2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Front hub puller

[kcv67]

I had to replace the CV joint on the right hand side of my 4x4. All I had was a three jaw puller to pull the hub off. Needless to say I didnt get the hub off. Went to a shop and they had a home made puller that did the trick. So where do I find a hub puller.

 

[daveshoe]

I made one

I made one that works very well. This puller actually uses the rear 12 point metric bolt holes to pull the hub off. Before I get too specific, I need to know a little more about 99 hub assemblies [mine is an 02] Two questions-- were you able to remove the 4 12 point metric sockets from the back of the hub assembly? Is the brake rotor separate from the hub?

The tools needed to make this puller are a 1 1/4 hole saw ,a 5/8 drill bit , an 8'' round by 1/2 thick piece of steel , and a drill press . An 8'' gear puller from harbor freight[ 15 bucks] also helps.

PM me and with the correct details ,and we can solve this and post it later if my remover will work on your truck.

 

[TSielski]

The hub and rotor are one assembly on 94 to 99 rams. Removing the assembly from the steering knuckle is a well documented issue. Check this thread out for more info.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32436



tim

 

[JoshPeters]

What I have repeatedly done is this. Jack up the truck, take off

the front tire, take off the brake caliper. loosten but do not remove the 4, 12 point bolts in the rear. very carefully in a criss-cross pattern use a hammer to slowly work the hub out by pounding on those bolts. Some file work on the bolts may be nessissary to reassemble. Using the puller from the outside can sometimes damage the bearing. My truck has 215,000 miles and from the records I can find still has the origional from wheel bearings.

 

[jjohannessen]

Well i guess i was lucky When i had to change out one of my hubs it just came out with me pulling on it with my own two hands:--) Guess i that will never happen for the other side when i have to do it

 

[daveshoe]

For newer trucks

For newer trucks that are 4x4 the pull is done in two stages. Stage 1 is with a 3 jaw puller-- it pulls the outer bearing off and then you take the rotor off with bare hands. The second stage is using a plate of steel with a pattern of holes drilled in it like the ''5'' on a dice [4 holes that define a square that lines up with the bolt holes in the rear drilled to 5/8 diameter] and one center hole of one and one quarter inch that goes over the splined driveshaft. You take out the rear metric bolts from the rear and you push them through the plate , thread them back into the hub [from the front ] and it acts like a super heavy duty gear puller. It pushes against the driveshaft shoulder right behind the spline. You may need to buy longer metric bolts depending on the plate thickness. Tighten it up pretty tight and whack the plate to vibrate it and she should pop right off.

A side benefit is that you can get to your ''sealed bearings'' to service them. A bearing press is recommended for reassembly

T Sielski thanks for the answer-- I will copy the link and show my buddy how to build a puller for his '97

 

[ramman]

hub removal tip

My friend at the dealer told me a easy way to loosen the hub bearing is to loosen the retaining bolts, remove caliper,and use a short extension and maybe a socket on the bolts and use the steering stop tabs,have someone start engine and slowely turn the wheel until the extension contacts the stop then switch to the other bolt and turn the wheel the other way using the hydraulic power to push the hub out. Caution the helper to not push the brake pedal for obvious reason. I have not had to try this yet but soon as my rotors have lots of heat cracks and need replacing. tim

 

[Cooker]

Re: hub removal tip

Originally posted by ramman

use a short extension and maybe a socket on the bolts and use the steering stop tabs,have someone start engine and slowely turn the wheel until the extension contacts the stop then switch to the other bolt and turn the wheel the other way using the hydraulic power to push the hub out.

After having struggled through the removal of my hubs and rotors recently I am curious to hear how will this works? I am thinking next time I will design anf build a custom puller.

 

[illflem]

Casey, come on over and we'll hook a John Deere up to each side of your truck

 

[kcv67]

Hey Bill I want to pull it apart, not in half! Still wondering if any body has a gear puller set up that uses the wheel studs to pull out the hub?

 

[Cooker]

Even using the wheels studs you can still separate the hub.

 

[daveshoe]

Originally posted by Cooker

Even using the wheels studs you can still separate the hub.

So Then what you see is the same setup as on a 2000-2002 truck? The reason I ask this is that after you remove the rotor with the slide hammer tool[as made by TSeilski] then you may have the same thing that I do with my 02 truck-- a ''split'' in the hub assembly with the outer bearing assembly separated from the inner bearing. If that is the case, then the tool I designed [5 holes drilled in a steel plate] would then remove the rest of the assembly from the carrier. Once this thing comes apart, you must either get it back together on the truck or remove the rear section from the carrier ,service the bearings, and press the assembly back together. I was able to get mine back together on the truck, by using the big center nut to pull it back together. I do not recommend this to others. That is why I measured the bolts center to center so I could build a puller that I could use with confidence and press it together on a bearing press

I have never seen a 94-99 front hub to know if the back half of the older trucks is the same as mine. Mabe a wiser person can post and say if my guess is correct.

I do believe one thing ; if you build or can borrow a puller instead of having a dealer ''heat and beat '' on your truck, it is one less thing to worry about. Anybody in Southwest Ohio or Eastern indiana is welcome to use mine as well as my shop.

Be mindful that Josh Peters has concerns about damaging your bearings by using a puller. One thing my puller does is keep the bearing centered with the shaft, so hopefully it will not be damaged. Sorry for the long post-- hope it helps

 

[kstehnacs]

hub puller

The only way to avoid damage to the hub and bearing is to pull it off by the wheel studs(slide hammer) WITH the center axle nut on. The axle nut will hold the bearing together.

 

[illflem]

But the studs hold the bearing to the rotor, seems like you wouldn't get anywhere trying to pull it off with the center nut on unless you pull so hard the studs pop out.

 

[TSielski]

I think kstehnacs may be right. The hub is secured to the steering knuckle by the 4, 12 pt bolts that thread in from the back. The large nut on the outside of the stub axle only provides the pre-load for the bearing. The stub axle has a shoulder that butts against the inner diameter of the bearing on its back side (pressed into the hub) and tightening the 1 11/16" nut to the specified torque sets the preload up.

There would be a risk I would think, of damaging the inner axle seal, as pulling the hub/rotor with the stub axle still attached may damage that seal, as it would be difficult to 'gently' remove the stub axle with everything comming out at once, as it were.



tim

 

[nwinters]

I rented the same puller that the FSM had a picture of for 7. 00 / day from Taylor Rental. It was called a Universal Hub Puller. The puller has 4 legs that attach to a center ring. The legs bolt to 4 of your studs on the hub rotor assembly and it jack the assembly out by screwing mechanism. I rotated the rotor/puller etc. while removing it hoping that it would pull out straight. I didn't end up separating a bearing so I think it may have helped. The pass. side took about all the pulling force this thing had, which is way more than any 3 jaw puller could ever pull.

I wouldn't try it with any other puller, this thing worked great. I should have taken a picture of it.

Here's a quick pic of one:

#ad


I'd buy one, but I won't be doing the job that often. I can just rent one again for 7 bucks if I ever need one.

After I had everything apart, I used a wire brush on a drill and cleaned away all the rust. I then coated everything with anit-sieze before assembly. Hopefully if I have to take things apart again, I won't need the puller.



Nate

 

[daveshoe]

Clearing it up

I hope I haven't caused too much confusion by my previous posts. Y2k to 2002 trucks are too different from the one piece hub rotor for my tool to work on other than a bearing assembly that has been split apart --outer race from inner race. I sure would like to see a 94 to 99 apart some time so I understand it better.

My puller does work great to separate the ''rear half'' of the bearing from the carrier . With 5 fine thread grade 8. 8 bolts pulling against the carrier, there is little doubt of success.

The reason I made this tool is I was really afraid of the damage done to the front of a truck due to bearing failure. I saw one with over three thousand in repairs as the whole front end came apart because of bearing failure. I hope that taking things apart every year gives me the chance to lube the bearings and head off any problems.

 

[kcv67]

Correct me if I am wrong. Isn't the bearing assembly a sealed unit on the 94-98? Then being a unit will the bearings still pull apart?

nwinters that is apuller I'm looking for if you have a chance could you ask the rental where I could buy one.



Thanks Casey

 

[daveshoe]

Sealed bearings

Yes , the bearings are said to be sealed. However , after expressing concern about the costs and short service life of the failed truck[a 98 with 80K ] a very kind TDR member sent me a PM and told me how to lube the bearings. I plan on doing it annually.

At least once the hub is removed and ''never seized'' ,should it ever fail, you can save a lot on labor because you can get it apart easily.

 

[SEmerson]

The first side I did I didnt undo the 4 bolts. I pulled the sealed bearing apart. Then undid the 4 bolts to remove the hub. On reasembly I cleanded greased the bearings. It wasn't untill I did the other side I relized that that bearing is supposed to be sealed. Anyway it reasemed fine and is clean and regreesed.