Hello folks,

I needed to remove the axle bearings that are held in place by the screw-in adjuster on a 8 3/4 inch rear end. ( I was changing bearings on both axles from stock to green bearings). Charrlie_S inspired me so I got to it after reading the manual and Doctor Dodge's essay. I have a really good bearing press so thought it would be a 15 minute job. Why did I think that?!!

I was trying to save the retainer plates and adusters. After setting the non adjuster axle into the press for a looksee. I wanted to see why the gurus say the plates and bearings cannot be pressed off without destroying the plates and the adjuster..and I must agree. SO, onto the bench to cold chisel the collars and bearings as per the FSM. After a nice job of chiseling nothing gave. I was even smart enough to use a sleeve over the journals and wear eye protection ! Then it dawned on me...a new twist on "cutting" with a chisel..try a metal cutting saw.

I have an old Makita 10 inch chop saw I converted to metal chop saw by swapping to an appropriate blade. So I moved the axle moved over to the saw and set the blade 45 degrees to the long axis of the axle. I put the journal sleeve in place and slowly lowered the blade down to collar and then to bearing. I had to hold the axle parallel to the saw table surface, and luckily there is JUST enough room to nick the bearing and collar and not touch the axle flange with a 10 inch blade. I didn't want cutting heat to anneal the axle in a spot so I oil drenched it while cutting. Sounds complicated, but not so. It took about 2 seconds to deeply score the bearing and then another two for the collar. Turn 180 degrees and do again, then using a 1 inch cold chisel held with vise grips so it could not plunge to the journal, one good whack with a 3 pound hammer and the beraring and collar split in half.

Now, I consider this an improvement over the FSM in that it took seconds to cut and a minute or so to finish the job, save the retainers and not even use the press for removal. But, one does need to think about how not to score the journal and not anneal the axle with a spot of heat...I don't see how those guys in the manual and DD ever got the bearings to split with just a chisel..after a lot of trying I had deep cuts and a dull chisel but no splits. Now I am thinking to get a junk 308 bearing and try this with a 4 inch grinder turned sideways, too, but the grinder will likely cut much too slowly and generate too much heat.

Just my one time successful attempt at a relatively easy way to do this task....

rock
'64d100

Without a chop saw, sounds like a dremel with the cutting disk head would do the trick too...........

_________________
Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

That's the way it's done. The 4 inch will not generate excessive heat if you are careful. I prefer an air cutoff tool and usually use a V shaped pair of cuts (the point faces out) and then chisel the V out.

Yes, die grinder with a cut-off wheel is what I use.
Tape the seal surface to protect it and "slice-in" as deep as you dare.
Get a chisel into the slice and give it a wack, everythig comes apart easily after the race and collar split.
DD