my head is about to explode from frustration

[Dirtcrasher]

well, no 1 inch bit at home depot and the 3/4 ones were like $20 so thats outta the question. anybody think i could melt the old stuff out assuming it was aluminum? it looks like alumium

No way.............

It would shock the hell out of me to hear it is 1" OD anyway. the rest of the trike is metric............ 25mm or whatever is another story.

Bearing casings are hard as rocks and never made from aluminum.

All I ever use is something like a dremel to get cases pieces out or otherwise I can smash them out.

That bore in your swinger was never drilled like a standard drill. It was tubing that got reamed/drilled/honed to size for a perfect fit. A reg. twist drill would be useless to you........

Remove the high spots and your good. If it's egg shaped, THEN you need a new swinger.........

[aldochina]

did you try using a long drift through the opposite side to catch to edge of the race thats rusted in there and bash it out? almost always works. I have never seen an aluminum bearing race!! it is most likely steel.

[QCR77]

im not sure what my next step is. there is some kind of lip about 2 inches in, i assumed it was like a keeper so the bearing wouldnt go any further in. maybe its the edge of the old cage and i could bash it out from the other side. the hard part is that there is such a thin layer left, and it is rusted/frozen into the swinger. ive tried using tools to get under it, but because of the stuff i did before, its too smooth

[tundrawolf]

Use a torch to heat the bearing/shaft the bearings goes in.

[Dirtcrasher]

^ What help was this?? "heat the bearings/shaft"?? What shaft? heat up the swinger collar? and heat the needle bearings??

He needs to freeze his needle bearings/cages and make sure that the bore in the swinger has no high spots and is perfect. Get a Dremel if you have any high spots. Then pull/press in the bearings.

Remember, whatever you are pushing or pulling - Only be about .010 or ten thousandths smaller than the cage OD or it will pull in the side of the cage and not pivot freely...

Work fast with that stuff. it goes in quick if your good It cools off and or heats up fast!

[tundrawolf]

He didn't notice the old race was welded in with rust like a previous poster. If anything will help dislodge it, it will be heat.

[QCR77]

i finally got the old cage (what was left of it) outta there and the new bearings (frozen) went in ok. i finally got everything put back together. all i have to do is put the chain on but i noticed the gear shaft(with the front sprocket securely fastened to it) moves in and out of the case anout 1/8 inch. i need to find out if that is normal cause i have a big ride planned for tomorrow

thanks to all of you who offered tips and advice. it was a combo of everything that got it done for me

[Dirtcrasher]

Glad it's together!

Ive used a long sharpened punch to get the outer cage to collapse in a bit, then deal with it; Or, I've had some in there so bad that I to use my dremel until they get so thin they turn blue or red from grinders heat....... Thin you can prick them out.

I guess it's the thin cage that creates the installation issue, I myself have grabbed too small a socket, thought all was well and then crushed in the cage just a bit during install; At that point they might be together, but there junk... I try to freeze every bearing I put in; Thank you Johnny Seabass for the half installed lower steering race I may knock it out, freeze it and use my tool I made to get it up in there.

[QCR77]

Glad it's together!

Ive used a long sharpened punch to get the outer cage to collapse in a bit, then deal with it; Or, I've had some in there so bad that I to use my dremel until they get so thin they turn blue or red from grinders heat....... Thin you can prick them out.

I guess it's the thin cage that creates the installation issue, I myself have grabbed too small a socket, thought all was well and then crushed in the cage just a bit during install; At that point they might be together, but there junk... I try to freeze every bearing I put in; Thank you Johnny Seabass for the half installed lower steering race I may knock it out, freeze it and use my tool I made to get it up in there.

thanks alot. yeah its just stuff i gotta learn ya know. it wasnt fun, but its done right.

[Vealmonkey]

I feel your pain. All of us at one time or another have had to undo 20 plus years of neglect by previous owners or had to pay someone else to do it if we didn't have the right tools. A pain in the butt to say the least but we either make things easier on ourselves or the next lucky owner. Bearings should be good for another 20 plus years now, right? LOL