Originally, this was a sealed bearing like the last picture. Now just the outer bearing race is left in the wheel, and it's stuck.

I need to get the black ring out. I cant push it from behind, because there's an inner wall in the way. It's also super stuck to the inside surface of the wheel. WD40 alone won't do it. Right now, I'm just trying to figure out how exactly to grip and lever this thing out without ruining the wheel. Any tips?

BTW, offers to personally help are much appreciated, but I live in Greensboro.

[Edited on August 9, 2010 at 6:29 PM. Reason : .]

8/9/2010 6:28:32 PM

Yeah, those are a pain. In the past I've:
1.) Sprayed PB Blaster around the race.
2.) Heated the aluminum with a torch.
3.) Hammered a chisel in from the side, just enough to crack the race loose. Or you can beat a flathead screwdriver in at an angle from the other side of the wheel.
4.) Used a seal puller tool to pry it out. You may have to chop off one side of the tool to get it down in that hole.


The other option is to use a dremel to cut a chunk out of the race. You will damage the aluminum, but that's life.

A blind hole slide hammer is the usual solution to this sort of thing, but won't work for you. On my bike I heated and lubricated as mentioned above, then beat a screwdriver in from the other side, as I mentioned above. My wheel didn't taper in the middle as much as yours does though.

OR you could weld a short piece of flat bar across the race, then beat it out from the other side. Be sure to preheat the aluminum before you weld, don't want the hot welded steel to expand and crack your wheel. This is probably the best way to avoid damaging the wheel.

OR you could drill a small hole through the aluminum behind the race on opposite sides, then use the drill bits to beat it out. I don't know if that's a good idea when that wheel will be traveling 100mph, but it's a thought that crossed my mind.

Whatever method you choose, you'll need to keep the race square in the hole. If you lift it .5mm on one side, it will bind, so you then need to work it up .5mm on the other side. Rocking it like that isn't the best way. Beating it evenly is vastly easier. That's why I say weld something into the center, then beat it with a drift from the other side.

[Edited on August 9, 2010 at 10:33 PM. Reason : .]

8/9/2010 10:24:54 PM

this same situation happened to me last year

axle bearing would not come out.. tried the seal puller, the blow torch, the dremel, the slide hammer, etc

had to buy a new axle all because of a stupid bearing race

--nvm slide hammer wouldn't work

[Edited on August 9, 2010 at 11:21 PM. Reason : .]

8/9/2010 11:19:10 PM

Dremel or welded bar sound promising.

I wonder if anyone makes pliers with teeth on the OUTSIDE...hmm I could try making some.

8/10/2010 12:52:20 AM

Die grinder and chisel. A lil bit of gouging with the grinder won't hurt a thing. And there's no way in hell a pair of pliers with outside teeth would work. Press fit here, folks.

8/10/2010 9:11:21 AM

Id go with a die grinder as well. Ive burnt out dremels trying to cut things like that.

8/10/2010 12:36:48 PM

Borrowed the blind hole bearing puller from autozone yesterday. Not surprisingly, it didn't budge the race one bit.

Then I tried hitting the blind hole tool from the back with a hammer & brass drift. I was hitting that thing HARD, and all I got was a really fucked up drift. Definitely going to resort to die grinding.

8/11/2010 3:42:08 PM

Die grinders are awesome, don't forget to wear your PPE. This message brought to you by tww safety council.

8/13/2010 12:32:29 AM