Baystate Jeepers

norstar wrote:BTW, what is the trick to press "off" the old axle bearing without cutting the cage and destroying it?

Use a bearing splitter and a press.

JW

Easier said than done Jon. It's a piece of cake to press the bearing on but getting it off is another story even with a hydraulic press. I have yet to figure out how to press it off on my bench top press Just want to see what you guys do...

So I got the front HP D44 all setup.


Pulled the D30 out and rolled the D44 under the Jeep.
It has been sitting like this since Saturday. Apparently my fix length LCA is too short and I need to get a set of custom length adjustable made...

That is a bummer... Can you get by with an adjustable? Home much more do you need?

JW

That's one sexy looking front axle! When are you going to start building them for BSJ members

I bet Lou has some Teraflex adjustable arms in stock if you don't feel like waiting for delivery. The guys on jeepforum always salivate over Currie johnny joint arms and trash ones with rubber ends, like the teraflex lowers.

Tony

norstar wrote: Apparently my fix length LCA is too short and I need to get a set of custom length adjustable made...

I would cut and sleeve the existing control arms, or pull a Clayton and make my own using square tube (using the existing bushing ends, because I'm cheap).

norstar wrote:Easier said than done Jon. It's a piece of cake to press the bearing on but getting it off is another story even with a hydraulic press. I have yet to figure out how to press it off on my bench top press Just want to see what you guys do...

I just did it at work when I realized I put the dang seal on backwards. I used a poop scoop (bearing puller), which has a sharp cupped edge that gets tightened above the bearing.

Joe's pic shows what I mean...

JW

nostaw wrote:That is a bummer... Can you get by with an adjustable? Home much more do you need?
JW

If I go adjustable I want to eliminate the caster adjuster as well so the min length I need is about 1.75". I've looked through most of the adjustable LCAs online and very few offer the length I need.

del_TJ wrote:T
I bet Lou has some Teraflex adjustable arms in stock if you don't feel like waiting for delivery. The guys on jeepforum always salivate over Currie johnny joint arms and trash ones with rubber ends, like the teraflex lowers.
Tony

I didn't talk to Lou but I did call Teraflex. Their arms are too short for me.

ZAEDOCK wrote: I would cut and sleeve the existing control arms, or pull a Clayton and make my own using square tube (using the existing bushing ends, because I'm cheap).

I thought about "cut and sleeve" or do a Clayton. Instead, I called Clayton and he offered to make a custom adjustable set for the same price as his standard version. UPS is dropping them off at my door today. So I'll be selling my current set instead of chopping them up.
Anyways, It's also relatively inexpensive to build a set my self if I just purchase all the build parts from Clayton.

ZAEDOCK wrote: I just did it at work when I realized I put the dang seal on backwards. I used a poop scoop (bearing puller), which has a sharp cupped edge that gets tightened above the bearing.

Come on Joe, you need to show us the setup for pulling the axle bearing, not pinion.
It must be me from smelling the Kroil stuff over the weekend because I still can't see how a puller and press plates fit in between the bearing and the axle flange. Let's see the actual setup.

norstar wrote:Come on Joe, you need to show us the setup for pulling the axle bearing, not pinion.
It must be me from smelling the Kroil stuff over the weekend because I still can't see how a puller and press plates fit in between the bearing and the axle flange. Let's see the actual setup.

It's the only pic I could find online.

Trust me, it works the same way. It fits in there perfectly

Ok, I'll believe you.
What I didn't tell you is that I have a non-adjustable "C" frame bench top press. But I can make an axle shaft fit in there by punching a hole through my bench. No problem for pressing stuff on but I will have to fab up something to do the pull. I was just looking for ideas from you... Thanks!

norstar wrote:Ok, I'll believe you.
What I didn't tell you is that I have a non-adjustable "C" frame bench top press. But I can make an axle shaft fit in there by punching a hole through my bench. No problem for pressing stuff on but I will have to fab up something to do the pull. I was just looking for ideas from you... Thanks!

Maybe you just need narrower axles...

JW

To pull the axle shaft bearings, drill a hole in the bearing retainer ring then split the ring with a cold chisel. You'll have to get new retainer rings to press back on with the new bearings, but those rings are a TIGHT press fit and you run a good chance of killing the bearing if you just pull it.

The bearing itself is a lighter press fit. Get a splitter (like Joe's pic) that has threaded holes in it, a two bolt puller (universal harmonic balancer puller), and make another trip to the hardware store to get more all-thread/nuts/washers that fits the holes in the splitter to make some LONG bolts for the puller. The bearing should pull off fairly easy.

Install is as easy as a block-o-wood, a length of pipe/toob (in Joe speak) with an I.D. slightly larger than the axle shaft's bearing surface, and a BFH!

No press needed heh... I like it.