1952 A10 Plungers and wheel bearings

[fj12jagman]

Still assessing before rebuild -
Next issue- the plungers . Took ages to separate them due to corrosion, all springs badly rusted and probably not safe to use; all shrouds badly corroded and holed, shafts similar. I got a local machine shop to make new shafts then saw how much it costs to replace all 8 shrouds  never mind the springs. Has anyone found servicable used parts, strikes me that they are all going to be much the same?

Had a go at the front wheel bearings the other day (you can tell I'm potterring at this, grab an hour when i can, probably need a proper plan to be effective but i enjoy it) I struggled to find a drift with the length and angle to strike the midgies whisker of bearing accessible. Despite some good solid hits and heat from a blow torch i can't move either bearing. Any ideas?

[BSA_54A10]

Costs are relative.
You need to look at things with a different perspective.
A set of new stainless cups are around $ 300.
The bike is 58 years old.
$ 300 / 58 = $ 5.70 per year or 10¢ per week

Or if you ride the bike for another 10 years, 1 day per month = 120 rides which = $2.50 per ride, cost of a cheap coffee.

C & D can do all the bits you need in a reasonable quality repo and the whole rear end will cost about $ 450
Again if you do 120 rides then you looking at $ 3.75 a ride, cost of a slightly better coffee.

Buy a new HD for $ 30,000 and ride it every weekend for the next 10 years and it will cost you $29 per ride
Or use it the same amount as your Beesa and it is $ 250 per ride which is why the papers are full of used low mileage HD's.

[muskrat]

I love your thinking Trevor. It might work with the cook.
Cheers

[BSA_54A10]

Yeah Muskie blokes never seem to get their heads around the fact that we have a finite riding life.
And that although a bike was made in 1901 you still have to pay 2010 prices for the parts.

Now back to the problem at hand.

To drift out the bearings go and buy a cheap cold chisel.
Cut a corner out of it so that the shoulder of the cut out in the chisel now rests on the tiny bit of exposed bearing and whack away.
Other method that works really well is to heat up the entire hub, get it nice and hot ( boils spit type hot ) then squirt the bearing with some liquid freeze ( you get it from electrical hobbie stores ) and usually it will drop straight out.

If you have access to a TIG welder, weld a bar onto the bearing and pull it out

[RoadRunner]

Hi,
I removed my front wheel bearings with a metal drift about 3/4" diameter and 7" long with the end peaned so it has a slight lip all round one end - that was just enough to make contact with the edge of the bearing whilst the drift rested against the opposite side at the top of the hub. It took some time going round the edge of the bearing hitting one side then the opposite. Worked for me - might help. 
Good luck & patience.

RR

[shabashow]

Keep an eye on e-bay for plungers. I got a complete set - chrome and painted shrouds, springs, shafts and the bit the axle goes through for £45 about 5 years ago.
Maybe no one else was in a buying mood that day!

[fj12jagman]

Many thanks, some good ideas and interesting logic. Will let you know what i do.