# Spindle bearing replacement - SX3



## Joel779 (Sep 25, 2011)

I am working on upgrading the bearings on my SX3 and have come against a problem I'm hoping someone can help with. The taper bearing upper race on the lower end of the quill appears to be seated in a pocket where I cannot apply force to remove it. Has anyone here gone down this path? I am willing to purchase some tools if needed, but don't know where to start. 

Maybe I am getting in over my head, since I have a number of questions on the best way to complete this job, but I want to realize at least 3000 rpm and would be happier with 6000 rpm from the spindle.  Any guidance on this project would be greatly appreciated.  

I have the bearings on order and am going to be using the Kluber lube.


Regards.


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## firebird (Sep 25, 2011)

Hi Joel

Go to this web site, Arceurotrade, they have a downloadable book that covers that X3

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Milling-Machines/Model-Super-X3-Mill

Cheers

Rich


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## Tin Falcon (Sep 25, 2011)

LMS sells replacement spindles for the x-2 aka r8 conversion they have a special tool kit that they "Rent" b(buy it then return it for a partial refund. I would suspect replacing bearings on a x-3 would be a similar deal. you nead some specilal tools to Press the bearings on and off. 





http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=2287&category=

Tin


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## 90LX_Notch (Sep 25, 2011)

Joel-

You should be able to make your own driver. They are nothing more then Aluminum disks. One side is flat for driving seals; the other side is tapered for driving races.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM5781608201P?prdNo=19&blockNo=19&blockType=G19


Post up some pictures of the where the race is located and what the access to it looks like. That will allow us to give better advise.

-Bob


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## Joel779 (Sep 25, 2011)

Thanks all for the GREAT responses.

firebird, thanks, I have read through this one a couple times, the SX3 and X3 spindles are a bit different so I'm not sure if his methods would work directly with the SX3. He does mention a 'blind bearing driver' which sounded interesting.

I like the LMS kit, that may fit the bill.  Still not sure about my situation.  If the oil seal ring is larger than the ID of the bearing race, I could use that to pull it out.  just seems 'not the right way'.  Wish there were more 'photo guides' for noobs like myself.


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## tattoomike68 (Sep 25, 2011)

Weld a bead around the race, let cool and it will fall out.


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## 90LX_Notch (Sep 25, 2011)

If the metal part of the seal is seated against a shoulder in the bore at the bottom of the picture, then you have to drive the seal and the race out together towards the top of the picture. If the seal can be driven out the bottom of the picture, then the race is driven out the opposite way towards the top of the picture once the seal is removed.

With my BenchMaster mill, the seal and bearing had to driven together.


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## Joel779 (Sep 26, 2011)

Thanks again for the feedback...  I decided to take a chance and push it out from the bottom, starting with the oil seal and see what happens.

Went pretty well, seal pushed out and engaged the bearing race. Got it about 3/4 of the way up and started to drive under/through the race. had enough room to use the drift bar (flat AL bar) on the race its self. Ended up with everything out. The oil seal thingy has some serious gouge marks where it went into the race.  I will look and see if Grizzly can supply a replacement. Doesn't look to be a critical item, I will clean up the gouge marks and just press it back into place. 

Took measurements:

OD of oil seal:  1.890
ID of bearing race: 1.865

I'm not sure if there was any tooling that could have worked in this case that would have allowed the bearing to be pushed out without using the seal ring as the forcer.


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## lordedmond (Sep 26, 2011)

On arc euro site they do a spindle rebuild service

in the splurge they mention doing a mod to make getting it apart easier in the future , from your pic. I would guess that they put a shallow grove behind the bottom outer race to enable a blind bearing puller to get a grip 


Stuart


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## velocette (Oct 1, 2011)

Hi Joel 
Here is a Brutal approach to removing the outer race of a taper roller bearing but it works 

Make a thin Steel disc 4 to 6 mm to fit into the taper to sit snug in the smaller diameter of the taper 

Grab an "Electric Welder" and weld the disc to the bearing race two or three welds about 40-50mm long

And cool it with water "fine Spray please". It will have shrunk the outer race 

Bash it out with a drift from the opposite side 

It works every time 

Be very careful where you put your earth clamp Tack weld a tag to the Steel disc is the safest


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