Cota 348 front wheel bearing removal

[oldgit]

I've just put new shoes on my front wheel and had planned to swap the bearings too. However, removing the old ones seems a little tricky as there appears to be a full width sleeve fitted between the existing bearings and the wheel spindle. Am I right in what I see? And, if so, are there any easy ways for removal other than drifting the sleeve all the way through using gentle application of a lump hammer? Apologies if t.his has been asked before but I've done a search and nothing comes up

TIA

[cleanorbust]

Should be able to insert a rod or tube (I use an old socket extension rod) through one bearing and the spacer to (just) engage with the inner lip of the bearing on the other side, then drift it out by hammering on your tube. Spacer will then fall out and you can easily get to the the remaining bearing.

[turbofurball]

I use a big flathead hammer-through screwdriver, through the hub to the tiny bit of a lip of the inside race (I find a socket extension isn't "sharp" enough to catch for me).  Tap around in a circle to slowly coax it out.  I used to have a (cheap chinese) bearing puller that just popped them out, but some so-and-so pinched it from my old place of work and I've just been making do since then.  That was 5 years ago now and I'm still annoyed.

[feetupfun]

Warm the aluminium with a hot air gun and the bearings will emerge with much less persuasion

[oldgit]

Thanks, all, for the replies so far. However, it does seem as though mine is from a different install (1979 model) which appears to have a full width sleeve between the bearing inner and the spindle so that it's not possible to access the inner lip. I'm pretty sure that it will only need a few small knocks with an appropriately sized socket and it will loosen and pass through. But thought it was worth checking anyway. Looks like it's a standard fitting, though, as the bearings from InMotion are the exact size and the spindle a snug fit on the sleeve. But haven't seen the sleeve on any parts guides.

[oldgit]

And… ten minutes and a few sharp knocks with a hammer and 12mm socket later, here we are. Hopefully, with a bit of a cleanup, will all go together snugly. Thanks, again, all.

Edited March 30, 2023 by oldgit

[turbofurball]

Yeah, that doesn't look familiar to me, though I changed the bearings on my '82 349 quite a long time ago now (also it has homemade spacers on the outside due to a triple clamp change, so anythings possible)

[feetupfun]

Having a stepped spacer like that makes it super easy to push the old bearings out compared with a spacer that has the same ID as the bearings

[lemur]

Threaded rod, large socket, couple of nuts 👍 so easy, the sleeve part is cut out of a spent CO2 canister like they use in paint ball or pellet guns.  Use the same tool to insert the new bearings, no hammer and no heat is required because you can pull the bearing straight in or out.