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How to remove a 'press fit' steel ball bearing?

I'm doing some work to my Russco turntable. I need to replace the ball bearing in platter shaft. This bearing is pressed into the end of the platter shaft and cannot be just 'popped' out. It has to be forced / pulled out. Being pressed into the shaft, there is no way to get a grip on it to pull it out. Someone suggested that I heat the end of the shaft which would cause it to expand so the hole in the shaft would get bigger and the ball bearing would drop out. I tried that to no avail. Someone else tried to explain a removal method but I think he never really understood how this bearing is set. So, I'm going to try to explain this so that it is more clear.

Imagine that you are holding in your hand a 6" long steel rod of about 1" diameter. You turn that rod so that you are looking directly at one of the ends (you are seeing a 1" diameter circle). In the center of this end a hole of about 3/8" has been drilled. Into this 3/8" hole a ball bearing has been pressed so that approximately 1/2 of that steel ball bearing protrudes from the end of the shaft. How do you remove it?
kwillisjr
steve_g
9 posts
 
Ideally, you need a collet type internal bearing puller.
See the following link. This is obviously larger/more than you need but it gets the idea across. There are also applications where a simpler two-jaw internal puller may be appropriate. Think of these as similar to that shown in the link with just two opposing hooks instead of the collet.

http://www.reliabilitydirectstore.com/SKF-TMSC-series-Internal-bearing-puller-kits-p/skf-tmsc%2030-60.htm

Sorry, I don't know how to paste an active link on this site.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Steve G.
somec59
244 posts
 
Go to your car mechanic and ask to use his hydraulic press which is to install and push out sealed bearings.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
Sounds like a big mistake to try to remove it.
The likelyhood of being able to 'improve' the sound is minimal, and the likelyhood of totally scrwing it up so you need a whole new table is major.
i have played around with plenty of mechanical crap, and that is my opinion! (I'm 58 years old)
If you do not know how, then do not attempt to do it.
Then, is the bearing shot? does it have a visible flat spot on top? if not, just hug yourself and LEAVE IT ALONE.
If it is really bad.. then.. well find someone who really KNOWS what to do.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
Thought about it some more. IF "I" absolutely HAD to remove such a bearing by myself. I would drill a tiny hole FROM BELOW )in a drill press. (perhaps a 3/64" hole) Centered over the ball and down to the ball bearing's backside.
Then find a press and a tool head with a 3/64 or smaller rod SUPPORT THE REST OF THE INSIDE of the hollow main shaft with a pipe or hollow rod so the base the ball bearing is in DOES NOT CRACK or collapse!
Then I would heat the assembly slowly and evenly to about 200F Press out the ball slowly.
remember to press a new one in carefully so the base it presses into does not crack or collapse, and so the bearing does not get damaged. I'd heat the assy again when putting the new ball in...
Then I would seal the bottom hole I had drilled with a setscrew, or epoxy, so no oil could ever leak out.
johnbrown
195 posts
 
You're gonna have to post a picture. I think a lot of folks still don't understand it.

I tend to agree with those who say that, unless the existing bearing is flatspotted, don't bother. In particular, if you're doing this because of the tubesforever/ceramic bearing posts, I'd think long and hard about how much good this tweak will really do versus the possibility of screwing up your bearing. T4 is so obviously FOS so many times, I'd, frankly, do the opposite of what he suggests.

IMHO, et.
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