Pressing on Bearings, Lubrication Needed?

[Traveler 45C]

I’m rebuilding my RW pump. I need to press on the new bearing and then press that assembly into the pump housing.

Do I need to apply lubrication to the shaft and housing before pressing? The DD manual is silent on this.

 

[REBrueckner]

A little lube can't hurt can it???

 

[Genesis]

I would, simply to reduce the risk of galling.

 

[Traveler 45C]

No chance that with lub applied the bearing will spin on the shaft or in the housing?

 

[yachtsmanbill]

A film of never sieze and heat the bearing to 200F. Put it in the oven, or FAN it with a propane torch. When yer spit sizzles, its ready. Have everything ready to go! Dont end up beating it on. ws

 

[krush]

A film of never sieze and heat the bearing to 200F. Put it in the oven, or FAN it with a propane torch. When yer spit sizzles, its ready. Have everything ready to go! Dont end up beating it on. ws

Shaft in the freezer!

 

[TedZ]

Cooling and heating work but not large molecules like oil or grease. Most big presses have a can of gas and a paint brush near them for lubrication. Sounds crazy but it is a small molecule oil really.

Ted

 

[Bill Allen]

When rebuilding compressors we heat our bearings in a can filled with oil dropping them on the shaft with two pieces of wire fastened to the bearing. When I do "press" fit stuff on my MG'S I usally heat the housing and freeze whatever goes into it. Works for both bearings and shafts, may require A light tap with a brass drift, but normally can get around the whole press issue. Bill

 

[yachtsmanbill]

I learned a good trick at Philly Gear last year...
ALL the bearing removals, 3 inch to 14 inch were accomplished by up ending the shaft, heating the bearing with MAPP gas an it would simply slide off and hit the floor.
Installing was done with an induction heater. Flip it up. WD40 worked well also. After the bearing was down, a tap on the inner race to seat it and that was that. ws

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Dry ice if your really want it cold.

 

[Brian Degulis]

Heating cooling really comes in with very large bearings or press fits that have to withstand torque. The bearing in your raw water pump will go together easily dry wet hot cold just press it on. If you don't have a press a deep socket that fits the shaft and touches only the inner race of the bearing can be used to gently tap it on.


Brian

 

[Traveler 45C]

I have access to a press and pullers.

The procedure didn't call for lub. I thought it a good idea to use some but before I did, I wanted to check here first.

Thanks guys.

 

[krush]

I learned a good trick at Philly Gear last year...

hope they do better work than Falk. My buddy is doing a scrubber startup and they been having big time issues with Falk gear boxes on the recirc (2500 hp each) pumps. They burned up a few hi speed thurst bearings because the clowns didn't set end float correctly. After sending em all back and having a falk rep on site, they still screwed up a couple..............also didn't clean out metal chips--FAIL.

 

[LENZ]

hope they do better work than Falk. My buddy is doing a scrubber startup and they been having big time issues with Falk gear boxes on the recirc (2500 hp each) pumps. They burned up a few hi speed thurst bearings because the clowns didn't set end float correctly. After sending em all back and having a falk rep on site, they still screwed up a couple..............also didn't clean out metal chips--FAIL.

Thrust bearings are typically captured in the bearing housing and should have .003-.005 clc.(axial) for heat expansion if not they will fail quickly. Oil lubricated brgs run a bit cooler than greased so stick with .005 clc. (axial) on greased brgs. Learned this 20 years ago the hard/expensive way....

Lenz

 

[REBrueckner]

I should have also posted: a good way to learn such a repair is to bring your pump (and parts if you want) to a shop and observe the repair. You can give as a reason that you'll be on a long trip to XYZ and want to be sure you know how to make such a repair in remote locations. Often time "experts" have little chance to talk with customers and love to share their tricks knowledge and experience...if they are proud of their work....