How to remove the outer bearing race of a washing machine?

Sometimes it is very difficult to remove the outer race of a bearing: the outer “shell” rusts, collapses and sticks tightly to the shaft. It is not possible to remove a stuck ring using the standard method, and drastic measures such as knocking it out and sawing it off threaten to irreparably damage the assembly. There is a way out - to focus on more “civilized” and safe methods.

Auxiliary techniques

A rusted bearing is much more difficult to remove - everyone knows this. It is clear that the element will have to be removed in parts, risking the cross and the drum. But you can knock out the outer race from the washing machine tub shaft with less losses if you first make the task easier for yourself. Two methods will work well: treatment with an anti-corrosion agent and local heating.

First of all, the stuck bearing and the entire seat must be generously treated with a special cleaner. Conventional WD-40 is used only as a last resort, as it is relatively weak. It is better to use products with a more active anti-corrosion composition. Among domestic ones, “NanoProtech Super” has a similar one, and among Western ones, “CycloFusion 3.0”. Both lubricants do an excellent job of removing rust, the only difference is the price: the Russian one is 2 times cheaper.

A stuck bearing must be treated with anti-corrosion lubricant - “NanoProtech Super” or “CycloFusion 3.0”.

After treating with lubricant, it is recommended to heat the damaged bearing. It is better to act as locally as possible to ensure spot heating. A blowtorch will not work; you should use a hair dryer or welding tool. The heated part will leave the seat faster.

What and how to remove the clip?

More often, a damaged bearing is knocked out or removed from its seat with a special puller. The second option is more difficult, since not everyone has the opportunity to get this tool. It is also not a fact that the device will fit and help you remove the part with your own hands. Therefore, it is better to resort to a more real and working knockout.

But you also need to find a suitable device for knocking out. Many craftsmen prefer a punch. Instead, a curved chisel made from a 22-24 wrench with one cut off horn of 24 is often used. If necessary, the holder is locally ground by a Chinese engraver with an abrasive attachment, and then knocked out.

There are also ingenious inventions that greatly simplify the process of knocking out bearings. So, some people fix a collet with semicircular jaws on balls and complement it with an expanding element. Then it is easier to hit the part with a hammer, ensuring uniform and precise tapping.

But novice and “casual” repairmen rarely encounter stuck bearings and do not strive to make special devices for knocking them out. In such cases, it is recommended to use improvised materials. A good example is a section of thick-walled pipe, the diameter of which optimally fits into the hole between the edges of the holder. It is enough to rest the tube on the outer rim and sharply hit it with a hammer.

Another option is to use electric welding. We weld two tubercles on opposite sides of the ring, then put an extension for the heads on them and knock out the bearing. This method also has an obvious advantage: during welding, the part warms up, which simplifies the removal process. The main thing is to have a welding machine and know how to handle it.

An experienced master offers another banal but effective scheme. We proceed like this:

• generously treat the affected area with WD-40 and leave overnight;
• in the morning we fix a pointed rod of reinforcement 30 cm long on the outer frame;
• we break through the structure with a hammer;
• lubricate the inner race with WD-40;
• use a grinder to file the holes on the rim as deep as possible (as carefully as possible so as not to damage the oil seal);
• place the reinforcement on the rim and, turning it, tap it with a hammer;
• continue until the clip bursts.

When knocking out a bearing, you must wear glasses and gloves - it is unsafe!

When knocking out a bearing, it is important to remember your own safety. It is necessary to work only with gloves and special glasses to protect yourself from metal fragments. Do not forget that these parts are very fragile and when tapped, they scatter into dozens of small and dangerous pieces.

You can remove a stuck bearing with your own hands, but the process is complicated and time-consuming. If time, experience and effort are not enough, it is better not to experiment and entrust the knocking out to professionals.

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