[GMF]

I've had the pretty good fortune of helping a guy run a bike tour company down here in Ecuador, and recently tuned up an old Specialized Stumpjumper, kitted out with full XC-Pro. As you can imagine, it is pretty well used, but everything works well except the rear hub (thread on style) and BB. Can't do much about the latter, but i was hoping to replace the cartridge bearings in the rear hub. Unfortunately, they seem pretty well siezed in there.
I tried banging on the inner axle (the spacer between the two bearings), but couldn't get either side to move. Admittedly, i didn't whack the crap out of it for fear of damaging the hub.
Do you retro sages have any advice on soaks, treatments, etc., on how to pop out the original bearings, keeping in mind fancy tools are not readily available?

Thanks,
-Damon

 

[shiggy]

If I remember correctly you remove the axle and then use a punch and hammer to tap the bearings out. No fancy tools needed.

 

[GMF]

If I remember correctly you remove the axle and then use a punch and hammer to tap the bearings out. No fancy tools needed.

Yeah, the idea is pretty simple, but when you have 20 years of stuff siezing together, things don't just "pop out". Is it just a matter of whacking harder (but the spacer between the bearings is pretty soft aluminum), or would some solvent work well? The thing is, i kind of need to make sure it will work before i potentially take this guys bike out of commission. Bearings he can afford, a new wheel... not so much.