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OPERATING STRATEGIES
Incorporating Hydraulics to Properly
Mount and Dismount Bearings
By Greg Hewitt
Properly installing large bore roller bearings is essential in achiev-
ing the maximum life of a mounted bearing. It is estimated that
the second most common cause of failure of large bore bearings is
improper mounting techniques. Failure can come in the form of
shaft attachment loss, excess vibration, and elevated bearing tem-
peratures. Following proper mounting techniques will ensure that
the bearing is mounted correctly and that the maximum life of the
bearing will be realized.
There are many different methods of mounting large bore bear-
ings. Common methods include manual assembly, heat shrink,
jack screws, oil injection and hydraulics. The most common is the
manual method incorporating the use of a hammer and drift, or
spanner wrench.
The manual approach involves a bearing, plus a sleeve, nut and
washer. The adapter sleeve would be slid over the shaft, and the
bearing over the adapter sleeve. The nut would be screwed onto
the adapter sleeve, which then forces the bearing up the tapered
OD of the sleeve. The movement of the bearing up the tapered OD
of the sleeve would in turn reduce the clearance in the bearing and
therefore provide a press fit to the shaft.
Shim stock is used during this mounting process to measure
the amount of radial clearance removed from the bearing, The
shim stock is inserted between the roller and outer ring to deter-
mine the clearance reduction. When using this method, the user
tightens the nut, checks the clearance reduction, continues to
tighten the nut, and continues to measure the clearance reduction
until the proper amount of clearance has been removed. This
method has always been suspect as human error influences the
measured values, It's also very time consuming, requires extreme
physical effort, involves potential safety hazards, and in the end
leads to a questionably mounted bearing.
A solution to this problem is to use hydraulics to mount the bear-
ing. The use of hydraulics dramatically decreases mounting time,
eliminates much of the manual effort required, reduces the poten-
tial for injuries and ensures a proper press fit between the shaft,
adapter and bearing. When mounting a bearing using hydraulics,
Dodge Hydraulicay Assisted ISAF Bearing.
72 E&MJ JULY/AUGUST 2009
the standard nut is
temporarily replaced
with a hydraulic nut Hydraulic Mounl Nul
(Figure 1).
The hydraulic
Removable Hyd. Fining
nut consists of two
pieces; the nut and
a piston. In this sce-
nario the hydraulic
nut is screwed onto
the tapered adapter
sleeve. Fluid is then
pumped into the nut
causing the piston to
extend. The piston
comes into contact
with the bearing
inner ring and push-
es it up the tapered Figure 1: When mounting a bearing using hydraulics,
adapter sleeve to the the standard nut is temporarily replaced with a
starting position. hydraulic nut.
The starting position
is considered the point at which the clearance between the shaft,
adapter sleeve, and bearing bore has been reduced to zero and the
bearing is snug to the shaft.
The next step is to place a measuring device onto the bearing
inner ring or face of the piston to measure axial displacement. The
measuring device can be as simple as a magnetic base indicator
or a displacement gauge. Continuing to supply hydraulic pressure
to the nut will further displace the piston until the final position is
obtained. At this point the hydraulic nut would be removed and
replaced by the standard nut. The starting position pressure and
the required final displacement values are supplied by the
hydraulic nut supplier and the bearing manufacturer. Applying
hydraulic pressure to set the bearing, and measure axial movement
of the bearing to remove the required clearance, replaces the use
of shim stock and therefore provides for a consistently and prop-
erly mounted bearing.
Dismounting the bearing can also be a very tedious and time
consuming process, especially if the bearing was mounted without
a predetermined method to dismount the bearing. There are sev-
eral methods of removing beanngs, including a manual method,
the use of oil injection, or a hydraulic dismount nut.
Manually dismounting the bearing usually consists of torching
the bearing from the shaft, which destroys the bearing and can
damage the shaft. This is a very time consuming and costly
method, especially if the bearing had not failed but just needed to
be repositioned.
The use of oil injection requires that the shaft, or a special
adapter sleeve, contain a hydraulic port plus blind circumferential
grooves that allows hydraulic fluid to be pumped in between the
bearing ID and the shaft or adapter OD. While this method will not
cause damage to the bearing or the shaft, the hydraulic oil that filled
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OPERATING STRATEGIES

the grooves
spills out when

Only one reel

the bearing sud-
denly becomes
d ismounted.
Hydraulic Port However,
biggest disad-
the
yields rock
Shaft W/Oil Injection Grooves
vantage to this
method is the
high cost of the
solid results.
specially
machined adap-
ter sleeve or
shaft (Figure 2).
/
Recognizing
the benefits of
incorporating
hydraulics to
mount and dis-
mount bearings,
Figure 2; The use of oil injection requires ttiat the shaft, or a
special adapter sleeve, contain circumferential grooves that mounted bear- For safety underground and above, you need
allows hydraulic fluid to be pumped in between the bearing ing manufactur- equipment you can count on. Tough, durable, and
ID and the shaft or adapter OD, ers are now sup- dependable, a Hannay Reel is your perfect partner.
plying products
that include preassembled hydraulic mount and dismount nuts Rugged construction handles the toughest jobs
(Figure 3). Portability and ease of use ensure productivity
Unlike conventional hydraulic nuts which are separated from
Multiple applications from lubrication and
the bearings after assembly, the hydraulic nuts used in these new
washdown, welding to power tools, hydraulics,
products are an integral part of the bearing assembly and stay with fueiing. and iighting
the bearing for the entirety of its life. The use of the hydraulic dis-
mount nut will remove the bearing from the shaft quickly and eas- Hannay Reeis deliver confidence by standing up
ily, without damage to either. Basically a hydraulic dismount nut to the most demanding jobs and providing lifetime
functions in the same manner as a hydraulic mount nut. Hydraulic value - proving that you can't buy a better reel.
To find yours, go to http://go.hannay.com/M3
fluid is supplied through the nut and to the piston, which causes
the piston to extend and come into contact with the inner ring.
Increasing the hydraulic pressure will force the bearing down the
tapered adapter sleeve until the bearing is dismounted.
Correctly mounting large bore roller bearings is a critical step to
achieving optimum bearing performance and maximum bearing
life. By selecting a bearing with a hydraulic system already built in
-I
the product, you will reduce mounting and dismounting time,
eliminate bearing and shaft damage, and most importantly, end up
with a properly mounted bearing.

Figure 3; Recognizing ttie benefits of incorporating hydraulics to mount and dis-

mount bearings, mounted bearing manufacturers are now supplying products that
include hydraulic mount and dismount nuts.

Hewitt is a Dodge bearing development engineer for Baldor

Electric Co. kf.hannay.com 877-467-3357

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