• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

NP231 needle bearing removal

Lake919

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Mobile, AL
So I’m rebuilding my transfer case and I’ve replace all the bearings except for the incredible pain in the ass needle bearing that is in the smaller case half, I cannot get a puller to fit. The guy at the auto part store said something about moist bread, but that sounds about as reasonable as unlocking my car with a tennis ball. Any suggestions?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The guy at the auto part store said something
about moist bread, but that sounds about as reasonable as unlocking my car with a tennis ball. Any suggestions?

It's not as crazy as it sounds. Putty, grease and toilet paper, etc all work well to remove bearings that are pressed into a blind socket. I'd be somewhat gentle with the hammer on an aluminum case though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00OlG5E8vLk
 
I used one of these sets to accomplish that job:

https://www.amazon.com/Goplus-Beari...25620491&sr=8-5&keywords=blind+bearing+puller

The "horseshoe" shaped thing was kind of sketchy, so I cut a short piece of 2" water pipe (2 3/8" OD, 1/4" wall) to use instead. I think I still used the "horseshoe" piece on top of that, but just for the sake of the threaded component, not for the unstable legs.

Pay attention to the depth at which that bearing is installed before you pull it out. I don't think it is driven all the way to the bottom of its bore.
 
It's not as crazy as it sounds. Putty, grease and toilet paper, etc all work well to remove bearings that are pressed into a blind socket. I'd be somewhat gentle with the hammer on an aluminum case though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00OlG5E8vLk

My father showed me that trick 50 years ago, when changing a clutch pilot bearing. It works on all sorts of blind bearings.
 
I ended up taking a Dremel with the precision tip and slowly, very carefully grinding away at the bearing until it was brittle enough to crack and be slid out. Then I used AT4 and my ball joint press to install the new one. It was crazy tedious but it worked.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just finally got around to doing mine. I thought I'd do the old grease/bread hydraulic trick and just use the shaft to beat it out... turns out there is an oil passage hole that prevents. A $60 blind bearing puller kit like the on Anak linked to did the trick. Tried the Slide hammer first, hammering down with the case half supported on sawhorses and that didn't work. The threaded puller from the puller kit eventually did without much drama. Pressed the new one in rather than trying to hammer it.
 
Back
Top