Fitting Nadella bearing

[Rondo]

Any advice on inserting Nadella bearings? Could press them but then need to make a pressing tool and will be pressing on the bearing surface. Tapping the outside looks dangerous as it's pretty thin. Heating the A Arms perhaps, then slip fit? Car is a 85FF Reynard.

Thanks as always for the advice

[Steve Demeter]

I always carefully tapped them in with a hammer and a block of wood.

That way no chance of damaging the needles on the "washer"ortion.

Trick is to make darn sure that they are square going into the bore.

[Kevin Berry]

I have replaced Reynard rocker nadella bearings without a press. First off check the ID of the rocker, remove any mushroomed lip. Clean and lubricate the bore. If you replace them one at a time use a rod as a alignment guide. Well greased they should tap in easily with a rubber mallett. Cut a piece of steel rod ( the same diameter as the axle ) about six inches longer than the axle. Hand hold the rod up from the bottom and tap in with a rubber mallet from the top. Tap in the bearing and rod the rod will slip thru your gripped hand below . You will need another person to hold the rocker. Another method is to use hand grip clamps with the rubber ends, they come in longer lengths, you can borrow one from a carpenter or cabinet maker. Alignment is the biggest issue , so with this method cut a piece of steel rod ( the same diameter of the axle ) a touch smaller then the overall rocker length with the bearings in. Hold the rocker with the loose bearing on the bottom and the rod dropped down into it for alignment. for the rod to be long enough to stay in the upper bearing you will need a little plug , a third of the length of the bearing , of rod material inside the lower bearing to get it started. Tighten it up the length of the plug . Then remove the clamp , remove the plug , put the clamp back on and continue to tighten the clamp and it will pull the axle and the bearing the rest of the way up into the rocker bore. Sounds complicated but it is real easy KB

[ghoneycutt]

I freeze the bearing and heat the rocker