Pressing in linkage bearings

queen of spodes
Edited Date/Time 8/20/2014 8:40pm
What's the best way to press in new linkage bearings without having them kink to the side? Will freezing them be enough?
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Idaho747
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Idaho747 8/17/2014 3:41pm
8/17/2014 3:41pm
If you have a local machine or fan shop they will probably do it for you for very cheap since it's such a quick job. At the shop I work at we do it a lot and only charge like five bucks
scooter5002
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scooter5002 8/17/2014 4:15pm
8/17/2014 4:15pm
Freeze them, start them in with a small hammer, be sure they're square to the bore, and finish off with a good bench vice if you have one. Use a socket small enough to set them to the correct depth.
quicken
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quicken 8/17/2014 4:36pm
8/17/2014 4:36pm
Freeze the bearing, heat the linkage and use a socket of a similar size. I use a vise to push them in. Make sure the needle bearings don't fall out......put some additional grease on the needles before you freeze the bearing. That will tack up the grease and hold things in place
Paw Paw 271
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Paw Paw 271 8/17/2014 5:30pm
8/17/2014 5:30pm
Go to youtube and watch some of the videos there. They are several showing different ways to do it with tools you may have and some all thread rods, nuts and washers and it works great. Just remember that end of the bearing that has the id info on it is the thicker side and that side is used to press against when installing them.

Paw Paw

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JBernard_401
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JBernard_401 8/17/2014 9:23pm
8/17/2014 9:23pm
Paw Paw 271 wrote:
Go to youtube and watch some of the videos there. They are several showing different ways to do it with tools you may have and some...
Go to youtube and watch some of the videos there. They are several showing different ways to do it with tools you may have and some all thread rods, nuts and washers and it works great. Just remember that end of the bearing that has the id info on it is the thicker side and that side is used to press against when installing them.

Paw Paw
didnt know that on the thicker side of the bearing. thanks for that info!
queen of spodes 8/18/2014 5:21am
8/18/2014 5:21am
quicken wrote:
Freeze the bearing, heat the linkage and use a socket of a similar size. I use a vise to push them in. Make sure the needle...
Freeze the bearing, heat the linkage and use a socket of a similar size. I use a vise to push them in. Make sure the needle bearings don't fall out......put some additional grease on the needles before you freeze the bearing. That will tack up the grease and hold things in place
Will the frozen bearings slide right in without force? I have bench vice and a 20 ton press, so I was able to get them apart easily. Once they are started in the bore (straight) pressing them in the rest of the way will be a cinch. Just getting them started is where I'm exercising caution.
Carlton_Fartman 8/18/2014 11:30am
8/18/2014 11:30am
quicken wrote:
Freeze the bearing, heat the linkage and use a socket of a similar size. I use a vise to push them in. Make sure the needle...
Freeze the bearing, heat the linkage and use a socket of a similar size. I use a vise to push them in. Make sure the needle bearings don't fall out......put some additional grease on the needles before you freeze the bearing. That will tack up the grease and hold things in place
queen of spodes wrote:
Will the frozen bearings slide right in without force? I have bench vice and a 20 ton press, so I was able to get them apart...
Will the frozen bearings slide right in without force? I have bench vice and a 20 ton press, so I was able to get them apart easily. Once they are started in the bore (straight) pressing them in the rest of the way will be a cinch. Just getting them started is where I'm exercising caution.
Getting them in is 10x easier than getting them out... I've done it many times with a bench vise. I use heat to take them apart, but I always press them in with everything at room temp.
MXVet261
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MXVet261 8/18/2014 11:37am
8/18/2014 11:37am Edited Date/Time 8/18/2014 11:47am
I've done many, many bearings with all the older bikes I've rebuilt. Used presses, bench vice, sockets, etc. for years.

Finally I broke down and bought this tool from Motion Pro and I have to say it is completely awesome. The sleeves hold the needle bearings in while going in, works fantastic. On really tough removals I use an impact driver instead of working my arms to death with wrenches.

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0294/



They also have a "Swingarm Bearing tool" that has steel sleeves. I picked up that one as well and use them on the real tough bearing removals instead of the aluminum ones.

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0213/

JBernard_401
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JBernard_401 8/18/2014 12:31pm
8/18/2014 12:31pm
if you have a press use that first. thats going to give you the best assurance everything is perfectly flat and nothing gets off center when you start. once its started you can use anything, it will guide itself.
deltadestroyer11 8/20/2014 8:40pm
8/20/2014 8:40pm Edited Date/Time 8/21/2014 8:36am
You don't need to freeze them..
Trust me on this I've pressed in new linkage bearings, swingarm bearings, upper and lower shock bearings many many times..
Use a bench vice and sockets.
Put a shop rag between the jaws of the vice so you don't scratch anything.
Find a deepwell socket big enough to catch the bearing when it's dressed out, but not so big that the outer edges of the socket overlaps the outside of the linkage. Get another socket that perfectly mates up to the bearing still in the linkage.Put the linkage assembly and sockets in the vice altogether, slowly closer the vice until it touches and holds the outer sockets with linkage in place. Now double check to make sure the socket that will be pushing the bearing out is perfectly aligned(important).. Once your confident the socket is perfectly aligned, slowly press the bearing thru the linkage until it falls into the larger socket onthe other end..
To install the new bearing, just clean thoroughly, put a super thin layer of grease on the bearing and on the inside of the linkage, then in the vise again hold the bearing and socket flush against the linkage and after your positive everything is lined up,(important) lily press the beairing in. If you feel resistance, that's ok, just make sure your bearing is going in straight. Take your time, it's real easy...

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