Help with stuck bearing on Xray!
 

I have a stuck part on my new Xray T1FK and need some advice on how to remove it...

Sunday I was leading the pack in the 3rd and final main of a triple A main at my local club track and suddenly my car just stopped hard like hitting the brakes. After I pulled it off the track I started by inspecting the motor...that was very hot but still in good shape. Then I inspected the front one-way...that was still in good shape. Then I inspected the rear ball diff...that was still in good shape. Then I grabbed the central pulley shaft and tried to turn it...it wouldn't move! Obviously the rightside bearing has gone bad. I have extra bearings so I figured I would just change it out so I tried taking the shaft off the bulkhead but the shaft is somehow fused inside the bearing race on the rightside bulkhead. When I originally put it together it just slipped right in but now it wont come out even with some firm (but not too hard) hammer hits.

It was late last night when I was working on this and I gave it up to go to bed. Now I have all day at work to try and think of a way to get that shaft out of the bearing when I get home tonight. I don't want to hit it too hard for fear of bending the hollow aluminum shaft. The only idea I have right now is to heat everything up with a heat gun and then try and tap it apart with a hammer. Or I might try some good penetrating oil like you would use on a rusty bolt.

Can anyone offer some other ideas. This car isnt even a month old...should I contact Xray about this?

boil it in hot water?
softens the plastic
heat will melt the plastic

Thanks but this is a hollow aluminum shaft stuck inside a steel bearing...no plastic.

Use a pair of pliers an wiggle the bearing of the shaft using an lubricant such as wd 40 royal oil it sound like the bearing is stuck at a slight angle to the shaft hard to explain. if you can wiggle it so it inner race is in perpendicular to the shaft it should come free. You feel it pop don't use a hammer and be gentle useing the pliers. That will just cause it to dig into the shaft.
When you built it may have got mis aligned when attaching the bulkhead to the chassis ans the bearing holder is made of plastic and can move slightly without you realising.
Hope that makes sense

Metal on metal I'd say go with the heat. Mechanics pull out the torches all the time to remove stuck bearings. As for boiling, remember, the boiling point of water is 212 degree F. I think you'll need it hotter than that. Try a heat gun (probably not enough) or a cheap butane gas "Soldering iron" from Radio shack. Betcha that'll do it.

Be careful whe using heat though, heat may cause some metals to expand too much, thus warping the pieces. Just a warning.

Use good old brute force :blush: allways works :sweat:

Unfortunately, when you heat them, the aluminum will expand at a greater rate than the steel bearing. You can try to freeze the assembly and get the aluminum to shrink more than the steel. This how we solve that problem for cryogenic pumps. What happened is the bearing overheated due to either binding and/or insufficient lube. This over heats the inner race and fuses it to the shaft. (friction weld) You may have to face the fact that it is now one piece and replace it.

If you can't get the bearing off cut the pulley shaft in half so you don't have to buy a new bulkhead then buy a new pulley shaft and bearing :) hope this helps

this is the true answer
 

i would think if ht ebearing is gone, just use a little force and tap it out

if you have a table top vice clamps, sit the bearing on top of a vice, while the axle hangs between the teeth. then lightly tap out the axle with a hammer or mallet

:D

If the bearings totally seized and no good, can you not just cut it off? :tire: