end bearing replacement on 55 N.H. hay rake

I posted down on the implement ally forum but didn't get the answer I was looking for. I bought a New Holland 55 hay rake that the bearings went bad on 1 bar and the bar came off the bearings. I bought new ones but need to know how the (I'm calling it a dust cap) comes off the bar. Does it unscrew or is it just knocked off. I know there is a snap ring that I need to remove but I believe that dust cover has to come off to get the outer bearing race out. Question is about the dust cap. I know how the complete bar goes back on. Keith

I am not sure what your calling a dust cap. I am assuming that you just doing the bar bearings. You have the nut and lock washer. Then you have what NH calls a dust cap. It is basically a washer with a lip, that fits around the head of the bar bearing holder. Then you have the snap ring and then the bearing.

I am sure you have the nut and lock washer off. Then the Dust cap just pops off the stud. Then take the snap ring out of the housing. Often this snap ring is chewed up by the worn out bearing. I usually replace them. The majority of the time the stud part of the bearing is already out of the bearing hold as the balls fall out allowing the stud to come out. So your left with the outer race stuck in a blind hole. Since I have a wire feed weld I usually turn it down and run a bead around the inside of the bearing race. When it cools it will shrink the bearing race. You can usually pop them out with your fingers then. Small pry bar maybe. Now if you do not have a welder then getting them out is more of a challenge. Sometimes you can put the bar bearing holder in a vise and then use a small pry bar to work the race out of the holder. I have had to grind the race until I could break it to get it out in pieces. They can be tough to get out. You have to be careful as the bearing holder is easy to break since it is cast.

Go to New Holland's parts site. It is easy to look at a parts diagram to see how it goes together. If you have trouble finding it just to Mesick's site and use their links to the part site.

Thanks JD, that's what I needed to find out. On Messicks sit it's called a dust cap and fits over the end of the bar. I do have welders in my shop as well as die grinders to remove the bearing race. The rest is just as you described and apparently came out of the bar. The snap rings look pretty good but I have an assortment of new ones so a new one will be put on when it goes back together. Keith

Might i suggest while its apart drill and tap a hole for a grease fitting? I did that to my 55.every fall at end of season id remove the plugs i installed and screw grease fitting in.fill each bearing with a good grease like mystic red hi temperature grease. My rake was old but still tight on those bars.reason i plugged holes i baled lots of hay wheat and vetch at first i had grease fittings.200 feet into wheat and vetch i was plugged up