On Tue, 9 Aug 2011 18:50:49 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

I want to replace some wheel bearings on a traditional RWD
"live"axle. In the past I always took them to my local automotive
machine shop but the last time I noticed that the axle where the
beraing was removed was blue. On closer inspection it was apparent
that they had used a torch to cut off the axle (there was a trace of
melting into **into** the bearing surface on the axle - not good in
my opinion. SO I surfed the web and was able to remove the retainer
by drilling partway into and using a chisel. The general consensus
was to beat the splined axle end on a board on concrete, holding onto
the backing plate and the bearing would come loose from the impact.
No such luck. Next I added a bearing seperator for more impact mass.
Bearing still would not budge. I opened up my largest vise and set
the bearing seperator on the jaws and beat on the splined end of the
axle shafts w/ a 4 lb copper hammer. Would not budge. THen I got out
the torch with a brazing tip and heated the bearing (burned thru the
lip seal and applied heat to the bearing inner, then I beat on the
splined end w/ my copper hammer. Still no luck - now what? CUt off
wheel to remove the bearing outer and then try to cut into the bearing
inner w/o damaging the axle? Other ideas. I have a 30T A-frame
press - it is about 4 inches too short in height to be able to press
the bearing off.

Now you know why everybody just torches them out. You must have had a
guy that never ran a torch do it for you last time. its pretty easy to
get the bearing metal red, then just hit the O2 for a sec and blast it
out. This don't give time to let the adjoining metal get hot enough.

Karl