Starter bearing

[dna9656]

DON'T try to remove the output bearing on the starter. All you'll do is ruin the starter end. The housing is aluminum, the bearing is steel so unless you got some magic tool or got your mojo workin' it ain't happin'.

I thought I read countless posts about rebuilding starters here, I never read anything about the output bearing being impossible to remove. Did I miss something here?

Wisdom gained: Buy used starters and upgrade the ground.

I have 1/16" punches. After removing the seal there is the edge of the bearing visible through the back of the housing. Thinking I could nudge the bearing out (like just about every bearing I have ever removed) I GENTLY started to nudge it out. Well the bearing cage broke apart, ok fine I still have that edge along the annulus (outer circle) to tap the bearing out, Nooo it won't move. So we get a little dremel grinder to thin out the steel of the outer bearing cage a little so it's easier to cut with (insert your favorite cheap screwdriver or (more properly) very hard and sharp chisel. Nooo. the chisel can't get any purchase.

So there you have it 1 unusable starter snout.

I thought about adding heat to expand the nose a little but I am leery of heating that aluminum and maybe melting it. But now what have I got to loose?

Any ideas?

[Flyinfool]

Put the motor case into the oven at 250°F (300°F Max) for 20 minutes or so. The aluminum will expand a bit more than the steel race, and if there is any bearing retainer on the bearing the heat will loosen it.

 

This is the only way to get the rear bearing out of small engines made for model aircraft. Once it is warmed up in the oven, all it usually takes is a sharp smack on a block of soft wood to knock the bearing out. It is not till around 400°F that you have to worry about changing the aluminum characteristics.

[dna9656]

Put the motor case into the oven at 250°F (300°F Max) for 20 minutes or so. The aluminum will expand a bit more than the steel race, and if there is any bearing retainer on the bearing the heat will loosen it.

 

This is the only way to get the rear bearing out of small engines made for model aircraft. Once it is warmed up in the oven, all it usually takes is a sharp smack on a block of soft wood to knock the bearing out. It is not till around 400°F that you have to worry about changing the aluminum characteristics.

 

Thank you for your response and wisdom!

 

While I was at work I started thinking about using my heat gun; I thought about the oven but then aluminum gives up heat pretty fast (I don't have an oven in my shop) and if there were some sort of "glue" in there it would get warm and then go back to holding that bearing in there as it cooled so I thought that wouldn't work. So when this "glue" is heated does it forever loose it's stickiness or does the heat ruin these properties?

What do you think about the heat gun idea?

[Karaboo]

The bearing retainer is a Thermoset material (similar to Loctite thread locker). It will not retain its properties after it has been broken down.

[Flyinfool]

I use the oven in the kitchen when no one is looking.

bring a chunk of 2x4 with you so that you can take it out of the oven and smack it on the 2x4 immediately.

The motor case has some good mass so it will hold heat for a couple minutes.

Since the inner race and balls are already gone I don't know if there will be enough mass for the bearing to come out easy. You may have to still attack it with your punch while it is hot.