Rear wheel bearings & cush drive

[JBeasty]

So I got the front wheel bearings out fairly easy using the method from the manual - pushing the spacer aside and wacking the inner race with a drift. The rear wheel bearings are being difficult. I can't push the spacer enough out of the way to catch enough of the bearing to push it out. I even made a metal punch with an angled tip, but it's not budging. Tried heat on the hub, PB blaster, but no luck. Is there a trick to this?

Also, how do you get the rock hard cush sprocket dampers out? I'm going to have the wheels stripped, blasted and powder coated, and can't have them in there. Should I cooked em out with a propane torch?

Thanks for any thoughts/input.

[rodneya]

You cab get the cush rubbers out by tapping threads into the middle bit and screwing in a bolt. After the bolt bottoms out it will start pushing the rubber out. Heat and penetrating oil will also be needed to get it moving. They are quite a pain to get out and may come out in pieces leaving the outer part behind

[JBeasty]

Thanks, I'll give that a try. It looks like the wheels were previously powder coated with the old rubbers in    I guess I could do the same, but I'm thinking the chemical stripping would just degrade them more.

I've watched a video on Youtube where a guy welded a nut to one of the wheel bearings and threaded in a slide hammer/dent puller and yanked it out. might try that...

[Brad-Man]

Have you tried either Loctite or CRC freeze spray before trying to tap out?

[m in sc]

keep in mind, one of the rear 400 bearings, i think the one shown, has a sleeve that goes thru the middle of it, so be careful.

[JBeasty]

keep in mind, one of the rear 400 bearings, i think the one shown, has a sleeve that goes thru the middle of it, so be careful.

Yep, I've been working on the other bearing.

Brad-Man, Are you talking about the rubber bushings or for the bearings (or both) - how does that work?

[msr]

A bit on the expensive side, but if you find you'll be doing this again and again in the future ...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GVF76A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[RDFL]

Most auto parts store loan tools free including bearing drivers.

[m in sc]

one way:
heat the hub w a torch, knock it out. should take like 5 mins total even w basic hand tools. .02

welding way:
if you have a welder, weld a washer or nut on the one w out a spacer, good and sloppy mig job int he middle blocking the axle hole. when it cools down it will shrink a bit, then knock it out from the other side. with a drift. easy peasy

[JBeasty]

All really good suggestions, love this forum! I think I might try the welding a nut/washer on the bearing idea first. For the Cush rubbers, I'll buy a tap and thread it, followed by a long bolt.

[Brad-Man]

I was suggesting using the freeze to shrink the bearing and make it easier to get out.  Have used it on rusted studs and bolts on the o exhaust housings and manifolds...

[JBeasty]

one way:
heat the hub w a torch, knock it out. should take like 5 mins total even w basic hand tools. .02

welding way:
if you have a welder, weld a washer or nut on the one w out a spacer, good and sloppy mig job int he middle blocking the axle hole. when it cools down it will shrink a bit, then knock it out from the other side. with a drift. easy peasy

Done! cush rubbers soaking overnight in PB Blaster

[JBeasty]

You cab get the cush rubbers out by tapping threads into the middle bit and screwing in a bolt. After the bolt bottoms out it will start pushing the rubber out. Heat and penetrating oil will also be needed to get it moving. They are quite a pain to get out and may come out in pieces leaving the outer part behind

Boy you aren't kidding! How did you end up get the outer sleeve out?

[rodneya]

Only 1 sleeve stayed behind in mine. I used a body saw {small air reciprocating saw) to cut a slot into the sleeve and then small chisels and old screwdrivers to beat that part inwards.

[m in sc]

i collapsed mine inwards and yanked them out. what a huge pain in the ass they were. then, the replacements lasted like 2 years, so i made some out of aluminum and delrin and sait fuckit.