Hi all thanks for all the info.
Bearing arrived today and I was surprised to see the pack has two Circlips. I had presumed once inserted the bearing would sit against a shoulder with a retaining circlip to hold it in.
Am I mistaken is there a circlip back and front of the bearing?
Also they really are the biggest circlips that I have seen. Any recommendations on heavy duty but reasonably inexpensive pliers to suit?
The Omega only uses one circlip, on the outside. But the bearing is used in other applications(4wd Calibra/Cavalier if I remember right) which will use one at each end.
As for the pliers, you will need large
and robust pliers to do the job. I have used
THIS SET to do the job on several Omegas. Do not try this with the ones that interchangeable tips - they're far too flimsy.
The circlip won't want to come out; clean all of it you can reach using a small wire brush in a Dremel, lightly tap the clip all the way round with a small punch, and make sure each end moves out of the groove using your new pliers. Then you put a small screwdriver or pick into the gap, and work your way around until it comes free. Try not to snap the clip, as that makes removing the rest a lot trickier. You don't need me to mention cleaning the groove thoroughly do you