Installing mains

Kayeffess · Jun 19, 2015

I have new mains and 1 transmission bearing to install on my 380 project. I have a shop press to do this. Do I need to heat the cases if using a press? If so, is it ok to heat the cases with the other bearings in place.
Thanks in advance
K

jmscrttndn · Jun 19, 2015

Kayeffess said:
I have new mains and 1 transmission bearing to install on my 380 project. I have a shop press to do this. Do I need to heat the cases if using a press? If so, is it ok to heat the cases with the other bearings in place.
Thanks in advance
K

I didn't use a press, but I heated the cases to approx 155 deg C. One of the old mains fell right out while the other needed some persuasion with a hammer.

BTW, where did you find a suitable mandrel with which to push out the old mains?

Be careful when pressing/hammering the old bearing out because it will self-destruct. The rollers will all fall out and the rim of the bearing outer race will actually break off too. After everything breaks off, there isn't much to grab onto. Because of this, I heated it up nice and hot and acted quickly, before it could cool.

The other bearing will not be affected by the heating process (but you should take precautions to ensure that they do not fall out). Once you heat the case, all other bearing have the potential to loosen and fall. When I replaced my bearings, I left the shift drum bearing and the secondary shaft (sealed) bearing. Neither was negatively affected. Only other thing to watch for is that all bearing are fully seated flatly after the engine cools (in case the move slightly during the removal process).

KentJ · Jun 19, 2015

I just installed my mains with a press. I put the bearings in the freezer overnight but the case was ambient (a little warm from sitting in the truck all day maybe). The bearings did squeak a little going in, but seemed to end up in the right spot without any trouble.

I have a set of 3/4" drive sockets that work perfectly as mandrels for pressig things.

Kayeffess · Jun 19, 2015

jmscrttndn said:
I didn't use a press, but I heated the cases to approx 155 deg C. One of the old mains fell right out while the other needed some persuasion with a hammer.

BTW, where did you find a suitable mandrel with which to push out the old mains?

As per the owners doc I used the tranny bearing to press out the one main and a large socket to press out the other
The bearings came out nice and smooth, not even a pop.

jmscrttndn · Jun 19, 2015

Oh, excellent. Glad to hear it.

Kayeffess said:
As per the owners doc I used the tranny bearing to press out the one main and a large socket to press out the other
The bearings came out nice and smooth, not even a pop.

Taffy · Jun 24, 2015

congratulations!

of more intereste to some as the years pass by would be your ideas on getting the tiny needle rollers out that support the sprague assembly and the starter clutch?

anyone found a surefire way that works?

the idea of going to 150 degrees in the oven is tempting but I think the wrong bearings would fall out!

heating the cases browns the lacquer!

a difficult one....

regards

Taffy

FE350 · Jun 24, 2015

Warm area with blow dryer or carefully with heat gun, lube and freeze bearing with propane or anything available in a can, some canned air works well when sprayed upside down.

makazica · Jun 24, 2015

Re: the tiny needle rollers

I had so much trouble getting them out.
Took it to first machine shop, they overheated the seat to the point alu melted and tried clawing it out with a counter thread tool. It didn't get out and they almost ruined the cover.

Second machine shop that did my head was very reliable, good reputation. I just left the cover there and they got it out (don't know how), made a bushing for the ruined seat and put a new one in.

So now I have bushings on both places where the small as++oles are and feel comfortable to use as much brute force to get them out as I have 6 or 7 spare bushings.....

bushmechanic · Jun 25, 2015

for the little rollers I used a dynabolt and 100 C, was easy

if this didn't work id have gone to 150 and if that didn't work then id then tig weld a steel plug to the bearing outer..this gives thermal shock and a very secure means of attachment ... if that doesn't work there is a thing called a mill and solid carbide cutters.

Kayeffess · Jun 26, 2015

Thanks for the input. I heated my cases to 200F. Froze the bearings and they went in really smooth. I ground down the outer race of an old main and used it as a mandrel to press in the new mains. Easy peezy.

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