I have a Delta 14″ bandsaw that has suddenly started to “scream” every time I turn it on. I’ve checked for any possible source of rubbing. Through process of elimination along with input from other woodworkers have narrowed it down to the upper wheel bearing.
Now, I can’t get the bearing out to replace it. How in the world do you get the old bearing out from the hub of the wheel? Do you just pound it out? My concern is damaging the wheel itself. Is there a knack to doing this? I’m tempted now to just taking it to a service center and let them struggle with it.
Any thoughts?
Replies
Mardon ,
Maybe you could take it to your local bearing shop or a machine shop in your area, if you can't easily push or pull or tap it out from either direction . Just out of curiosity did you remove the belt and run the motor to make sure it is not coming from the belt or the motor ?
good luck dusty
Thanks Dusty, I may just leave it up to the pros. Yeah, I checked the belt and motor but they are on the lower wheel. This "screech" is coming from the upper wheel.
Thanks again.
Mardon -
Don't recall exactly what the bearing looked like when I had my bandsaw apart. But this usually requires a puller of one sort or another that grabs the inside of the bearing at three or four places and pulls it straight out. These things are usually press fit into place. They have to be installed and removed without binding which is pretty difficult without proper tools.
From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
Dennis
You can "drift" it out with a brass punch and a hammer (brass won't deform the steel). Or a puller works. You need to press the new one in, or drift it in as well.
You should be able to get an auto machine shop to do this for you fairly inexpensively.
Mardon... usually they can be pushed out fairly easily. Place the wheel over a couple of pieces of 2x4, supporting the central hub, but clear of the bearings. It should be laying down like a pizza. Put a short length of 1/2" dowel through the hole in the 'upper' bearing. Angel it slightly so it catches on the 'lower' bearing. Tap it gently with a mallet, work the dowel around in a sort of circular motion so you are tapping 'evenly' on the 'lower' bearing. Check to see if it's comming out. Repeat with a bit more force if it hasn't moved out any distance. DO NOT try to smash it!! It should start to come out. If not, flip the wheel over and try to get the other one out. If no luck, go to your friendly local garage and ask your favorite mechanic to do you a small favor and see if he can get them out. DO NOT beat the living daylights out of the bearings as you could warp or bend the wheel. SawdustSteve
Question: have you removed the blade and spun the wheel by itself? A bad ball bearing will have a clicking or rumbling sound. Any unusual sound probably means a bearing failure. However, a scream is unusual for a ball bearing. It may squeel (very high pitch) if it has run out of lubricant.
Don't attempt to pound the bearing out with a drift pin! You can't get to the outer race to push on it while the bearing is in the pulley. If the bearing cocks even slightly you will ruin the bore of the aluminum pulley and it will cost to fix it.
A bearing puller is needed. You can make one with a bit of work, but you're much better off going to an auto shop or machine shop and have them remove the bearing.
Buy replacement bearings at a bearing store, and take them with you when you get the bearings removed. The shop can press them in quickly and correctly.
Mike T. (Mechanical Engineer)
Don't just pound the bearing out .Without proper support you could distort the wheel.Take it to a machine shop where they will put it under an arbor press and push it out and the new one in .Any automotive machine shop could do it in a few minutes. One thing you could try , (my latest snake oil cure for bearings ).Try to inject a little Duralube mixed with 20% non detergent oil into the bearing it may well work.I fried the bearings on my router table with about 4 hrs of work left and did not want to ruin the set up to replace the bearings and it is still quiet 4 months later.As far as doing it yourself you may be able to use a pair of socket wrenches to push the bearing out if you can rig up a way of applying even pressure.The same as pressing out the U/J's on an auto
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