Nose-wheel main bearing race replacement

Fabricating a race removal/installation tool 

I will admit to flying a lot more than blogging lately, but I think most of you might understand (if not condone) this temporary absence.

"I hate to admit it, but this is a lot more fun than building!"

But let’s get back into the thick of things with a new maintenance item. Perhaps due to the increased flying tempo, I recently discovered another nose-wheel race experiencing galling symptoms. Because I had never checked it before, it's hard to tell how long this issue has been present.

Nose wheel halves, new bearings/races (left), old bearings (right).

Right wheel half with damaged steel race

Unfortunately Terry (JT's builder and my honorary father in law) did not remember the type of wheel he installed in the nose, except that he bought it from a guy with a Cozy who was upgrading his own nose-wheel to something bigger. 

Not a lot of info to go on, but a starting datapoint nevertheless.

Trying to identify this wheel

Armed with this bit of info and a couple of pictures, I was able to identify it as a Grove 49-3A. After a couple of emails to Grove, I had the bearings info… Timken LM11949 and LM11910.

http://www.groveaircraft.com/49-3adwg.html

Grove sold the bearing/race combo for roughly $20 a set, a bit pricey but better than the $40 per set from Aircraft Spruce. With a little more research, I found them new online (off brand) for $6 per set, so I purchased two and the whole repair job cost me a mere $12, shipping included.

These things are "a dime a dozen" on eBay

You might remember from the last time I did this type of job, that I ended up fabricating a tool for this purpose. Unfortunately, because of the smaller size of the nose-wheel, a new tool had to be made once again to remove and install the bearing race. Interestingly, I ended up harvesting another part of the same welding practice piece as I did previously in order to make this new tool. 

Here are some photos from the process…

Found something with the perfect diameter

Repurposing my welding practice piece

This tool doesn't have to be super precise, but it does have to be square.

Facing (squaring) both sides of the new tool-to-be

Using tool to press out the old race

Nose-wheel half with race removed

Removal tool and removed damaged race

The old race will make the perfect installation tool

Welding the race to the removal tool

Installation/removal tool nearly finished cooling down

Facing (squaring the end) and turning (reducing OD) the installation side of the tool

Finished tool staged for race removal.

Finished tool staged for race installation.

Close up of the new nose-wheel race removal/installation tool

Tool clear coated and labeled for future use.

Pressing out race #2

Wheel halves without bearing races

New race about to be pressed in

Pressing the steel race into the aluminum nose wheel-half

Steel race seated into nose-wheel bore

Both nose wheel halves with races installed

Greasing the bearings

Bearings added

End covers installed, ready to add tube and tire.

New slick tire and tube mounted on the nose-wheel

Nose-wheel installed and ready to go.

All is left to do now is  go for a test flight.

I know... but someone's got to do it! 😉