Wheel bearing press

I am going to be pressing out my front wheel bearings, and then pressing them back into a new steering knuckle. I have a 12 ton press, but have seen online that a 20 ton press is needed. Surely a 12 ton press is enough, right?

 

Replacing the wheel bearings in my truck gave my 20 ton press a workout and it doesn't work quite like it used to. At least with my knuckles, there's no way a 12 ton press would have been strong enough.

 

20 ton.

Unless rusty, then 50.

 

I’ll third the 20 ton. It gave mine all it wanted.

 

Wow, thanks for the info. I didn't expect that!

 

I did mine with 12 ton.

 

call everybody a bitch without calling everybody a bitch LMFAO

 

I did mine with a 20. Certainly gave my 20 some work. A 12 might work, might not. I would try it with a 12 first.

 

What’s more challenging than pressing out the old bearings, is having enough random steel plates and spacers that will be required to support the knuckle during the pressing.

 

Very true. Pressing the bearings out I had to be pretty creative to find a way to support the knuckle. It definitely helps to have extra spacers / plates around.

 

100%

 

holy shit it's the toolman

 

Sue at 1A auto has the video to replace FGT front bearings

 

30 extra tons to overcome rust? That’s some strong rust.

 

If it's the video I'm thinking of, they use a big brake disk to support the knuckle. Looks like it's probably from a 1 ton truck. I keep thinking I need to find someone who works on heavy trucks to let me pick one out of their scrap pile.

 

I used a large van disk with the center cut out on the first side. Worked pretty decent. When I used it on the second knuckle it exploded under tension. Fun. Switched to angle iron and 4x4 post we had laying around.

 

Good point! Yeah. it's not going to give any warning -- like bending or flexing -- it's just going go. Maybe not such a good idea after all. Thanks!

 

I had Metal Supermarkets cut me up some different sized plates to use in my press. It wasn't much money and it's handy to have if you are using a press. Also safer. 20 ton is a bunch of pressure, things can go bad fast.

 

This is very accurate. Would not recommend using concrete bricks as they crack and you have to stop replace and adjust. But sometimes you gotta press with the press you’ve got.

can confirm a 12 ton will get the job done.

 

Agree it can be done with a 12 ton - PB blaster, heat, BFH. The POP they make when they finally let loose is on par with a cold light beer can crack on a hot summer day after mowing the lawn.

 

Shoot…i DID use heat with my 20 ton press and it still wouldn’t give up without a fight! The loud POP was most definitely unnerving. Installs should be easier than removal. I froze my bearings overnight in the freezer, used a torch to heat the knuckles, and smeared a light coat of anti-seize on the mating surfaces.

 

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