tool question re: wheel bearing replacement
 

I had a really noisy drone from the front of my 300TD; it sounded like a squadron of WWII bombers on the highway, and it was getting worse. I narrowed it down to wheel bearings-I got the necessary parts and did the left side today, and the noise is gone. I’ll do the other side next weekend.

My question is about the drift punch used to tap out the old races. I had read that brass was the way to go, but the ones I got (eBay) might as well have been French fries-they were completely ineffective at moving the races and were quickly deformed. I was then advised by an old-timer at an auto parts store to get a set of “chrome” punches (but not “hardened”) which I found fairly cheap at Harbor Frieght. With those I was able to get the races out, although I damaged a couple of small spots in the hub and had to carefully touch up the burrs with a Dremel so the new race would seat correctly. Those chrome punches survived but also got somewhat mangled at the tip, and I wouldn’t use them again unless I could grind them back into shape.

So..is there a brand, or type (specific material) of drift/punch that I can get that will work for more than one job? Or, is there a better tool for removing the races? (I was surprised to see that the W123 hubs don’t have the 2 little “cut-outs” that I’ve seen in other hubs, to give the punch a better “shot”-there’s really only a very narrow lip to tap on-leading me to suspect that there’s a better way (?). Of course, that “better way” isn’t going to be a realistic option if it’s a factory tool costing $400.-) Any suggestions welcomed-thanks!

Let's think about that. One uses a brass punch to avoid damage to the part being removed. What are you going to do with those old races once they are removed?

I typically use an appropriately sized socket installed backwards on a 1/2" extension bar. For the outer race, use the socket that fits best. For the inner, I use the largest size practical, fitting the edge of the socket on the lip of the race, then moving to the opposite side for the next blow.

If you are rplacing the Bearings you can use steel punches because it does not matter if you damage the bearings.

When you install them is when you need the Brass Punch or even an aluminum one if their diameter is enough.

However, you can even install the bearing races with Steel Punches but you need to be extremely careful.

Note that removing and installing favors a heavy hammer that you don't have to move much.
A Hammer that takes a lot of velocity to provide force also cause the punch to more easily skid off and go someplace you don't want it to go.

I thought that Harbor Freight sold a brass punch that was about 1/2" in diameter.

All punches need to be resurfaced eventually.

thanks, I’ll try that next time.

btw, part of my reply got mixed in w/your text

thanks. For installation, I used one of those kits with the different sized stepped discs and the rod that threads into them. Reverse it to hammer in the seal. I’m sure you know what I mean.

Doofus, sometimes bearings do get removed and reused. Like when you have an integrated brake drum or rotor that is damaged or worn beyond limits. In those cases, care must be taken not to damage the race when it is removed. But if you know in advance that the race is going in the trash can, which would probably be the most likely scenario, there is little point in using a brass punch to protect a part that is not intended to be reused.

gotcha-my concern-and the reason for trying to use brass to take them out-was to avoid potentially damaging the hub if I was less-than-skillful. I didn’t expect the races to be so tight that the brass couldn’t budge them. And, as it turned out, I did do some damage with the steel punch- fortunately not terminal.

You use a hardened flat face drift, not a punch .

You're supposed to hit it on each side 180 degrees opposite, the old race will come right out .

I’m pretty sure that is what I used..a “punch” with a flat end, not tapered, not pointed. If I’m misunderstanding, I’d need to see a picture of what you mean. Having said that, I like tangofox007’s socket idea, might try that when I do the other side. (Even though the noise is gone, I’m putting new rotors on in front anyway-if I wasn’t I might just leave the right side bearing alone for now, but for the relatively low cost of a bearing, I figure as long as it’s apart I might as well have new bearings on both sides).

Prolly means the same thing these days .

A 'Drift' is specifically made for this job , knocking things loose that are friction fit .

If the bearing race is easy to install or remove the hub is trash anyway .

The socket idea is interesting, I don't have thin wall sockets that'd fit , it also tends to beat up the sockets quite a bit .

A thin wall socket is neither necessary nor desirable. (For the inner race, the socket does need a square shoulder.) On the inner race, the "offset" afforded by the socket/extension bar combination allows a more parallel application of force than a drift.

I was thinking if the inverted socket would fit in the hub past the larger, inner bearing's race....

I too occasionally use this method to remove or install things but never thought of trying it to remove wheel bearing races .

You were well equipped.

The Fuel Injection Shop I worked for none of those. I bought a set but for installing Bronze or Brass type bushings. Not big enough for a Wheel Bearing race.

If the Naval Ship Yard had any I never saw them with the exception of special tools for a specific job. However, we did not work on vehicles.

Maybe they had them in the Tool Shop but I never saw any of the other Mechnics using them.

Out here in CA people use the term Punch to mean either and they use punch most often.

Go to Harbor freight and look up Pittsburgh SKU#04885 12 piece industrial punch and chisel set. It has 3 tapered punches with flat faces
2 Center punches and 1 pin punch as well as the chisels.

Language changes. It may be at one time there was a more specific meaning.

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=headword>punch<SUP>2</SUP></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 4.5pt"></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

punch [punch]
n (plural punch·es)
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 3pt" vAlign=top><TD class=DEFINITION width=18>1. </TD><TD class=DEFINITION>tool for making holes: a tool used to make holes in a material or an object </TD></TR><TR style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 3pt" vAlign=top><TD class=DEFINITION width=18>2. </TD><TD class=DEFINITION>tool for stamping or cutting designs: a tool that is hit to stamp a design on something or to cut something to a shape </TD></TR><TR style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 3pt" vAlign=top><TD class=DEFINITION width=18>3. </TD><TD class=DEFINITION>tool for driving bolts out: a tool used to knock a bolt or rivet out of a hole </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
When I looke up Drift: <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 3pt" vAlign=top><TD class=DEFINITION width=18>14. </TD><TD class=DEFINITION>mechanical engineering tapering steel tool: a tapering steel tool used to enlarge or align holes in pieces of metal before they are bolted or riveted </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>But, those were regular definitions from the Microsoft word dictionary. Some dictionary for Tools may be different.

This last one is something that is trying to duplicate what they used to do on bearing bores and even on shafts where the shaft was not holding the bearing (like the inner race of a ball bearing). They used to knurl either of those and the knurling squeezed the metal out more.
What you can do on your own is you carefully center punch little raised areas into the metal and do the same to the opposite side so it is balanced try to keep the punched area about equally deep. How many is up to your own judgment. You keep the punched areas away from the starting area you are going to insert the bearing into or if a shaft over.

Both knurling and punching sounds terribly inaccurate. (If you do this it is a good idea to combine it with the degreasing and the loctite.) What happens if when you install the Bearing Race into the bore or press a Bearing over a shaft the starting area you did not knurl or punch centers them and installing the swedges/squishes very equally.

I have seen and done that on Wheel Hubs, Air Cooled industrial engines and on the typical electric motors you use in and industrial shop. If someone has worked on Farm Equipment or and industrial shop where they loose money when the equipment is not running likely knows about this. It has a high success rate.

All right Mercedes people are too picky for that. But, it could be done as a temp option just to get your vehicle on the Road until the new or good used parts arrive.

Cool, thanx ! .

I know my training is waayyy out of date .

Field Repairs
 

THANK YOU for this ! .

I know a lot of this sort of thing but rarely mention it because those who don't have sufficient hands on experience always kick up a fuss .

In about 1974 a Machinist where I was working had a 1959 Rambler's rear wheel bearing go, they trotted over the the local partshaus and got the new bearing but it fit loosely on the axle shaft, what to do ? .

The mixed up a paste of salt and water (!) mooshed it on the shaft where the bearing sat, assembled it and let it sit overnight before re filling the rear end with gear oil .

I was sure it'd fall apart in a few days, over a year later it was still holding fine .

I'd never do anything that crude but as you said : when the equipment stops, so does the job and money is lost very quickly .