Help pressing bearing

[mayday0017]

Well my parts for the compressor should be in today and I need to remove the bearings from the current crank shaft which should be fairly easy and install them on the new unbent crank shaft. The problem I think I will have is with the long shaft before the bearing. I don't own or have access to a regular press and such, only a hand held press like you would rent at Autozone. I plan on putting the crank in the deep freeze for a couple hours to shrink it up some and put the bearings out in the sun or in the oven at a low enough tempature to be able to handle still. I've done this in the past and it helps but I still need a way to press the bearings on.

Suggestions?

 

[metaleltr]

Don't be afraid to turn the oven up a little, wear welding gloves.

 

[king nero]

Putting them in a deep fryer works too...
better not use your kitchen one ;-)

 

[mayday0017]

Can't get the bearings hot enough and crank cold enough to just slip it on can I?

 

[metaleltr]

Yes with the bearing hot enough and the crank cold enough the bearing will drop in to place with little effort.

 

[930dreamer]

I use an open coil heating plate and have had good luck sliding into place.

 

[pain]

If you ge that bearing hot enough it will just fall on but the only way I know is to use an Induction heater for bearings. They are cost a pretty penny though. I like the oven idea. Deffintely don't be affraidto turn it up and use gloves.

 

[EdT]

1) The fit may not be all that tight to start with. Removing the bearings will give you a clue on that. Surprised you're not using new bearings.
2) If you end up pressing hard to get it together, be sure to support the crank web immediately under the bearing or you run the risk of having two bent cranks.
3) Only press on the inner race of the bearing.
4) If you go with the heated cooled, shrink fit approach be sure that you get the bearing all the way on very fast or it will end up stuck in the middle and then you'll have to press it the rest of the way anyhow. As soon as the parts mate up the temperature differential goes away fast and the fit gets tight fast.

 

[mayday0017]

Thanks for all the replies everyone! Figure I'll try heating the bearing up pretty good in the oven and put the crank in the deep freeze for an hour or 2 then see if I can put it on really fast. If it doesn't work nothing lost just have to go take it somewhere to be pressed on. What temp is everyone thinking to warm them up to in the oven?

Normally would replace with new bearings but I need 2 of them at $35 ea figure for $70 I'll give these a shot. Figure as long as I'm careful removing them and installing them they should be fine. They are brand new right now bent the crank on the compressor when I was lifting it off the pallet and it fell on the flywheel.

Any other tips or suggestions are still welcome, I think this will work but doesn't hurt to have extra info incase I need to do something simular further down the road.

 

[srmofo]

Also, if you get into a bind and cant get it seated, a machine shop has the capability to finish the job.

I sub out rear axle bearings on jeeps because we dont have the necessary tooling to deal with the length of the axle.

Why dont you want to buy a press? They make smaller bench top models and they are handy to have around of you do any kind of work on regular basis.

Also I have seen guys use make shift presses from a floor jack and a cherry picker. Personally I have used a floor jack and the receiver hitch on my truck to press some new bearings onto a mini bike wheels when I was in a pinch and had no press around.

 

[Jagmandave]

The old school way is to drop it in a pan of 90EP (diff oil) and heat it on a hot plate to about 300 degrees, then (using welding gloves as mentioned above) just slide it into place. Easy peasy.

Stinks like hell tho!

But I've installed a lot of beaings by simply tapping them into place using a brass drift and tapping only on the inner race (for the one that goes on the shaft) or the outer race for the race that slips into the hub, if it's also a press fit.

That's how bearings have been installed since the 1800's, still works for me......

 

[mayday0017]

Yeah installed many bearings just never any that travel this far down a shaft. Installed many finding a socket that fits the inner race and using a BFH. Typically cool the bearings down as most that I do fit on the ID...

Cool to hear all of these tips and how people do them and their success... Might be getting nervous over this one for nothing, haven't even tried yet. I would like to buy a press but right now I have bought carpet, lawn furniture, tool box, compressor, air dyer, and all sorts of other stuff in the past month or 2. I'm pretty sure the woman of the house would kill me if I came home with another tool right now after I've been telling her she can't go buy cloths for a month or 2 till the account is a little higher.

 

[930dreamer]

The old school way is to drop it in a pan of 90EP (diff oil) and heat it on a hot plate to about 300 degrees, then (using welding gloves as mentioned above) just slide it into place. Easy peasy.

Stinks like hell tho!

But I've installed a lot of beaings by simply tapping them into place using a brass drift and tapping only on the inner race (for the one that goes on the shaft) or the outer race for the race that slips into the hub, if it's also a press fit.

That's how bearings have been installed since the 1800's, still works for me......

Because you don't have sealed bearings this will work great (heating)!

 

[rlitman]

But I've installed a lot of beaings by simply tapping them into place using a brass drift and tapping only on the inner race (for the one that goes on the shaft) or the outer race for the race that slips into the hub, if it's also a press fit.

Instead of a brass drift, a length of copper pipe that's the size of the race would work too.

If the freezer isn't cold enough, dry ice will get you much colder.

 

[crewchief888]

i used to use an old toaster oven to heat bearings.

really no need for a copper pipe, a piece of plain old black (or galvenized) pipe that is close in size to the inner race will work.

i use them all the time installing axle bearings

 

[eddiemeddiem]

Yeah, heating the bearing and cooling the crankshaft will work. It might not hurt to cool the crankshaft overnight in the freezer and make sure the bearing is good and warm (~300 F) before you try to assemble the two, and be real quick about it. Each time the two parts touch while assembling, heat will transfer and might seize up on you. It might take longer than an hour to heat the bearing up in the oven, but it'll work.

Good luck.

 

[EvilWelder]

I have a nice Dake 50 ton hydraulic press at work if I cant do it with that, then it dosen't need to be done.

 

[daveroy]

piece of PVC pipe cut to the right length, be sure to cut it square... if the diameter is a little big for the inner race, slit the end and use a hose clamp to pinch it smaller.

 

[MScott]

a piece of plain old black (or galvenized) pipe that is close in size to the inner race will work.

i use them all the time installing axle bearings

That was going to be my suggestion....Pce of pipe and a BFH.

 

[rsanter]

You need to put that crank in the freezer for longer than a couple of hours if you want to cool it all the way to the core for max shrink

Bob

 

[EOC_Jason]

I'm kind of more curious how you plan on getting that bearing off without damaging it. I guess it doesn't hurt to try.

As others have said, leave crank in freezer over night, heat bearing up for an hour or two. Don't rush the prep part! Wear safety glasses too when you go to put the two together *just in case*...

Worst thing if it gets stuck any machine shop or auto shop probably has a ~50 ton press. Would take literally a couple minutes to setup / support properly and press it on. Give them the old crank for scrap metal and maybe $10 and I'm sure everyone would be happy.

 

[mayday0017]

I'm kind of more curious how you plan on getting that bearing off without damaging it. I guess it doesn't hurt to try.

Yeah removing old bearings looked doable the way I was planning on doing it, I could get to the back side of the race with 1 tool then use a puller on the tool but as it turns out it still ended up damaging the bearing. Was hoping to get lucky becaue they want $70+ shipping and a $9 handling fee for what I consider to be 2 $10ea MAX standard bearings. Long story short I tried last night, screwed them both up like I thought I might, called today and ordered bearings and new seals. Another $100 spent and another week to wait for parts, but who is counting?

Oh and Crank will be plenty cold by the time bearings get here, been in for about 23 hours so far, should be about another 6 days of cold before the bearings get here... Prob toss on the hard bearing first then put crank back in freezer and other bearing in oven for an hour or so then pull out and toss the easier one on. If they don't slip on no biggie, just find someone with a press or be an ******* customer at harborfreight and use the floor display before I get kicked out lol

 

[EOC_Jason]

Hmm.. make sure you don't build up ice on your crank! That would negate the shrinkage advantage of putting it in there in the first place.

I'm surprised you couldn't get a bearing at an auto parts store? Those don't look to be anything special?

How much do you figure you have in this pump repair so far?

 

[mayday0017]

$400 in pump repair roughly.... $300 for crank and flywheel and $100 for 2 bearings and a seal. New pump is $485+shipping and new flywheel isn't included so would of had to spend $120 on flywheel.

Really should of tried to straighten this crank before ordering parts really should of been easy to fix just don't have the equipment to do it myself and if I had to pay someone it would cost about the same as replacing maybe a tad cheaper but not enough for the trouble.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Isn't that how it always goes? One of my friends got an old compressor, didn't know anything about the condition it was in last...

Right off the bat you could tell it needed new gaskets as a few parts were loose. $$$

Needed a SO cord & plug... $$$

Plugged it in and kept tripping the breaker... Motor was bad... new motor (and starter)... $$$

Got new motor, fired it up... ran great!

A week or two later started making a hideous noise in the pump. Took the pump apart and the sleeves on the crank wore down and gouged the **** out of the crank.

Got a new pump, wasn't going to keep fixing up the old one... $$$

Ran good for a while.... Then check valve was getting stuck open... new check valve... $$$

Pipe between pump and tank cracked (reused the old aluminum one)... Had to get some copper pipe & fittings that were the right size... $$$

In the end it would of been cheaper and easier just to buy a brand spanking new compressor... Sometimes it's the price you pay for something used and you can't see the condition things are in internally.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Any word on getting the compressor back together and running?

 

[fredybender]

To cool any parts, the best trick is to use keyboard spray cleaner; its just a shot of nitrogen mostly... You can buy those at Costco, and office suppli stores.
The trick is to put the bottle upside down, and bingo: Liquid nitrogen!
Beleive me, it cools down stuff real quick!
And its not too expensive!
Cheers!
Fred

 

[mayday0017]

Thx for the tip Fred, that would work great on small parts! I did get the bearings on and the pump back together using freezer and oven for 1 side and hammer with a socket on the race supporting the lobe for the other.