welding on suspension rails

[elf]

I decided to pull the suspension out of my old RMK and go thru it today and came across a couple issues. Going to replace idler bearings and slides after 6800 miles but the bigger issue is on one of my rails there is a crack from the top down to the bolt hole for an idler wheel, about 3/8" long, and on both rails where the front shock mounts the holes on both rails are egged out badly. Would I have any luck if I welded up the crack and then filled the holes with weld and redrilled?

Also, next question, going to replace the bearings on the drive shaft. How do I get the bearing off the shaft? just use a puller?


Thanks.

 

[indy_500]

I've been in your situation many times. For the vertical crack running down into the bolt hole, I would grind a small valley with a die grinder along the crack, and have it welded the entire length of the crack. Then, grind the weld flush with the rest of the rail. Take some steel flat stock, and sandwich the rail with it, drill holes at the end of the "custom brace" and bolt it onto the rail. I had a crack on my 144 switchback probably in the exact same spot you have, and I couldn't run wheels in that location any longer. I've also had many holes egg out where I welded them and redrilled it. My advice on that, is try to take some decent measurements before you weld it up so you know where to drill. Make sure to weld the hole complete, otherwise the drill bit will be fighting a hole when you try to re-drill. In all reality you can probably place those holes at a tolerance of +/- 1/16" and still get away with it so don't fret too much on hole locations.

As far as the bearings go, you will have to pull the shaft out (I.E. remove skid, disassemble chaincase, and pull the shaft/track). Once out you will have to have the bearing pressed off of the shaft. You might be able to get it off with a socket/hammer, which I have in the past but a press makes life much easier.

 

[elf]

I've got the driveshaft out but not sure how I could use a press to remove the bearing. I can see using a press to put it back on. Not sure how I could get anything substantial behind the bearing the press it off.

 

[indy_500]

I've got the driveshaft out but not sure how I could use a press to remove the bearing. I can see using a press to put it back on. Not sure how I could get anything substantial behind the bearing the press it off.

Block around the bearing, and press the shaft out of it. Think of it as pressing the shaft out of the bearing, not the bearing off of the shaft.

 

[elf]

Block around the bearing, and press the shaft out of it. Think of it as pressing the shaft out of the bearing, not the bearing off of the shaft.

I understand the thought process of it but theres maybe 1/4" of clearance behind the bearing to block around. I grabbed a pulley puller from work today and will try that tonight. If I can't make that work I may just cut the bearing off.

 

[frosty]

If you have an old deep wheel socket approximately the same size, cut it in half, tape it around the shaft and press it out.

 

[frosty]

You can reweld it, I would use 5356 to reweld it. Groove it out like Indy said, but clean it with a new stainless steel brush, otherwise a used wire brush used on steel will containment weld. Done this many times in the past and they never came back but thats not to say they sold the sleds. lol

 

[elf]

I did get the bearing off using a puller. I understand what people are saying about getting something behind it to use to push it off but there's only 1/4" of space behind the bearing thats accessible before the drive shaft widens out into that hydroformed tube. The old style driveshafts that stay the same diameter would be easy.

Rails are being welded up today and all the suspension parts are being blasted and repainted today. It'll look like a whole new skid when i put it back together (if I can remember how)

 

[catshed]

If you could come up with a bearing spliter the right size then you could press it off but it sounds like to me just cut off done it many times then press new on.

- - - Updated - - -

well never mind must have been typing at same time

 

[elf]

If you could come up with a bearing spliter the right size then you could press it off but it sounds like to me just cut off done it many times then press new on.

- - - Updated - - -

well never mind must have been typing at same time

I gave alot of thought to cutting it off. If the puller hadn't worked, the grinder was coming out!

 

[sweeperguy]

I did get the bearing off using a puller. I understand what people are saying about getting something behind it to use to push it off but there's only 1/4" of space behind the bearing thats accessible before the drive shaft widens out into that hydroformed tube. The old style driveshafts that stay the same diameter would be easy.

Rails are being welded up today and all the suspension parts are being blasted and repainted today. It'll look like a whole new skid when i put it back together (if I can remember how)

A little late for you now, but I've learned over the years the more pictures the better before and during disassembly. Sure is much easier now with digital cameras and phones that have cameras.

 

[elf]

A little late for you now, but I've learned over the years the more pictures the better before and during disassembly. Sure is much easier now with digital cameras and phones that have cameras.

I took a bunch of pictures. And there truly isn't a lot of difference between that suspension, a 2010, and my 2014 or 2016 so I can back one out of the trailer to look at!