Title says it all really: I've taken off the drum and removed the bearing retainer rings, but how on earth do I drift the bearings out? There seems to be a spacer between the two bearings with exactly the same id as the bearings so I can't get behind the bearings to drift them out.
Help anyone please?

email (option): gj.owen@hotmail.co.uk

Remove locking ring, this has left hand thread may have a tiny split pin locking it. Now go to drive side and using a drift, (I use a piece of brass) against the sleeve that goes through the bearing. Drive the sleeve and bearing towards the non drive side. When out use the drift to drive the other bearing out towards the drive side. You can of cause do it the other way round. There is a large circlip behind the drive side bearing. The plunger hub has a different sleeve and no locking ring relying on the spacer between the bearing and the suspension unit to hold the bearing in place.

Sorry, I should have said, mine is a plunger model.

Anyway, I managed to drift the bearings out (thanks Ian) and once I had spooned out all the thick dirty grease and cleaned the bits up, find I've got a cylindrical spacer plus 2 star shaped washers with four legs which are a tight fit over the spacer. I assume the star retainers are to keep the spacer central when the spindle is withdrawn but how on earth do I refit them as they seem to be a very tight fit on the spacer and should (I assume) be fitted in the centre section of the hub up against the bearing retaining ridge?

Plus, I'm embarrassed to say, I rather mangled one of the star washers when removing it, I don't suppose anyone has a spare?

Gary.

email (option): gj.owen@hotmail.co.uk

Gary I didn't know that the star washers come off of the spacer. I bought a hub which is on my Shooting Star, that was a plunger hub. At the time I thought that they were all the same. I modified mine so as to use it. Somewhere in the depths of my garage I have the old spacer. The bad news is that I won't be back until Thursday, when I get back I will look for it

Thanks Ian, no rush, email me when you've found it and hopefully we can sort something out.

Gary.

email (option): gj.owen@hotmail.co.uk

Hi Gary..Your supposition is right...The 'star' shaped pieces don't come off the spacer and are there to keep it in a central position...

If the spacer assembly is tight in the hub just ease the outer edges with a file until it is a snug but not loose fit...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Thanks to Ian C I now have an undamaged spacer with the star washer type bits secure on each end. My only problem now is getting it to fit!

Inside each end of the hub is a machined ridge that the bearings sit up against and the star washers sit against the inside edge of. By introducing the spacer at an angle I've managed to get the first end of the spacer in and by moving it around the welded pins, managed to get it most of the way in. The thing is I can't see how the second star washer will get past the ridge as I can't angle the spacer to get it past. I'll try and get some pictures up but meanwhile has anyone got any tips on how to do this. Ian W has suggested I file the outer edge a bit but I can't honestly see how that will help as the washer would then be a sloppy fit when past the ridge.

Last time I saw a Chinese puzzle as tough as this it was in a Christmas cracker!

G.

email (option): gj.owen@hotmail.co.uk

Here are the pictures, any ideas?

email (option): gj.owen@hotmail.co.uk