10 ton Trane blower bearing

[slahac]

I do mostly residential service, but I have a customer with a bad bearing in a large belt driven squirrel cage blower on a 10 ton Trane A/H. No grease fittings. The three leg spider that holds the bearings and supports the blower wheel shaft is welded to the blower housing, no bolts. Is it as difficult to change these bearings as it appears? If removing the entire squirrel cage assembly is the only option, it's going to be bad, as the A/H is installed in the attic. Can someone give me a blow by blow overview? Thanks!

[mrhvacmechanic]

Sounds like you have insert bearings?

You may be able to sand the shaft at each end and remove the old bearings.

If you place a model number some of the guys here can tell you if the blower housing can be pulled. Then work out side the unit enclosure.

[Riverguy553]

Iv done a few and they are very easy. My first impression was these are going to suck but after you get the set screws loose they slid right off.

[dandyme]

have had to split a piece of pipe, put around shaft behind bearing, wire tie to hold, gear puller to rip that bad boy off that shaft

easy if you got the room

sand shaft good

if bearing not seized to shaft, may be able to pull bearing by hand

[MUNC]

I agree with riverguy, i've done tons easy pezy after you've bled on one. take off partial panel oppisite pulley, sand shaft,remove sets and sand more. get that one off first then tackle pulley side. might have to break squirrel cage loose to slide shaft and bearing both out pulley side a little to get at bearing with a long jaw puller. reverse install and center shaft

[slahac]

Just wanted to say thanks, it a done deal. It took a while to clean the blower shaft and I used my fan puller to get it started. The set screw on the old bearing was fixed to the inner sleeve, the new bearing had a clever locking ring with the set screw in it. My customer is happy, I got paid, and I learned something new in the process. The advice here got me started, I asppreciate it.

[MUNC]

congrats, hopefully no blood