IgotTwo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- January 7, 2001
- Messages
- 977
- Reaction score
- 1
- City, State
- Branchburg, N.J.
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 94 XLT - 97 XLT SOHC
Maybe this can help someone….then again maybe not
The last thing I wanted to do was take a chance and grind out a rear bearing, but I found out something interesting
I heard the rear wheel bearings on my 97 singing away. I jacked up the rear and could feel they had too much play. So I went to work
The axles came out no problem, but one wheel bearing was a nightmare and the other would not budge. I had the slide hammer…..heated the housing with a map tank…..the whole 10 yards.
After too much effort and only one out, and all these little rollers bearings around me, I went for my last option ….get out the die grinder and dremel to grind em out! (or at least grind enough to relieve the pressure)
The last thing you want to do is grind through the bearing’s outer race cage into the axle housing. This is not too hard to do, because sometimes you may not be able to see the change in metal when you are through.
So slowly and evenly, I ground into the bearing cage to a relatively “safe depth.” It was still giving me trouble.
Here comes the good part:
Just for laughs, I hit it with a blast from the map tank.
The heat “floated” the bearing race metal and made a thin visible line on the inside of the race cage, and “ how nice“, I knew exactly where I was……….i.e. still grinding the outer race cage of the bearing.
Result: I then became fearless in that I knew I wasn’t into the axle housing and I got the thing out…. no problemo…..not a mark on the axle housing.
Arguably, I’m always very cautious but “the torch trick when you are grinding” might be something to keep in your back pocket and may work for you if you run into the same problem....then again may not
Happy New Year to All
The last thing I wanted to do was take a chance and grind out a rear bearing, but I found out something interesting
I heard the rear wheel bearings on my 97 singing away. I jacked up the rear and could feel they had too much play. So I went to work
The axles came out no problem, but one wheel bearing was a nightmare and the other would not budge. I had the slide hammer…..heated the housing with a map tank…..the whole 10 yards.
After too much effort and only one out, and all these little rollers bearings around me, I went for my last option ….get out the die grinder and dremel to grind em out! (or at least grind enough to relieve the pressure)
The last thing you want to do is grind through the bearing’s outer race cage into the axle housing. This is not too hard to do, because sometimes you may not be able to see the change in metal when you are through.
So slowly and evenly, I ground into the bearing cage to a relatively “safe depth.” It was still giving me trouble.
Here comes the good part:
Just for laughs, I hit it with a blast from the map tank.
The heat “floated” the bearing race metal and made a thin visible line on the inside of the race cage, and “ how nice“, I knew exactly where I was……….i.e. still grinding the outer race cage of the bearing.
Result: I then became fearless in that I knew I wasn’t into the axle housing and I got the thing out…. no problemo…..not a mark on the axle housing.
Arguably, I’m always very cautious but “the torch trick when you are grinding” might be something to keep in your back pocket and may work for you if you run into the same problem....then again may not
Happy New Year to All
