??? - 74 Mk2 - rear brake drum - removal of bearing and dummy axle

joe czech · Jul 25, 2020

according to the service manual, it says to take a hide mallet and drive the threaded end of the dummy axle inward to remove the bearing. done this (dead blow hammer) without much luck, and yes, the circlip has been removed. don't want to beat on this thing too much, and don't want to get a B'rFH. usually bearings are pressed into place, so how have you folks done this? I do have a 20 ton press in the shop, but thought I check with you before proceeding. TIA....

Ron L · Jul 25, 2020

I always thread the nut back on the dummy axle and use a plastic mallet or a block of hardwood and a ball peen hammer. It doesn't usually take excessive force. You, of course, must remember to remove the circlip first.

jbruney · Jul 25, 2020

I just knocked mine out. I did push it in with the press though because didn't wish to do any beating around the new bearing..... I sometimes forget the press is sitting there or it would have come out with it also.

myron1950 · Jul 25, 2020

Its been a while but as I recall:

Applied penetrating oil – let it soak for several hours (yes, circlip is out).
Applied light heat – just above limit of “touching” in outer area adjacent to bearing.
With nut on thread for protection used heavy hammer to apply force through wood block. I didn’t have to “beat it” – I let inertia do the job. One hit – bearing popped out.

joe czech · Jul 26, 2020

update - the only way that friggin thing came apart was by using a press. I would have to beat on that thing with a (BF) hammer 'til I was blue in the face - something would have not fared well - most likely the bearing assembly. anyway, it's apart, probably the first time since the factory put the thing together - most of the grease was hard and caked, dirty and nasty. the rear brake assembly was well overdue a cleaning and service. thanks for all the replies -

Tornado · Jul 26, 2020

Be sure to review the older threads on hub assembly. Theres a few with excellent diagrams showing order and orientation of fittings, unlike the parts catalog.

joe czech · Jul 26, 2020

Tornado said:
Be sure to review the older threads on hub assembly. Theres a few with excellent diagrams showing order and orientation of fittings, unlike the parts catalog.

anything specific? planning or putting it back together the way it came apart. that pretty much agrees with the parts catalog/diagrams - best I can tell.

jbruney · Jul 26, 2020

Mine was such.

Tornado · Jul 27, 2020

joe czech said:
anything specific? planning or putting it back together the way it came apart. that pretty much agrees with the parts catalog/diagrams - best I can tell.

Heres a good thread:

Front and Rear Hub Bearing Removal (2010)

The manual may be wrong there, when you pound in the bearing through the center, you are putting stress on the balls and the races, that type of bearing is not designed to take that stress. You should use a socket (or something) that pushes on the outside of the bearing (in this case). Jean...

www.accessnorton.com

Flatspot · Jul 27, 2020

I recently removed my rear bearing, mainly to replace it with a modern one but in addition I bought a new stainless set from the Norton Owners Club. It didn’t fit! If you look carefully at the attached image you may be able to brake out that the stub axle has been machined incorrectly and it wouldn’t allow the Circlip to seat correctly. I ended up just refitting the old one, fortunately it was in good condition.

??? - 74 Mk2 - rear brake drum - removal of bearing and dummy axle

nortriubuell · Jul 27, 2020

Fit the one piece axle upgrade from Don Pender (madass140) and be done ... with yet another mickey mouse "kluge" the factory did. My two cents anyway.

joe czech · Jul 27, 2020

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nortriubuell said:
Fit the one piece axle upgrade from Don Pender (madass140) and be done...

too late now. kluge or not, i'm done -

ran into the same dimensional problems with the stainless dummy axle. fortunately, like Landspeedracer, my original was excellent and cleaned up nicely. I did fab my own stainless lower shock mount bolts and chain adjusting bolts. spent a little extra time and ran the stainless parts through my (bead) blasting cabinet and hit everything with a small fine wire wheel. personally, like the satin gray look. just need to finish up the rear hub/tire assembly....

Ron L · Jul 27, 2020

Landspeedracer said:
I recently removed my rear bearing, mainly to replace it with a modern one but in addition I bought a new stainless set from the Norton Owners Club. It didn’t fit! If you look carefully at the attached image you may be able to brake out that the stub axle has been machined incorrectly and it wouldn’t allow the Circlip to seat correctly. I ended up just refitting the old one, fortunately it was in good condition.

There is a difference between the stub axle for the '68-'70 Commando with bolt up hub and the later '71-'74 stub axle with cush drive.

gortnipper · Jul 27, 2020

I had an issue on mine where the lip of the circlip retaining groove was fouling the bearing when i was trying to remove it.

gortnipper said:
I pulled the bearings from my wheel hubs today, and also the one from the rear drum.

I had tried to pull that one a while ago but the kids were asleep and I couldnt pound on it too much. So today I heated it up and gave the stub some good thwacks with my 2# dead blow mallet.Nothing, again.

So, I heated it some more and tried using my bearing puller. Still nothing, But I also noticed it was moving back and forth ~1mm with each slide of the hammer weight. So, I looked a bit closer and I noticed that the retaining groove where the circlip goes was fouling the bearing and keeping it in. I could move the bearing back and forth by hand, but it wouldn't come out.

The whole reason I was going to pull it was to replace the orginal bearings, and install a madass single piece axle. So, I wanted it out.

I also noticed a fracture in the retaining lip, in the red box.

So, I used my dremel on the lip until i had removed enough for the bearing to come out.

Is this thing toast? or can i massage that break and will it be ok?

I have no idea how that lip could have become larger than when the original bearings were installed. I have never been in there.

Any ideas?

joe czech · Jul 28, 2020

gortnipper said:
I had an issue on mine where the lip of the circlip retaining groove was fouling the bearing when i was trying to remove it.

not sure if i'm understanding this, but I would think it's OK - the area in question looks to be outside the surface where the bearing sits, and above the circlip groove, so i'm guessing it's OK. not sure how the madass system is configured though. the area in question is normally where the felt seal and retainer sits. keep the damaged area to a minimum, smooth and blend it in to the surrounding metal without sharp edges.