New bearing failed after 1,000 miles and now trying to remove the bearing outer races.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to best way to remove the outer bearing races from the brake drum.

I fitted new bearings in to some new drums a couple of months ago and all seemed fine, quiet running at last.

About a week ago it started to make a noise which quickly worsened over a period of just a few hundred miles.

One has failed completely (broken up and rollers everywhere and grease turned black) in just over 1,000 miles so something went wrong there so I now need to remove the outer steel races from the brake drum so I can fit another new set of bearings.

I've tried cold chisels, nail punches, sharp edge steel rod but I just cant get anything to bite on the little bit of lipping that is visible in the hub, to allow me to drive the races out.

I've fitted bearings before and there is usually a little groove cut in the housing to allow you to get a drift onto the back of the bearing race .... not so for KA hub!

Also when I fitted the new bearings a few weeks ago, when I put the drum back on the stub axle it turned freely when I tightened the nut to about 100Nm ... however the recommended torque was 170NM and when I tightened to that force the drum turned but not freely and felt 'tight'.

Is this correct or should the drum spin easily. I even took it off again to check everything was ok ... brakes weren't even touching the drum, so they weren't binding ... but same again, felt ok till fully tightened. I'm told it must be done up tight just that as it only lasted 1,000 miles before failing, then something was wrong.

Any help or advice welcomed.

How did you fit the new bearing?

Usually to remove the outer race from a brake drum up can fit a big socket in against the taper where the bearings run on.

How did you fit the new bearing?

Usually to remove the outer race from a brake drum up can fit a big socket in against the taper where the bearings run on.

hi Steff

Thanks for your response.

I fitted the races with a good fitting drift ... just a little bit smaller than the outer diameter of the races ... went in fine.

However to get them out I can't use the same drift as the diameter is too large going in fron reverse direction ... as the races sit in a recess.

Also I can't get them out by using a drift the fits on the tapers as the tapers face outwards ... i.e. they get wider in direction I need to knock them out.

The only way it seems possible to get them out is to get a really hard and sharp chisel type punch that can get some purchase on the tiny bit of a lip showing at the back of the races.

I'm sure an engineering company would put a spot or two of electric weld on the face of the races so you could then put a drift on them and hammer them out easily ... regrettably I don't have an electric arc welder to hand!

Regards

James

James if they are the same type of drums as fitted to the fiesta and focus then a big socket works a treat to get them out - a bearing press makes it easy too.

I have welded around the inside before when I didn't have anything to hand that fitted.

Same as old fiesta, just smack the outer races out with chisel at an angle, done 100's of them like that.

And torque is 235nm , not 170.

Same as old fiesta, just smack the outer races out with chisel at an angle, done 100's of them like that.

And torque is 235nm , not 170.

Thanks Ian

I think I was getting round to the 'hit it with a chisel' method... when you say any angle ... are you talking about catching the little lip at rear of the race and knocking it out that way?

Thanks for info on torque. I thought I had cocked up on the tightening torque but it was 170 on my torque wrench .... it's an old one and in foot lbs, so I did get it about right by accident... just thought it was Nm. 170 ft ibs is about 230 nm.

When I torqued the original bearing up it feels fine at about 100 ft lbs, drum spins nice and smooth and no play in the bearing at all.

When I then tighten to recommended torque (turning drum while I do) it definitely doesn't feel right ... drum still turns but not too smooth. Do you think it would be ok to leave it tightened to only 100 ft lbs??

I've done front bearings in the past with the castellated nut and split pin method and this appeared to let you get the feel just right.