Bearing removal question

Had oil leak from rear wheel (IH 2504), seal was trashed and bearing also noT good. Seal was easy to remove, and I know the correct way to replace the bearing is to remove the axle, but the bearing is so tantalizingly close and is missing several ball bearings and it seems like cutting or grinding it out would be easier than removing the transmission cover and accessing the bull gear to remove the axle. Any comments on removing the external bearing without removing the axle, and if I do get it out, will I be able to get the new bearing back in without a press? Thanks.

Bigger question is where are the missing balls. You have to account for each and every one. Reminds me of when I was a youngster, first year or two working at IH dealer. A Farmall 300 with a new idea mounted picker had a outer axle bearing go bad. After getting the wheel off and end cap removed, owner , boss and me are pondering just how in the heck to get that bearing out. I'm standing there thinking, boss is pecking away at it, doing what I don't remember. Anyway, boss gets upset that no one else is doing anything, throws down his tools and leaves. He said if no one else is going to work on it he isn't either. I don't remember how I got it out but eventually did. I think if we had tacked a bolt to outer race and applied a slide hammer it would have come out. Getting new one on is not a problem. Just some gentle tapping on several spots or a pipe that fits over axle.

I recall doing one on a 1600 Oliver without going inside the rear end. Welding a couple bolts to the bearing and using a slide hammer works to remove the bearing. Then weld a bead all the way around the inside of the race. It should shrink and be able to be removed. If it is still tight use the bolt method again. You will have to pound in the new race. Race punches are very handy for that. The bearing can be pounded on if you are careful. I prefer to put them in a toaster oven and heat to about 400 degrees. It should expand enough to slide right on the axle. Oil it well after it cools. The lost rollers can do a lot of damage though. I am working on a MM M602 right now that the inner axle bearing rollers wrecked both bull pinions and bull gears.

I recall doing one on a 1600 Oliver without going inside the rear end. Welding a couple bolts to the bearing and using a slide hammer works to remove the bearing. Then weld a bead all the way around the inside of the race. It should shrink and be able to be removed. If it is still tight use the bolt method again. You will have to pound in the new race. Race punches are very handy for that. The bearing can be pounded on if you are careful. I prefer to put them in a toaster oven and heat to about 400 degrees. It should expand enough to slide right on the axle. Oil it well after it cools. The lost rollers can do a lot of damage though. I am working on a MM M602 right now that the inner axle bearing rollers wrecked both bull pinions and bull gears.

I just replaced 2 bearings in a JD round baler roller. Gerry in NC gave me the idea on how to fix it.

Here's how I'd go after yours:

1. Drain the oil down somewhat so it doesn't run down the tube and out the axle.

2. Jack up the far side and block it so that you have gravity in your favor...sloping down hill if you think you will loose something in the following process, like a ball bearing rolling the wrong way. Be careful....obviously.

3. With everything out of the way, and a water hose handy if needed, just in case....

4. Take your cutting torch and a pick of some kind, make one out of a long handle screw driver if you don't have one.....I got a set of them from HF....pick on one end and point on the other, set of 3 or 4 steel rods....Also a hammer and punch.

5. Heat your balls (careful here) and pick them out to get them out of the way. With your torch carefully cut into the inner race and while hot bang on it with the hammer and punch till you deform it so that you can use your pick and pull it out.

6. Make a slide hammer (HF has them too) if you don't have one and hook it behind the outer race of your bearing and going in a criss cross fashion, work it out.

Note: A high quality penetrating oil, not what everybody uses for everything, liberally applied to the outer race works wonders.

With a little emory cloth, clean up the housing and shaft areas where the new bearing races will ride and lube them up with some more PO.

That might work for you. Worked for me.

Thanks for the tips, I can't imagine finding the damn ball bearings very easily even if you had the transmission cover off.

Hpw are outside loose balls going to get past inside brg to get into diff housing??? I don't envision that happening. But then I've never heard of replacing an outside axle brg without removing axle housing from diff housing.

Maybe you're not missing any balls. If the cage is out of place the balls will gather up and have the appearance of not enough. Usually the balls can not escape the races unless the cut outs for assembly are lined up just right.
Just a thought but you for sure don't want them floating around in there.
Dennis

My opinion is that any ball from a bearing would fall to the bottom of wherever it is and remain there due to geometry and density. If you are concerned about such, just attach a strong magnet to the outside of the bottom of the housing. If the bearing is mobile it will find the magnetic field and fall in love. Grin