Tips on tooling to aid in using a press? Bearings, races..

[discotwo]

I picked up a HF 20 ton press to help me rebuild a transfer case. The overhaul manual calls out for dozens on specialized tools to do the job, which are naturally either unavailable or extremely expensive.

For example, pressing in bearings. One of the tools basically just looks like a steel rod, approx 3" diameter by 3-6" long. Mcmaster has this https://www.mcmaster.com/#8920k84/=19dhihy but it is also very expensive and too long.

So I'm looking for tips on sourcing cost effective adapters to use along with the press.

I also bought a slide hammer, seal driver set, drifts/punches, copper hammer, hammers, etc. Any other recommended tools for general purpose bearing removal, bearing race removal, and whatever else?

 

[kf4zht]

I have a box of different sized races, stubs of round bar, etc I've collected over the years for the press. Most came from stuff I rebuilt. I did buy one of the seal/bearing driver sets and use it both by hand and in the press

Last times I've rebuilt tcases the most helpful tool was a heavy punch longer than the case is deep. Punch out all the bearing, then use the old on to press in the new one

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[bczygan]

Air hammer.

 

[ocloc24]

If your work has a scrap metal pile or you have access to one check it daily, that's where I've gotten most of my odds and ends, between that and old parts from jobs I've done.

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[gungatim]

If your work has a scrap metal pile or you have access to one check it daily, that's where I've gotten most of my odds and ends, between that and old parts from jobs I've done.

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same here. lots of tools can be made from scrap if you have access. just did a rearend rebuild on a friends Silverado, regular bearing splitter to remove, and various sockets and HF bearing press inserts and steel pipe cutoff's for pressing on.

for other ****** parts, if you study the factory tool you can figure out how to make your own with threaded rod, various steel plates, cut off axle shafts, etc.

 

[Honest Bob]

MAP gas torch. Heat everything before pressing it apart. It usually eliminates or reduces the ever unnerving BANG, it at least it feels safer to me. Might not be necessary in something like a trans but old rusty parts heat makes things come apart it a more controllable manner.

I have one of these that has come in handy.
https://www.harborfreight.com/10-piece-bearing-race-and-seal-driver-set-63261.html

Otherwise I just use parts of old bearings, bushing sleeves (after burning the rubber off), bolts, appropriate size sockets, and whatever other scraps I can find.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I save and tear apart every bearing I replace, 3/4 sockets make great adapters, every size of round stock cutoffs from the steel mill, every big bolt.....basically any big, round slug of steel I can!

 

[zmotorsports]

To be honest, most of my hydraulic press tools/accessories are either shop made from repurposed shafts, wrist pins, tubing, etc and they work perfectly.

One thing I would recommend however, is a good bearing separator. I have OTC's in three different sizes and they get used a lot and in my opinion well worth the investment as they will be with you for a long, long time.


A good set of arbor plates are a MUST. These are commercially available as well but I repurposed a set of worn forklift forks and they are extremely durable.

I had cut some old forklift forks apart about 15 years or so ago to use as arbor plates for my 20-ton hydraulic press but never have gotten around to cleaning them up for use.

I cut them pretty close to equal lengths with an oxy-acetylene torch but they needed to be cleaned up. I was going to use my disc sander but the mill is much better suited for such a job. Here is one of the two ready to be milled down.

Here is the flame cut end that I needed to clean up.

Taking light cuts, .020", as these things are quite hard. I'm using my 2.5" facing mill.

I'm merely trying to clean them up to get rid of as much of the kerf from the flame cut as possible them bring the longer one down so they are both equal lengths.

These two pieces measure 3" wide x 1.75" thick by 8.675" in length.

These ones are completed as much as I am going to cut them for now. The coating from the forks is still in tact and they are not dinged or dented too awfully bad to start with.

Now the four arbor plates that I got when I purchased my used Nugier 20-ton hydraulic press are in much need of being trued up. They have seen some hard use long before I took ownership of the press and I have owned it for nearly 20 years now, I think it was about 15+ years old when I purchased it back in 1995. These plates were clamped in the mill vise side by side and cleaned up.

Before any cutting. Not too bad but desperately in need of some cleanup.

I just took some skim cuts off each side to clean them up. Some of the deeper gouges and nicks will remain as I don't want to remove too much material.

These will be my "intermediate" sized arbor plates and they will be the ones I will use the most. The larger ones above will be my "heavy duty" plates and only used when the job requires.

These are the smaller set that I got with my press and again, in much need of being cleaned up.

I only removed about .015" off of each side of these ones.

Here are all three sets cleaned up and ready for years and years more of service.

Completed arbor plates.

I also have some old bearing races with either shafts or tubing welded to them for pressing as well but I don't have any pictures of them handy.

 

[bubinga]

what I did, was take the old bearing race (several different by now) that I had punched out.
Then I took it to a grinder or sander, and ground the OD down, so it shouldn't get stuck in the housing.
I use old sockets of the proper size, sometimes a piece of pipe I machined flat or ground flat, (to go over a shaft) .
sometimes cheap impact sockets I got at the Flea market.

Also,
lots of tools can be made from scrap if you have access. a regular bearing splitter to remove, and various sockets and HF bearing press inserts and steel pipe cutoff's for pressing on...................YES^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^What he said.....

Ok, do you happen to have a Ball joint press? you can use the sleeves out of of that.
I have the HF puller set too. Possibilities are endless.
Or You can Buy the expensive specially tools, If you have more money than imagination.........lol

 

[matt_i]

A lathe. I have a drawer full of modified pins and bores/washers/pipe & tube cutoffs that are all from former and future press jobs.

 

[gungatim]

what I did, was take the old bearing race (several different by now) that I had punched out.
Then I took it to a grinder or sander, and ground the OD down, so it shouldn't get stuck in the housing.
I use old sockets of the proper size, sometimes a piece of pipe I machined flat or ground flat, (to go over a shaft) .
sometimes cheap impact sockets I got at the Flea market.

Also,
lots of tools can be made from scrap if you have access. a regular bearing splitter to remove, and various sockets and HF bearing press inserts and steel pipe cutoff's for pressing on...................YES^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^What he said.....

Ok, do you happen to have a Ball joint press? you can use the sleeves out of of that.
I have the HF puller set too. Possibilities are endless.
Or You can Buy the expensive specially tools, If you have more money than imagination.........lol

yes that's what I meant, the HF ball joint press, those sleeves are what I use all the time...also the OTC large bearing splitter, and the HF 2pc bearing set with small and medium bearing splitters and large puller, though that doesn't get used much...I've made tools out of large 3/4" bolts, gokart axles, and if you replace shocks or struts, though messy, you can pull the hard chromed piston rod out of those and make lots of stuff out of it, since they are hardened and good size diameter.

 

[C_F]

Old king pins are also very useful, too. Although I suppose there aren't near as many trucks these days with king pins. I have three different sizes, and use them pretty frequently.

Mike, nice work cleaning up those plates!

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, nice work cleaning up those plates!

Thanks. Still a few dings and knicks in them but much, much better than before. Should have done that many years ago when I first acquired the press.

 

[2oolhound]

Like bubinga said, sockets. I like 3/4" socket sets for the diameters they provide but I use my 1/2 deep impacts a lot too. I have lots of pipe, tubing and shaft around. I hang onto lots of junk like I'll cut the straight lengths out of bent motorcycle tubes etc.

 

[discotwo]

Lots of good tips. However I'm afraid I won't be acquiring a milling machine or welder anytime soon. I had to put the press in my kitchen next to the fridge So I'll just drool at those photos. I'll drop by a few shops to see if they have any scrap I can browse. I like the forklift idea... I was actually just thinking I needed the equivalent of a wood 2x4 or 4x4 in steel when I was pressing the shaft out of the differential.. the arbor plates weren't tall enough.

Grabbed a 3/4" socket set from HF pretty cheap I forgot to mention. Good sizes there.

Good news is I am 95% done tearing down this tcase with the tools I have. I just can't help myself to keep exploring other creative tool ideas to add to the collection.

these steel discs were cheap and have come in handy https://www.mcmaster.com/#steel-discs/=19e11ry

Old bearing races, good idea

I'll get the OTC bearing splitter tool.

Any other commercially available tools to look at? I understand that homemade and stuff from odd jobs can be the best and most rewarding, but I don't really have that option at the moment. I'ts more of a natural process anyway.

Off topic, any tips on a non magnetic dial indicator stand? I've seen clamp ones, but ideally I'd like to have one that has a bunch of different thread adapters to screw into an existing hole.

 

[ttpete]

Just a word about safety with a press. Don't use anything for a press tool that's made of cast iron. This includes V-blocks. Cast iron is brittle and will explode instead of deforming, and the resulting shrapnel can cause injuries or worse.

The other danger is pressing a ball bearing off a shaft when supporting it by the outer race. Sometimes this is necessary due to clearance problems. The outer race can fracture and pose another shrapnel hazard. When we pressed rear axle bearings off, we had a shield we dropped over the bearing and secured it with a rubber washer to contain anything that might fly around.

 

[Farmall 1066]

I tend to keep most of the things I've used the press to remove.
Races, sockets, pieces of DOM tubing, all sorts of metal discs, 2 short lengths of railroad rail, pieces of square and round stock, and some short pieces of I beam.
Worst part is trying to organize all of it.

 

[steel 35]

An air over hydraulic Jack

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have a square plastic bucket left over from some laundry detergent that hangs off the side of my press for misc pieces of whatever to fit in so they aren't laying around.

 

[zmotorsports]

I have a square plastic bucket left over from some laundry detergent that hangs off the side of my press for misc pieces of whatever to fit in so they aren't laying around.

I need to build a small stand for my press odds & ends. At my last shop I had my press next to my vacuum for my blasting cabinet where I had pressing accessories placed on. I figured I would fabricate a small stand with a shelf or two for placing accessories on so they are within easy reach when working at the press.

 

[ndnchf]

Not necessarily for bearings, but I often have the need to straighten or flatten out a piece of metal. So I use this piece of I-beam to extend the surface area of my arbor press. It can also be used in my 20 ton hydraulic press. I find it very handy for many uses.

 

[sberry]

2 buckets full of stuff and a steel rack. A quite a few pieces not in the pics.

 

[AngryBeaver]

bearing splitters are a must.. good ones, not HF quality.

the next most used set of tools I use on the press is a 3/4 socket set. I have sizes from 3/4" up tp 3-1/2".

the adapters from ball joint presses.

I use some 2" thick plate I got from the scrap yard for arbor plates. My 40 ton press was free without plates, so....

also have a couple short sections of RR tie.

DOM tubing works well for oddball sizes when the sockets or ball joint adapters wont work.

 

[mattygee]

Sockets, esp. impact are useful.. I also picked up some random sizes of black pipe from HD and cut some short lengths for pressing.