how do you take the axle bearings out of the brake drum?

[rustreddesign]

This is in regard to a 1974 CB360 with front drum. I've started taking apart my front drum brake in anticipation of cleaning her up and reassembling, but I'm stuck. How do I get the bearings out? I want to repack them before I put things back together. It doesn't seem as though they'll press out from one side to the other. Do I need a puller of some sorts? There's very little info on this subject out there as far as I can tell and the shop manual has an exploded view, but no directions on how to get the bearings out.

 

[born2expire]

with the bike being that old, do yourself a favor and give you some piece of mind and just buy some new ones and replace them, get a flat head screw driver and punch them out from the opposite side, that works the best. then when putting the new ones in, lube the hell out of them and press in, if they dont fit grab a 2x4 and a dead blow hammer and evenly knock them into place

 

[swan]

Press or carefully knock out the old bearings after applying heat to the entire hub. Buy new sealed bearings, freeze them so they contract, gently warm you freshly restored hub and press the new bearings in with a hydraulic press or use a stack of heavy duty washers, treaded rod and nuts to pull each bearing in to position.

Hammers and motorcycles do not mix.

 

[hillsy]

The bearings have a spacer between them which you need to push aside so you can get a screwdriver / drift onto the bearing to punch it out. Once you've removed one bearing, the spacer will fall out and the other bearing is easier to remove.


New SEALED bearings are the go - no need to freeze them or heat your hub, just use a large socket or something that will sit on the outer race of the bearing and (carefully) hammer them in.


Don't forget to put the spacer back in.

 

[born2expire]

Hammers and motorcycles do not mix.

i'n the military they do, used it all the time in alaska rebuilding circ pumps for our heating system....that or if i had time i used the press and a socket...like butter

 

[rustreddesign]

Just from my own experience building bicycles, hammers definitely = poorly seated bearings. headsets are nearly impossible without proper tools. I'm going to take a crack at removing these guys tonight and I 'll let you know how it goes. Thanks guys!

 

[Kanticoy]

Buy the right tool for the long haul. Get yourself a blind hole bearing puller. HF has them for around $30.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[hillsy]

Just from my own experience building bicycles, hammers definitely = poorly seated bearings. headsets are nearly impossible without proper tools. I'm going to take a crack at removing these guys tonight and I 'll let you know how it goes. Thanks guys!

Motorcycles aren't bicycles and headsets aren't the same as motorcycle wheel bearings.

Every mechanic I know has at least one ball peen hammer in his toolbox and it gets used all the time.

Don't overthink this - seating a bearing with a hammer and an appropriate drift is a standard proceedure.

 

[ktree]

hammers and motorcycles don't mix.....
jeezus, thats coming off a high horse

 

[swan]

hammers and motorcycles don't mix.....
jeezus, thats coming off a high horse

I am not on a high horse and there is nothing wrong with using the right tool and techniques for the job. Pounding on a vintage motorcycle part with a hammer or drift is barbaric when there are better alternative methods.