Today was a frustrating day.
As you may recall, yesterday I got towed into Ann Arbor (on my way to
Pittsburgh from upper Michigan), with a bad left front wheel bearing. I
posted yesterday asking for sources for replacement bearings.
Well, thanks to your help, I now have a source for the bearings. More
frustrating, however, was the full assessment of the damage. I completely
inspected the hub. It is fine, although the outer bearing race was very
chewed up, so I had to remove it. I then cleaned up the hub and got it
ready for new bearings and clean grease. The problem I have right now is
that the remains of the old outer bearings are very very very stuck on the
spindle. I fear that the heat of the friction might have welded what
remains of the bearings onto the axle.
Tomorrow morning, I'm going to track down the replacement bearings and then
by a Big Hammer and also a Big Slide Hammer. I'm going to try very very
hard to knock the old bearings off. If I fail, and determine that the old
bearings are welded on, then I will have to remove the stub axle and take
it to a machine shop and hope that they can cut the bearings off. This
will undoubtedly cause major damage to the stub axle, which will mean that
at best I will only be able to limp home. Maybe, just maybe, I will be
able to find a stub axle at a junkyard. Whatever happens, removing the
spindle will mean doing a realignment, which just adds the work.
Let's all pray that Wailing on the Big Hammer does the trick.
Or, can anyone think of something better? Perhaps some heat? Someone else
suggested trying freon, but this sounds like a good way to ruin the stub
axle.
Any and all thoughts will be appreciated. And again, since I'm not certain
that I'm officially on the mailing list, please send the replies directly
to me (in addition to the list, if you want).
Thanks.
Peter
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