Front end question

[ACoyle]

I put the truck in the shop today to have the left front U-Joint replaced.



2004 Ram 3500, 4 X 4



The shop says they cannot get the hub off without heating the wheel bearing, which will ruin the temper of the bearing. So they want to replace the whell bearings for $300. 00 more.



1) Is there a trick to getting the hub off they may not know?

2) Has anyone else ever had this problem?



I understand that if they heat the bearing should b ereplaced, It just seems strange that they both won't come off.



Thank You in advance.

 

[jelag]

I have a Hilti drill hammer that can use a chisel... . we used that chisel to drive the chisel point between the bearing and the housing... later we went back an cleaned up the damage with a 4" grinder... it took less than 5 min with the tool to get it loose once we thought through the process... we'd spent to that point maybe 2 or 3 hours... .

Once it was cleaned up... . we actually used an arbor press, pressed it apart, cleaned it, re-lubed it, and reinstalled it with lots of anti-seize on the parts...

We didn't try the torch but I agree, if they turn it colors it needs to be replaced... I personally didn't think that a torch would do the job... . we usually use a torch where we want to swell one item to get it to break loose of something smaller... . ring gear on a flywheel, etc...

Hope this helps... BTW - we found the bearing for our 05 for under $200. 00 for the side that was bad, the other side we serviced as mentioned above... .

I usually my work trucks 500K miles so we assume we'll have it apart again, and again...

 

[Matt400]

Them suckers are always a pain that way but I havent heated one yet.

I have a puller that goes on the wheel studs with a big pressure screw to push on the axle shaft, get lots of preload and then with the bearing retainer bolts screwed part way in I hit the head of them with a gnarly air hammer.

I use a socket to protect the head of the bolts.



Going back together I clean it up real good and use antiseize.

 

[snuff]

lots of penatrating oil, time, and a hammer

 

[ryecreek]

posi lock puller the 20ton

or back bolts off and use socket and extencion(s) against the axle to shove it out there are threads on here about it

 

[rbattelle]

Unlike most other people, my hubs were welded into the knuckles. Not intentionally welded, electrochemically welded over time.



In order to remove them I had to come up with some custom tooling. I wish I'd taken some measurements when I removed mine so I could calculate the load. Had to be tens of tons.



With a little angle iron you can fabricate a puller that sits against the knuckle and pulls the old hub out using the existing tapped holes in the ears. There's some discussion of it in this thread.



Ryan

 

[GCordrey]

Puller

I purchased the QT1072 hub bearing puller from Quad 4x4 to do mine. If the shop is truly willing to save the bearing/hub, they ought to spend the $159 to get it. It would be paid for quickly! (Most likely by you!)



That tool did my truck, and the jeep we had, with no complaints.

 

[GCordrey]

Also, when I got my puller, I also purchased a pack of frosty beverages, and A LOT of penetrating oil. It was a long day. Those suckers were in there!

 

[rbattelle]

I purchased the QT1072 hub bearing puller from Quad 4x4 to do mine. If the shop is truly willing to save the bearing/hub, they ought to spend the $159 to get it.

QT1072 will split a hub that is completely seized into the knuckle. Once the hub is separated there is no tool on the market that will remove the remainder of the hub from the knuckle (except a smoke wrench or cold chisel).



Ryan

 

[Matt400]

Thought I would elaborate some.

The tool I use to pull is this one:

#ad
I run the center nut down with a serious duty impact, this one:

MG725 with the muffler removed it puts out respectable power.

then after it wont turn anymore get out my big hammer and use the pictured hammer adapter to get some more turns on it.



Then around the back side I use the hub retaining bolts by screwing them in a ways and putting a sacrificial socket on the end to protect the bolt, then a sever duty air hammer, this one- PH3050A



The little CP hammers just won't cut it for a job like this.

 

[ACoyle]

Well, you have explained why the shop failed. I understand why they might have wanted to heat the hub to get it off. I wonder if the heat would ruin the hub, would it nor also ruin the knuckle?

I suppose the only way to pull the whole mess and do it on a shop press would be to do the ball joints as well.

It appears that a good deal of violence is involved and there is no easy way.

Thank you all for the help. I'm off to find parts. Till then, I am walking.

 

[jelag]

Before I got the Hilti out I tried the puller that Matt400 suggests... . and in fact pulled the hub apart on one side... I than used the Hilti and hammered it out. . . remember that tool is close to 60 lbs... unlike what rbattelle suggests, the hammer did the trick with some scars... . we did as mentioned, cleaned them, serviced them, pressed them back together and re-installed them... . on one truck that was over 25K miles ago... . so, at least its right so far... .

 

[JLovas]

I replaced both of my front u-joints at 30K ish miles and had a heck of a time as well, used a snap-on air hammer and lots of penetrating oil. Let this be a reminder that if anyone is looking for a weekend project for their pickup, just taking the hubs out and applying never seize on them and then reinstalling them will be valuable when you do have a break down (either a bad u-joint of failing hub/bearing assembly) and you have to get the hubs off quickly. You'll appreciate it later!