left in the hub. Weld a bead inside the race all the way around. Once it cools and shrinks it will fall out or be easily tapped out. Stuck on the spendle a fella with a cutting torch can wash the race off the spindle usually without a nick.
These are old welder machinist tricks used on stubborn bearings all the time

I have used both of those methods many times from trailer axles to tractor axles. They work great. Guys laughed at the welding method until the race fell out.

Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

Seized in the hub. Once down to the outer race left in the hub. Weld a bead inside the race all the way around. Once it cools and shrinks it will fall out or be easily tapped out. Stuck on the spendle a fella with a cutting torch can wash the race off the spindle usually without a nick.
These are old welder machinist tricks used on stubborn bearings all the time

I often used both of those methods during my 35 years as a mechanic.

That’s what I love about this place, I always learn something new!
I always used the cutoff tool.


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