Leaderboard

I usually use a small hammer to get the races started in and once in the hole get a piece of iron pipe or socket the right diameter to push it to the correct position, you can hear when it gets there the sound will be different. I have used a punch but feel it goes in evenly with something of the right diameter.

The method I use it a hammer and then a punch. Hold the bearing down on the housing and then tap lightly all around the outer bearing race with a hammer. For those axle bearings you don't tap on the inner race, because it will cause the balls to damage the races. If it was a bearing on a shaft though, they you would use a punch and tap on the inner race.

Yeah the bearings will go in till they come up against a lip. The seal does have the side with the spring facing inwards. Not sure how far in the seal go but you should be able to see where they ran on the old shaft. If the axle shaft has damage where the seal runs, it's ok to position the seal slightly further in or out so the new one runs on a good surface.