# What is wrong with my DIY bearing press



## monkies (Jun 10, 2007)

Was trying to press in some bearings on my hub, and built the homemade bearing press here...








I have a socket i put on the top end against the bearing, and tighten the nut on the top with that thick spacer pushing against the socket. But the bearing doesn't go in straight! Even with those thick square spacers. I removed the thin warped round spacers (nut directly on square spacer) but it still goes in uneven.

Any suggestions or ideas what I'm messing up?


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## customfab (Jun 8, 2008)

The challenge with home made jobs like this is that there's so much slop between everything which makes it a challenge to get the press square to begin with. If that press shaft isn't running concentrically it will be hard to get the bearing to start squarely. Personally I'd rather put bearings in with a socket and a hammer than use a press like that, but that's just me.


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## xjcrawlr (Jun 19, 2007)

You really need a bolt or all-thread as close to the diameter of the bearing as possible to eliminate flexing or moving away from center. 

Professional presses use conical spacers that center the bearing for this same purpose.


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## tjchad (Aug 15, 2009)

zfgnz gbv


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## Bhaalgorn (Jul 16, 2015)

As mentioned, the issue with using bolts is keeping the bolts properly centered on your spindle.


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## GuzziBen (May 18, 2015)

Using a socket as a non-bearing spacer that fits the ID of one bearing can help the centering issue. I bought a bearing driver kit for the stepped arbors and use long bolts as the driver.


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