2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Hub bearing removal nightmare, NOT!!!

[wlowe]

So I tore into the drivers side front wheel today getting ready to replace the hub bearing unit. After all the nightmare stories I've read about how hard it is to remove the hubs on our trucks I was a little apprehensive about getting started. I sprayed the hub yesterday with PB penetrating oil to get it ready.



My plan was to use the power steering trick to bust it loose. I recalled reading a thread where the guy bought a longer bolt to use as a lever for the power steering method. So I went to the hardware store and purchased a bolt about two inches longer than the OEM bolts. I figured the bolt would be a sacrificial unit to prevent any damage to the original bolts. So I screwed the bolt in and gave it five smacks with my plastic dead blow hammer and low and behold I see a sliver of light between the hub and knuckle. Long story short I rotated and hammered the bolt front to back and top to bottom and had the hub out in less than ten minutes.



Just had to post this to let everyone know that there are some easy ones out there.

 

[ed9824v]

My newest old school tool for hammering is a lead hammer I made and meleted let to and existing hammer we are putting together our 2nd class 5 baja bug with a lot of banking on the same lead molded hammer. ED does not damage things and has so much more force the the lead blow plastic hammers off topic a bit ED

 

[wlowe]

My newest old school tool for hammering is a lead hammer I made and meleted let to and existing hammer we are putting together our 2nd class 5 baja bug with a lot of banking on the same lead molded hammer. ED does not damage things and has so much more force the the lead blow plastic hammers off topic a bit ED

I've been watching Ebay for a good deal on a brass hammer, this plastic dead blow hammer that I'm using is beat up and doesn't have a lot of impact force.

 

[HD-J78]

I replaced the passenger side one and it was fairly easily removed too. Just backed the bolts out and beat on each one at a time with a hammer and they came out little by little.

 

[WalterRyan]

Some of you guys are lucky. When I did my ball joints I was not able to get either side apart. I destroyed 2 sockets an extension and one of the bolts trying the power steering trick. I ended up popping the ball joints loose and cutting them to get the knuckle off. I took the first one to work and it just stalled a 20 ton press. I ended up taking them to a small garage and having them pressed out with a 35 ton press. One of them came apart so hard the when the hub came out and hit the press cross piece it drove one wheel stud completely out and sent it bouncing across the shop. I did make a plug to press on the outside so the bearing would not separate since I did not have 500. 00 for new bearings at the time.