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It's that time again, I need to swap out my suspension bearings. My usual method of removal is done with some all thread, nuts, large washers and whatever sockets I have lying around. While it works, it's a real pain and I tend to take the skin from my knuckles.
Quick google comes up with this Linky Yes it's cheap and at the price don't expect it to last many changes. There has to be something out there that is more robust but at a sensible price.
So with that, what budget bearing presses are you using?
I have that exact one but paid about twice as much for it. Works perfectly well.
I also have Hope drifts, blind puller set from superstar and another set that will remove and press from kinetic bearings. All good at what they do in different application.
I have that exact one but paid about twice as much for it. Works perfectly well.
Ditto! The metal is a bit soft but it's perfectly adequate for occasional use.
It's probably just as good as the one I bought from CRC. Looks a bargain for 20quid.
What you’ve linked to is a bearing press, for pressing bearings in. You’ll also need a bearing puller to remove the bearings.
My LBS has a bearing press kit almost identical,which works fine for the amount of bearing fitting they do.
There are other kits that look the same for £30 ish with free postage on eBay.
You’ll also need a bearing puller to remove the bearings.
I've always just tapped them out with a large flat blade screwdriver and a hammer, then used the old race as a pad for tapping the new one back in with a hammer...
I keep thinking about buying a sliding hammer thing for pulling them out, but never got round to it....
I've that one. Works fine. Has done two bikes, 28bearings and made the job easy. Is it the best? No. If I was changing bearing more often I'd invest in better but it's good enough.
Not Gucci kit but ..
free postage on eBay
Ah, I hadn't seen the postage cost. Even so I think it'll do the job.
Thanks for the replies.
I have that one. It's actually brilliant
https://www.bearingprotools.com/
Got various pullers and presses c/w spinny handles for hope hubs/freehub and a race face 30mm bb, they all work great. For pivot bearings I use orange's tool which is also great.
If you don't see exactly what you need on the bearingpro website send him an email; he's really helpful and happy to mix and match.
I have that one and it’s done the bearings in my freehubs several times over without issue. Also I have the correct pulllers from bearingprotools. Well worth it….
+1 for Bearingprotools Very well made for the price and you are supporting a UK business.
I would always go to them now for any bearing related tomfoolery
Another one for Bearingprotools, had a bearing fall apart, emailed him the dims and they sent the right size blind puller. Really helpful
I also have the one linked at the start. I use better ones in my job, but I was pleasantly surprised at the look and feel of the cheap one. I've not yet used it but I'm sure for home use it will be fine.
The blue press linked at the start is great tbh. Done one bikes worth of suspension bearings, 4 speeeste wheels worth of bearings, shock bearing mount bearings - and sram jockey wheel bearings (did t have the right size drift for the latter one but bodged it fine).
No damage to the kit and I have no reason to think it won’t last years.
If you have bearings you can drift out then the above kit is probably all you’ll need.
I have blind bearings back to back in my Horst link so you can’t really tap those out. I have a cheap eBay slide hammer thing that was £27. Has worked a number of times, but I don’t think it’ll last as well as the press kit.