Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2019 13:24:13 GMT
I've been fighting with an old aero gen 6 wind turbine trying to get a seized outer bearing race out of an inaccessible part of the aluminium casting.
Could not use too much heat due to wiring so in the end I drilled through the side of the aluminium casting in line with the bearing race. Stuck a bolt in the hole rested the whole thing on a block of wood then I slammed the bolt with a hammer.
This smashed the hardened bearing race allowing me to remove it. Result!
New bearings fitted (it is the vertical pivot bearings).
These old Aerogens are legendary build quality so worth saving but if the bearing breaks up during attempts to remove it or if its frozen its a real ball ache. What I actually did was destroy the bearing cages and removed the balls to get the shaft out but this left the thorny issue of a totally seized outer race.
I don't have welding gear or puller on board. Not sure a puller would have worked as it was very stuck. Slide hammer maybe.
Looked on ybw and someone was once told they needed a whole new turbine casting. No longer made. Scrap.
I thought drilling and smashing might work and it did. Will fill the hole with PU18.
Just in case anyone gets stuck with the same job (unlikely).. its better than ditching it or paying someone to get it out.
Bearing race was in there:
Drilled hole through side here
Could not use too much heat due to wiring so in the end I drilled through the side of the aluminium casting in line with the bearing race. Stuck a bolt in the hole rested the whole thing on a block of wood then I slammed the bolt with a hammer.
This smashed the hardened bearing race allowing me to remove it. Result!
New bearings fitted (it is the vertical pivot bearings).
These old Aerogens are legendary build quality so worth saving but if the bearing breaks up during attempts to remove it or if its frozen its a real ball ache. What I actually did was destroy the bearing cages and removed the balls to get the shaft out but this left the thorny issue of a totally seized outer race.
I don't have welding gear or puller on board. Not sure a puller would have worked as it was very stuck. Slide hammer maybe.
Looked on ybw and someone was once told they needed a whole new turbine casting. No longer made. Scrap.
I thought drilling and smashing might work and it did. Will fill the hole with PU18.
Just in case anyone gets stuck with the same job (unlikely).. its better than ditching it or paying someone to get it out.
Bearing race was in there:
Drilled hole through side here
