Thread: Baldor 500 bearing replacement?

Anyone here do this before? There's a pressed on sleeve to retain the bearings and I can't get it to budge. Worried about breaking the outer race with my puller.

Any suggestions?

You could try making a thick split-ring (like these two-piece collar clamps McMaster-Carr) to totally capture the outer race, that way you'll have the best chance of pulling successfully.

Even if you do break the bearing, take a thin cut off wheel and slice the inner race so it moves more readily. Heck, you can do the same to the outer collar, just remake it with less (or no) interference to the shaft. I don't see why it has to be a tight fit, unless it alone retains the bearings (which seems unlikely).

My cheapo copy of a Baldor got new bearings as soon as I got it, I don't remember sleeves like this in my version.

If it were me..which it isn't, I would put my puller on the bearing, cinch it up nice and tight then apply some localized heat with a medium size torch tip to that spacer and watch the whole enchilada pop off. Barring a torch, I would bet my first born you could oink the hell out of the pulller, the bearing would not break but the spacer and bearing would come off smartly.

Stuart

Thanks guys, I did exactly what you said atom. Man the one side was tight, thought I was gonna break my cheap ass puller. Heated one side up a bunch, shot some liquid nitrogen on the shaft and put some more pressure on the puller. Rinse, repeat and all of a sudden it broke free with a loud pop. I bet there's north of a thou press on there, I'm gonna lighten it up some.

Save the old bearing. I would use a straight die grinder and enlarge the inner bore to a slip fit. The I would grind the outer bore on a bench grinder to a slip fit. This ground down bearing now makes a perfect press tool to install the new bearing.
You may want to separate the two races depending on fit and room for pressing on the new one.

It really is so simple to heat the bearing and the bushing up in a pan of oil and merely drop them onto the rotor shaft. No hammering, freezing or messing around required.

Stuart

Thanks guys, I got the bearings on. Turned a piece of steel to a couple thou under the inner race diameter, heated it with a torch to about 200*F (IR gun) and used it to heat the inner races. They slipped right on.

Measured the sleeves with a bore gauge and get about 0.001" press, that's quite a bit for a 20 mm shaft! I'm going to take about 1/2 of that out, heat them in the oven to about 350* and hopefully they'll go right on like the bearings did.

Can't really see the purpose for the sleeves anyway, when it's all buttoned up the shaft has no where to go...

what item slips on the end of the rotor shaft that's held on by the threads...a saw flange or something. That spacer is a crush sleeve of sorts for whatever is out on the end of the shaft..right?

Stuart

Originally Posted by atomarc

what item slips on the end of the rotor shaft that's held on by the threads...a saw flange or something. That spacer is a crush sleeve of sorts for whatever is out on the end of the shaft..right?

Stuart

Ahh, there ya go, can't see the forest for the trees. The flange that hold the grinding wheel buts up against it...

The rear axle bearings for a 57 Buick have a heavily pressed on sleeve similar to yours as a bearing retainer. The factory method to remove the sleeve is to drive a cold chisel into the side of the sleeve. That stretches it and it gets finger loose well before the chisel gets through. Then the bearing is easily pulled. Just sayin.............Bob

Originally Posted by bhigdog

The rear axle bearings for a 57 Buick have a heavily pressed on sleeve similar to yours as a bearing retainer. The factory method to remove the sleeve is to drive a cold chisel into the side of the sleeve. That stretches it and it gets finger loose well before the chisel gets through. Then the bearing is easily pulled. Just sayin.............Bob

Sounds like the sleeve is junk after the 'Buick' operation and must be replaced.

I think the OP will be able to reuse his sleeve.

Stuart

Originally Posted by atomarc

Sounds like the sleeve is junk after the 'Buick' operation and must be replaced.

I think the OP will be able to reuse his sleeve.

Stuart

That is correct. A replacement bearing comes supplied with a new sleeve. If not only a few minute job to turn a new one. Just sayin there's few ways to skin this cat. Some easy some not so much. Your results may vary........Bob

Got her all back together, polished out the sleeve fits to about 0.0003".

Purrs like a kitten now!