help - seized wheel hub assembly

You might have to use an angle grinder or rotary tool to cut the race in half if all else fails.

I Googled this special bearing puller that grabs onto the race so it can be pulled off.

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Or This:

US0529_zps609803e0.jpg
 
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Be careful not to score the spindle when doing that with an angle grinder. Truthfully, the outer race is not a really thick piece, and heating it should take care of it no problem. I would try a puller next, and only resort to cutting if you ABSOLUTELY have to. You really don't want to accidentally cut into the spindle.
 
Be careful not to score the spindle when doing that with an angle grinder. Truthfully, the outer race is not a really thick piece, and heating it should take care of it no problem. I would try a puller next, and only resort to cutting if you ABSOLUTELY have to. You really don't want to accidentally cut into the spindle.

You are correct !!! My spindle is now scored. We'll see how I do on my passenger side when my bearing arrives. I'll give heat a try first but all I've got is propane and a gas stove. (I'm doing front bearings so the whole thing can go in the oven.)

I found a "bearing splitter/puller" at Princess Auto (here in Canada) for $30,... I think it's worth the investment.

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/P...ator/2990103.p

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/P...-Set/8309619.p
 
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You are correct !!! My spindle is now scored. We'll see how I do on my passenger side when my bearing arrives. I'll give heat a try first but all I've got is propane and a gas stove. (I'm doing front bearings so the whole thing can go in the oven.)

I found a "bearing splitter/puller" at Princess Auto (here in Canada) for $30,... I think it's worth the investment.

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/P...ator/2990103.p




http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/P...-Set/8309619.p


hey man, i got everything off the spindle already, i picked up a 4 inch gear puller from princess auto, this should be able to get the old parts of the spindle of but wont help with putting it back on, but its all i needed, although mine is the rear,

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Pullers-And-Bearing-Tools/4-in-Dual-Jaw-Gear-Puller/8046018.p


it took everything off the spindle so easy it was ridiculous, my new problem is when i tried putting on the new hub assembly which comes with the bearing inside,
when i started wiggling on, the raceway that touches the spindle away from the rest of the hub assembly.

i don't think it should come off the as easy as it did, or at all for that matter, so does anyone have any experience with this, do i need to get a new hub assembly or when the repairs done and everything is tightened down, it will be ok
 
hey man, i got everything off the spindle already, i picked up a 4 inch gear puller from princess auto, this should be able to get the old parts of the spindle of but wont help with putting it back on, but its all i needed, although mine is the rear,

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Pullers-And-Bearing-Tools/4-in-Dual-Jaw-Gear-Puller/8046018.p

I've got the same three jaw puller as you. I think I might retrofit the puller with my grinder to sharpen up one end of the arms to try to get under the bearing race. That way I get to play with my tools, save $30 and express my creative talent in a "Tim the Toolman" kinda way.

it took everything off the spindle so easy it was ridiculous, my new problem is when i tried putting on the new hub assembly which comes with the bearing inside,
when i started wiggling on, the raceway that touches the spindle away from the rest of the hub assembly.

i don't think it should come off the as easy as it did, or at all for that matter, so does anyone have any experience with this, do i need to get a new hub assembly or when the repairs done and everything is tightened down, it will be ok

I think you'll be OK. I'm pretty sure (after inspecting my old and new front bearings) that there is very little holding the inner races on the bearing. In fact it may be pretty much just the metal and rubber seal that holds it together.

I just went to check my old bearing and found that the side of the bearing that didn't pull apart wouldn't just push out, but once I took off the metal and rubber seal the bearing cage just lifted out.

When it is installed, its the pressure of the big spindle nut that holds the bearing together.

How hard did you pull on the hub to separate the race ?? Was it just hand pressure or did you need the puller ??
 
I just took off front passenger side and the axle nut was finger lose, the hub/spindle separated from the knuckle with easy hand pull. I've now got a ruined hub + an outer race stuck in the knuckle.

I used a dremel tool to get the inner race off and the metal cracked enough for us to pry it off. The hub was damaged with an angle grinder. How do I get the outer race out of the knuckle? We tried for hours to get it out. I'm thinking about dremeling it out enough to crack it and then it should just need a little force to get it off like the inner race (hopefully).
 
I set my knuckle on bricks and pounded the snot out of it with a sledgehammer and a big socket from my 3/4" socket set.

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You could throw the whole knuckle in the oven for a while to heat it up,... that should help a lot.

(make sure of course that your big c-clip has been removed.)
 
I set my knuckle on bricks and pounded the snot out of it with a sledgehammer and a big socket from my 3/4" socket set.

071_zpsdef1ffdd.jpg


You could throw the whole knuckle in the oven for a while to heat it up,... that should help a lot.

(make sure of course that your big c-clip has been removed.)

We tried. Didn't have a size that would sit on the lip of the bearing and not the knuckle. 4 hours with 3 guys trying to beat the thing out.

You could always take it to a shop and pay them to press it out...it might be easier and quicker.

I think that will end up with what I do. Ex took too much money for me so I've got to wait to find out. I really want to see if the knuckle is damaged like the hub was, and I won't be able to get perfectly perpendicular with the dremel to get it off like I did on the hub and inner race. I'm half tempted to freeze the hub and use a propane torch to heat of the knuckle to see if I can create enough expansion to get the outer race to budge while it's still cold.
 
We tried. Didn't have a size that would sit on the lip of the bearing and not the knuckle. 4 hours with 3 guys trying to beat the thing out.

Yea,... having the right size socket makes all the difference. Mine fit on the lip and cleared the knuckle.
 
The socket that fit for me was 1 13/16". However different manufacturers have different wall thicknesses for their sockets.

I bought my entire 3/4" socket set for $69,... it's a cheap set but with such a big tool it doesn't really matter. I bought it for my mothers car years ago so it's the SAE sizing.

I think someplace like Harbour Freight in the US may have a cheap 3/4" socket set for about the same price (made in China). The metric set will obviously be your best bet as it will include the proper socket for the hub nut. (I managed to fit a socket from my set on the hub nut,.. it's a little sloppy but it works,... bigger sizes of nuts and bolts can be a little sloppy)

You may also have a loan a tool place available to you where you could get a socket or an entire set. (don't tell them you're gonna pound the s*** out of it,.. lol)

If you were to buy an individual socket, it may run you more than $30.
 
Lol. I'll end up spending more money just to get it done. I was talking to co-workers today and they said there's a couple places around here that will extract/press a new bearing for $45... If they have a tapered press it would work to get the outer race off....maybe....

I hate having to wait 2 weeks to get money to even really look at my options.


Thank you pcb!
 
Nope, but still much better than the 400-600 dollars it woulda been for me to take it too a shop to replace it, and then they would've ignored the issue with the hub and it woulda happened again in 2 months.

I'll ask around! I'll take some pictures of them both if I remember when I get home from work.
 

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