I figured I'd let everyone in on a way to easily remove the small outer wheel bearing races on the pre 26/27 hubs. The jaws in the current set up won't fit in the later hubs.

I've been using this procedure for awhile. This is a cheap 2 jaw puller I got from Harbor Freight. I put notches in the center cone for the puller jaws to ride into and turned the jaws outward.


Puller installed. Run the cone down to spread the jaws to lock the assembly behind the race in the slots.

I use a brass drift against the puller jaws on the inside and tap the assembly out of the hub. Since the race is being pulled from both sides they've always come out easy.

Race removed

Kenny,

Thanks for posting that. What a neet idea!

Paul

I have always just ran a bead of electric weld around the face of the race. They seem to come out pretty easy after just a little tapping on the weld from the backside with a punch. I will try the gear puller idea next time...

Nice looking big old vise.
I wonder if you can even buy one like that nowadays.

Bob, That vice is huge. I was told to throw it away at a place I worked once and did... I threw it in the back of my pickup truck. I doubt that a vise like that could be bought anywhere especially one U.S. made. Just the handle alone probably weighs 10 lbs.

This is what Im talking about. Thanks for the post.

I use my little Lincoln 100 MIG welder. Just support the hub with the race down. Start to run a bead on the race and it falls on the floor.

That's wonderful Royce. This one wasn't about you. It directed for guys that don't want mess with a welder or maybe don't have a welder. I could have the race out in the amount of time it takes to get all welding stuff out. No debate intended on which way is the best.

Very practical application Kenny - good thinking !

I just use a drift and a mammer. Takes about a minute.

Mammer??? I guess a HAMMER is a better choice!!

I do not claim to be to be the smartest member of the forum and do not enjoy welding things upside down. The slag and molten metal fall down your shirt and/or under your hood and are fairly uncomfortable. I learned to weld the bead on the race with the hub facing up, and then turned the hub over to watch the race fall out. Just my .02

Paul

Paul,

This isn't welding things upside down. You just strike an arc and it's out of there in a second. Ridiculously easy, who ever thought of doing it is the smart one, not me. I just copy success.

Obviously before you strike an arc you should be wearing a welding mask (I love my $99 Harbor Freight auto dimming helmet) and leather welding gloves.

A huge vice gets guys into trouble. A huge vise makes the job easy. 8<)

Removing a race with a welder works well in many situations, but I wouldn't do it on a T outer hub bearing. When you put the bead on, the race tries to expand. If it is contained, it can't expand outwardly, so it expands towards the middle. When it cools, it falls out. The metal is so thin on a T hub that when the race tries to expand it stretches the hub and makes the new bearing fit loose.

I agree with Tom. When you start welding on a bearing something has to give because of the expansion. If the hub that contains the race is thin/weak compared to the race then the hub will give. It works well because the bearing will fall out or come out easily but not really what you wanted to do because the hub is now over-sized.
Jim