Need advice on getting bearing carrier off on Bravo 3

[wisebob]

Need any advice on getting the Bravo 3 bearing carrier off my leg. I have the tool to remove it but it won't budge even with a breaker bar. Tried a using a MAPP gas torch and still doesn't budge.

Maybe I am heating the wrong place or wrong amount of time. Any advice appreciated!!!!

Thanks in advance.

 

[blamtro]

It is a left hand thread. Are you turning clockwise to loosen?

 

[wisebob]

Yes, trying to turn clockwise to loosen.

 

[tpenfield]

You want to gently heat the area of the casing right next to the bearing carrier. I think the torque spec is about 200 ft-lbs, so that will take a good amount of torque to loosen it.

Here are some pics from my my Bravo 3 adventures, if that helps.


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'Righty' (clockwise) is loosey. So I'm applying downward force to the breaker bar in the picture above. You can see the B3's twin brother waiting its turn in the distance of the photo.


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In the picture above, heat the black area where the black of the casing meets the green of the carrier. Also, you can poor a trickle of ice water right on the bearing carrier where it meets the black of the casing.

 

[wisebob]

Ted,
Thanks for the suggestions. A few questions:

1) Do you have to use an acetylene torch or is MAPP gas enough?
2) Are you applying downward pressure at the same time you are moving the torch around and heating it up or can you do it slowly?
3) I assume the ice water idea is separate from torching and not doing at the same time?
4) No need to heat the leg casing where the bearing carrier threads are inside?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[tpenfield]

>>> 1) Do you have to use an acetylene torch or is MAPP gas enough?

Heat is stupid, it does not know where it comes from. I used a heat gun and maybe a propane torch

>>>> 2) Are you applying downward pressure at the same time you are moving the torch around and heating it up or can you do it slowly?

Yes, pressure while the heat is on. Try to get the entire circumference hot, then apply some pressure


>>>> 3) I assume the ice water idea is separate from torching and not doing at the same time?

Depends on how many free hands you have.

>>>> 4) No need to heat the leg casing where the bearing carrier threads are inside?

Well . . . that is where you want the heat (right?) where the threads are. . . If you are heating elsewhere, then that certainly explains your situation. See my marked up picture above.

 

[achris]

The idea behind heating is to get the housing (where the threads are) to expand and loosen the grip on the carrier. Go in fast, hit it hard, get out quick. The ice water is to keep the carrier cool, so it doesn't expand (and defeat the purpose of heating)...

Don't heat the whole housing. All that will do is transfer enough heat to keep the carrier expanding at the same rate. Just heat EXACTLY where the threads are, both sides, nowhere else.

Chris......

 

[wisebob]

Thanks Chris. Still stuck.... Ugh....Will keep trying.

 

[blamtro]

You may try buying a can of electronics duster and spraying the carrier with the can upside down after youve heated the casing.

 

[wisebob]

I gave up on removing the bearing carrier and decided it was seized for good. Ended up prying the existing outer seal off in place and putting in a new one. So far so good on water test. Not the best solution but when you are left with no other choice, you gotta do something.