Mistake with front bearings

[Bill6298]

Hello,

I used my shop press to remove the front bearings with no problems. The sealed bearing came out as one piece. They did not come apart when removing the hub as I?ve read happens with others.

However, when putting the new bearing in, the bearing came apart. I believe that my manual bearing press kit is pressing on the outer race, but I am wondering if it?s not quite the right fit.

Can anyone tell what I?m doing wrong by looking at the picture?

71951

Thanks

Bill

[Bitsyncmaster]

Post a photo of what you used to press them in. It must have pressed on the inner part of the bearing.

[Bill6298]

Post a photo of what you used to press them in. It must have pressed on the inner part of the bearing.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260104/8d53d26b0ca7761a0775445fe5c19f3f.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260104/ddca603723d109ca4c5adb6eb8010ab8.jpg

There is a little bit of play, but not much. I assume this has to be the mistake.

This is a manual press that you strike with a hammer. I?ve used it several times, but never with sealed bearings.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Your tool should be "cupped" so as not to press on the inner race. Looks like quite a large chamfer around it. Outer race is not that thick to have much play with the tool.

[Bill6298]

My picture was pretty terrible. The side of the driver I was using has a 90 degree angle on the edge but it might be just slightly too small by a millimeter or two.

I'm also considering if I just should have used my shop press. The bearing driver set I use worked well for a regular bearing where you press in the outer seal first and then press in the bearing. But in this case, I think there's just too much slop and might have been the wrong tool for the job. I've never had to work with sealed bearings before.

https://www.harborfreight.com/aluminum-bearing-and-seal-driver-set-16-piece-58262.html

[dn010]

You can press the inner race out from the old bearing, grind the outer race down a little so it doesn?t get stuck in the hub, and use the outer race to press the new bearing in with one of your press plates.

Example:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260104/8f9093fa4b965d212a3afaf66e17ee1b.jpg

[r00b]

You could Put the bearing in the freezer and leave the hub in the sun or bake at 350 until golden brown. Then drop the bearing in place.