How best to remove Blade Grip Bearings?

[chrisleematt21]

What is the best / safest way to remove the blade grip bearings from a Trex 600?

Is is baking them in the oven at 250C for half an hour?

Force them out with a screw driver?

Is there a proper tool for the job?

I would like to keep the Blade grips in perfect condition and use them again.

The bearings I'm not too bothered about.

[waveydavey]

You should be able to tease them out from behind with a flat blade screwdriver. Go from one side to the other and you should feel a little movement each time you push. If they won't move you could try warming them with a hot air gun, I wouldn't put them in the oven though.

[Varelco]

The last time I had to do I heated the grip upto about 180degC, this allowed the loctite to soften/melt then I bludgeoned them out with a pin punch, this obviously destroyed the bearing but the grip was fine, its just a pain getting of any loctite left in the grip. Apology's if I'm teaching you to suck eggs here but the bearings will only come out in one direction, you can't push both out the same side.

[jimmyhorns]

250C is way too high IMO.

You can generally loosen the loctite / differentially change dimentions of the pieces at about 120C.

I generally use a screwdriver, or one of the hex drivers from the opposite side of the grip to push them out, and without heating. If they are properly stuck then its probably worth checking that a crash hasnt distorted the blade grip casing, as if it has it will need replacing as new bearings will not fit and work correctly.

[chrisleematt21]

Well I got them out, doesn't look like I locktighted them though.

Why should you lock tight the blade grip bearings out of curiosity its not as if they can go anywhere?

[scallybert]

Well I got them out, doesn't look like I locktighted them though.

Why should you lock tight the blade grip bearings out of curiosity its not as if they can go anywhere?

If the bearing spins or moves, the clearance will increase and the grip will get damaged.

I guess that if the bearing is a good fit in the first place, there's no need; but it may be useful if the fit is marginal.