582 needle bearing tool

[BryceKat 125]

I'm doing a de carbon on my 582 and am trying to figure out how to deal with all those needle bearings without buyingj the $500 removal tool. Any suggestions? Thanks, Bryce

[EDMO 1078]

Bryce,

Are you wanting to replace / scrap them? I have removed hundreds using a dremel grinder and punch. We also torched the race on some of them, but you don't want to do that with them pressed in aluminum.

EDMO

[1avidflyer 1983]

Ed, the needle bearings in a 582 are cageless, and will fall all over the place if you push out the wristpin without something to keep them in place. Bryce, when I did a decarbon, I left the pistons in place, and stuffed rags down around under them so no junk would get into the crankcase. If a person had a cylinder the diameter of the wristpin, and as wide as the connecting rod, and you pushed it in to force the wristpin out, just as the wristpin went past the connecting rod, that cylinder should hold the bearings in the connecting rod till you put it back togeather maybe.... Jim Chuk

[EDMO 1078]

Jim,

You could also use a solid short rod to hold the needles in place. My method was used to replace the bearings. Ours were set against a steel shoulder and we could not drive them out without first weakening the cage by grinding almost thru it, or heating it and then letting it cool and shrink.

EDMO

Edited 27 Feb 2015 by Ed In Missouri

[thebriman 69]

This is what I use:  3/4" inch foam backer rod, like what you place in a crack before caulking.  You place it in the connecting rod journal, place the 31 needle bearings around it in between the connecting rod journal and the backer rod, place the thrust washers on either side of the bearings ( you made the backer rod piece long enough to hold a thrust washer on either side of the connecting rod, lower the piston into position and push the wrist pin into place.  As you push the wrist pin into place, the backer rod will be forced out the other side.  You can even install the backside circlip in the piston first as the backer rod will scrunch down and pass through it.  once the wrist pin is in place install the last circlip and viola you're done.  

In fact you need about 2 inches of backer rod.  If you PM me your mailing address ill send you a foot and you should be set for a while.  If you want to buy your own, its in the masonry section of your home improvement store.  
 

[tx_swordguy 20]

if it is not too much trouble to pull the whole motor out you can flip it upside down on a work bench. then when you push the wrist pin out the needles fall into the upside down piston. Its a little more work but better than the possibility of dropping one into the open engine. I have also done it with taped plastic over the open engine casing and hope I don't lose any needles. I was MUCH less nervous doing it with the engine upside down though.

Mark

[BryceKat 125]

Thanks Guys! That's all helpful info! 2 more questions. Do the needles need to come out to be cleaned? Did you find carbon on the underside/inside of the piston? Briman, thanks for the offer-I drive past one of the best little mom and pop hardware stores and am always looking for an excuse to patronize them and keep their doors open, I'll get some there. However, I noticed that your down in the ATL area, if you get up to Nashville holler at me, I'm in Franklin. Mark that's a great point! The engine is on the bench. I think I'll tip it up on its side like you said so the if I have any runaway needles, they fall in the piston. Y'all Rockâ—Bryce

[thebriman 69]

Sounds good Bryce, may give me an excuse to fly somewhere else.  The closest to your neck of the woods I've flown is Baker Airport in Hohenwald a few years back.  And as far as the needles go, a soak in cleaner wouldn't hurt although they wont really be dirty, oil them as you reinstall them.  Yes you will find carbon built up on the underside of the piston, at least I did. 

[EDMO 1078]

If you get around Lawrenceburg, in Lawrence County, TN, it has a nice concrete country strip - my Cousin was running a shop there some years ago covering some WW1 replica birds. Fleeman was his last name.

EDMO

[tx_swordguy 20]

I would HIGHLY suggest you look up engine rebuild or decarbon on rotax 503 or 582 (essentially the same general way of doing it, just on different engines). Lots of good info if you look. To reinstall the needle bearings you need to get some white engine assembly lube. It is a heavy grease to hold the needles and acts like a glue of sorts. I made an aluminum plug the size of the wrist pin but only long enough to support the needles and spacers. As the plug gets pushed out by the wrist pin the needles should stay in place. That way the needles have plenty of lube at start up and until you can get some two stroke mix down into the wrist pin area. Make sure you count the number of needles (31 if I am not mistaken) a mistake here will trash an engine quick. Just be careful and go slow and you should be fine.

Mark

ps best info on 582 I have found. http://www.aerofixaviation.co.uk/rotax-582-strip-service-rebuild.shtml    

Edited 2 Mar 2015 by tx_swordguy

[BryceKat 125]

Thanks Mark, that is great!

[Dusty 126]

Don't reuse the clips,these can fail and make a real mess of your bore!