A fellow mechanic and I used to say, “Fire is our friend” when we were stymied making repairs. We were generally referring to how the judicious use of an acetylene torch can speed removal of frozen bearings, seized hubs and other stubborn metal components.
(Rumors that we were suggesting setting the entire machine on fire are, for the most part, untrue.)
An acetylene torch is an old-school way to make metal parts more amenable. Torches are fire-hazards and messy, but effective.
Welders are sometimes an option to provide heat. It is common practice to remove a bearing race inside a housing by welding a bead around the inner surface of the race. The extreme expansion/contraction of welding often results in the race literally falling out of the housing.
A newer, cleaner, less dangerous way to remove frozen bearings and frozen nuts or bolts is with an Induction Heater. Induction heaters are devices that use electricity to heat a special high-resistance wire till it’s red hot. If that wire is wrapped around a frozen bolt, nut, shaft or bearing, the red-hot wire quickly heats ONLY what the wrapped wire touches, greatly reducing the risk of fire and damage to nearby components.
Google “induction heater tool” for photos and a better description of the various devices now on the market. They’re not cheap—from $200 to $500—but once you’ve got one it’s amazing the uses you’ll find for it.
