Another hub and u-joint question.

[NSperduto]

So my u-joint started making noise a few weeks ago, but I dind't have time to lay the truck up as I was fixing the wife car and needed to drive my truck. So I finally decide to call the shop and there's a 2. 5 week wait to get it in. Figuring I could save the $600 labor and I really wanted to use it this weeked to take my kid dirtbike riding and next week I'm off to the races towing my camper. So I figure I'll do it myself. I know the job sucks. I read alot about it. It's been apart before by the dealer to change under warranty so I was optimistic maybe they applied some never sieze before they put it togther. Well. No...



I got evertyhing off the spindle but can't get the hub out. I have a puller for the brake drums on my 56 plymouth and it fit very well. I pounded on that for awhile but all I managed to do was start separating the parts of the bearing and not separating the unit from the spindle.

I then went about trying to disconnect the ball joints to pull it out as one piece. But the upper is fighting me. the nut won't come all the way off and I'm afraid of stripping the allen key hole that holds the shaft of the ball joint and then really be screwed.

My plan was to separate the ball joints and cut the u-joint apart. I guess in a pinch I could cut the ball joint out also, then I'd be replacing them and the u-joints... .

One question is did I ruin the hub bearing now that it's loose because it started to come apart or can it be pressed back together. If I runined the bearing, what brand should I replace it with?



Any other suggestions on how to get it apart? I've been spraying it. I have not tried the power steering method as I'm working alone at home and have nobody to turn the wheel.



Thanks,

Nick

 

[jelag]

Unbolt the hub and try starting the truck and turning the wheel from left to right and see if that brakes it loose... .

I own a Hilti drill & hammer and had to take the hammer to the joint and drive it apart... the hammer took 30 seconds a side... later I had to go back and use a 4" grinder and flapper wheel to repair the dings and dents from the hammer... .

If you need the hubs... Let me know... .

I've had the hubs apart with an arbor press, cleaned the bearings and pressed them back together... . with no problems... . that truck has been back on the road for at least 30K miles since we did that work...

Hope this helps...

 

[NSperduto]

Ok, I got it. I went back out there with a vengance, between the chisel, puller and a bfh I got it off. I wound up totally pulling apart the bearing. But in the meantime I checked the passenger side and the bearing has a little play, so I'm just going to change both and never sieze everything. Be happy even though I busted my butt, I'm saving alot of labor charges and it should come apart easier next time I need to take it apart.

Going to head off to the parts store tomorrow for new hub bearings and new u-joints.

Thanks,

Nick

 

[jelag]

Nick... we suggest that you consider every time you have the rotor off... you pull the ABS sensor and add some grease.....

 

[wcjp]

If you have a second person available, use the hydraulic power of the power steering. Try search. With two people using hydraulic power it can take upto 2 minutes per side to pop out the unit bearing with very little effort and no damage. One person at the steering wheel with engine running with the other at the unit bearing.