Bearing race removal

[Raindem]

Hi.  '73 Charger with factory front disk brakes.  I purchased a new set of ACDelco rotors, which came with bearing races already installed.  I also purchased a new set of Timken inner and outer bearings which also come with their own races.  I figured it's better to use the races that came with the bearings so I went to remove them from my new rotors.  I've done this a hundred times before, but I can't get these suckers out.  Normally, the race extends into the center opening just enough to get a punch on it, and knock it out from behind.  But not these.  The inside edge of the inner race sits flush with the edge of the shoulder.  There's no way to drive it out.

I tried using a small screwdriver and hammer from the other side to split the race from the shoulder.  I'm thinking if I can move it off the seat just a hair I can get a thin punch in from behind.  No good, it wouldn't budge.  Two other ideas I'm considering are dremeling a couple of grooves in the race so I can get a punch on it.  Or maybe welding a washer and pressing it out (like the method used for LCA bushings).  But either of those methods risk damage to my brand new hubs.  I dry fitted the Timken bearing to the hub race and it "seems" to fit OK.  So I don't know if the race in the hub is thinner or has a different taper, or if the shouler of the hub is machined differently.

So before I mangle anything further I thought I'd ask if anyone has run across this before?

Thanks

Curt

[Bob]

When I changed mine I used a brass drift and tapped side to side and they came right out. Did the reverse on installation. You could have used the new races that came with the hub/rotor also with no problem.

[John_Kunkel]

I always use a punch set in my air hammer. Since you're gonna wind up with races you'll never use, just install the new bearings in the races already installed....they're all made to the same spec.

[Raindem]

Thanks for the replies.  Yes, I have brass punches but that is not the issue in this case.  There is no exposed edge of the race to place the punch up against.

It's good to know I can use these races with no problem.  But the races are supposed to be replacable.  Just curious if anyone has run into a situation where the race couldn't be driven out with a punch.

[Raindem]

Maybe a photo would help explain my dilema.  In the picture below the small red lines are an exaggerated indication of how the inner edge of the bearing race should hang over the edge of the seat.  The blue bar represents the punch as it is inserted from the opposite side to work against the exposed edge of the race.  As you can see in the photo the race does not extend over the shoulder.  If anything, it's a little bit recessed, making it impossible to drive it out with a punch.  My concern with using this race is that it might cause excessive wear on the new bearings.  I can't tell if the bearing race thickness or taper is different, or if the hub is machined differently from OEM.

free upload pictures

[chargerbr549]

One way to get them out is to weld a bead all around the inside of the race and it should shrink and drop out after the weld cools or with the weld sticking out you would probably have enough material to hammer on with a punch and drive it out.