HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

[Devid]

The lower unit drive shaft needle bearing outer race is stuck in the housing and I cannot get it out. When I tried to remove the bearing by tapping it from the top as the manual suggested, the rib of the bearing just folded in a broke off. The bearing didn't move a bit. Now I cannot get a good bite on the bearing to get it out. <br /><br />I needed to straighten my prop shaft on my 7.4L Bravo 1 after some damage this past summer. I had removed the shaft from the housing and found some other contaminants. So I thought I would replace all the bearings in the lower unit. I don't want to have to replace the entire housing due to a $20.00 bearing. <br /><br />Any ideas or tricks to get this bad boy out?<br />Thank you,<br />Deev.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

Is it possible to heat the housing with a torch. Might expand it enough to get the bearing out. Be patient, someone here will know.

 

[Bondo]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

Can you get to the race with a welder ????<br />IF you can run a bead of weld ON the Race,<br />When it cools, It'll Fall Out.....<br />The Bead will Shrink the race.....

 

[Devid]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

I have tried to heat the housing in that area with a small propane torch. I don't have oxy for my other torch and I don't believe I got it hot enough. I may have to go get some oxygen.<br /><br />I like the idea of running a bead on the raceway of the cup though I doubt I can get a mig welder up in there. I will try as a last resourt and if when welded it doesn't fall out the bead will give me something to hit against. If I can weld on it.<br /><br />Thanks for the replys.<br /><br />This bearing is in there pretty good. I wacked the H@!! out of it and it didn't budge. All the other bearings were in the same condition. Really tight. It took all my weight on a 2 ton manual press to remove them. I wonder if when these bearings were originally installed they didn't use any grease/anti-seeze????

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

Beware, I know nothing about I/Os:<br /><br />

It took all my weight on a 2 ton manual press to remove them.

Is it conceivable that they used a bearing retaining compound, like loctite? If so, your going to have to heat it to loosen the compound. I find propylene and mapp far more useful that propane for heating, you just need to be careful. Be *very* careful if you use oxygen!

 

[Bondo]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

Use a Stick Welder.......<br />You can Pre-bend the Rod,+ Reach Around a Corner If you Have Too......

 

[Devid]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

I didn't think about the possibility of Loctite. I also didn't think about bending the stick for positioning. Now I just have to buy a stick welder . No really, I have a friend who has one.<br /><br />Just out of curiosity does any one know the value of a new or used Bravo 1 lower unit housing? I would like to know how hard I need to work to get this bearing out.<br /><br />Thanks again.<br />Deev.

 

[hoot]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

haven't tried this yet, but did read in a forum somewhere about someone who used a freeze spray (freon?) on some drilled out sparkplug threads that were stuck in a head. a combo application of heat on the housing and freeze spray on the bearing might loosen it up.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

Or it will just crack and then you won't need to worry about it any more

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

Devid,This may be too little too late.Is the bottom flange (or rib) of the bearing intact?If so,put the rollers (or needles) back in the bearing housing(use grease) and try driving it out.I don't think the manual covers this clearly,but if they fell out,reinstall the rollers before bearing removal.<br />DHP

 

[Devid]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

You are correct that the manual didn't say anything about putting the rollers back in when trying to remove it. I have already used the lower rib during a second attempt with heat and it has broken as well. There is still a little left.<br /><br />I was going to get a hotter torch and try one more time to get it to move. I have some contact cleaner I can spray on the bearing to cool it as an extra. Don't know if it will help though, my shop has been around the 30 deg mark for a while now.

 

[Devid]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

<br />Yeee Haa!!! The bearing is out!<br /><br />Here is a picture of the bearing in the housing (way up in there):<br />

<br /><br />We had to cut some 3/16" key stock to fit and place it on top the bearing up in the housing:

<br /><br />Then we heated the outer portion of the Lower Unit to get the aluminum to expand:<br />

<br /><br />After the lower unit was pretty warm I dropped a fender washer down in the hole on top of the key stock, then held a piece of pipe on the washer and wacked it with a hammer. It took about four tries.<br /><br />If someone was to end up in the same situation we were in I hope this will help them and they don't have to learn the hard way. Thanks for everyones suggestions.<br /><br />Deev.

 

[Bondo]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

ConGrats.......

 

[rodbolt]

Re: HELP! needle bearing race stuck in lower unit housing.

hello<br /> wow good job. now ya know why i spend so much on tooling.the right tool makes that a 2min opereation and not a 2 day event, you will have to have the proper assembly tool or reasonable subsitute or you may destroy the bearing trying to install it.<br /> good luck and keep posting