Hub Removal lessons learned - with pictures!

[BMH95]

Not silly.



I checked and rechecked, but that doesn't mean I'm right. This is how I see it: Upper goes up, and lower goes down.



Am I right?

 

[mrsnow]

I had to use some heat and a BFH to get mine off.

 

[rbattelle]

Not silly.



I checked and rechecked, but that doesn't mean I'm right. This is how I see it: Upper goes up, and lower goes down.



Am I right?

Sounds right to me! Although I haven't actually done this job (yet).



I've heard people suggest putting the puller on, then wacking the outside of the knuckle where the ball joint bore is. The sudden deformation breaks them loose.



Ryan

 

[CarlsonR]

rust is definatly the culprit,here in az without any corrosion causing salt my hubs came off just by tugging on the lug nuts only had to use a screwdriver to pop it over the splines on outer axle shaft.

 

[BMH95]

The hub really isn't tight in the knuckle until the rust scaling fills in the gap. It's nuts.



I got a good tip from DTR on the ball joints that worked. I cranked down on the third ball joint press (rented that one from Auto Zone) with the impact where I could use it and the 1/2 breaker where I couldn't. After I cranked down I whacked the press shaft right on the tip with a short 5lb sledge. That popped them loose. Then, crank down again and smack. Crank down, smack. The lower wouldn't give up until the last 1/8". The uppers both only needed a couple of smack before the impact walked them out. I used steel wool to clean up the holes and then pressed the new ones in, with a good cover of anti-seize on every contact surface on the whole front end. The u joints worked with the same principle. A 5 ton jaw style puller, with a sacrificial socket for even pressure on the caps, cranked down; then smacked the yoke with a ball peen hammer and they popped down a little. Then recrank and smack, then walk out with an impact.



Now that I've done my first, the rest will be easy.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Now that I've done my first, the rest will be easy.

UNH-HUHHhhhh - more famous last words... :-laf:-laf:-laf

 

[steved]

don't really like the idea of pressing against the axle stub shaft though...

If you look at the deal when you start pressing, the axle shaft bottoms against the axle tube/housing... the ujoint is taking a lot of pressure.



I've done a lot this way, never had one issue afterwards. My dad has 280k on his original bearings in his 2nd gen, we separated (and then greased) them at 86k to replace balljoints.

 

[ScottLauer]

So then it doesn't hurt the wheel bearings to seperate them then? I haven't had to tear into my truck that far yet(and since I just broke 100k I hopefully won't have to do it for a while. wishful thinking) so I don't really know a whole lot about the bearings. Just trying to edumacate myself.

 

[steved]

So then it doesn't hurt the wheel bearings to seperate them then? I haven't had to tear into my truck that far yet(and since I just broke 100k I hopefully won't have to do it for a while. wishful thinking) so I don't really know a whole lot about the bearings. Just trying to edumacate myself.

I've split eight of them apart myself, and put them back into service.



They are simply a friction fit, not a press fit either... the stub shaft (and the corresponding hub nut) holds the unit together while in use on the truck. I used a piece of all-thread to squeeze mine back together... so it doesn't require much.



The main thing to remember is that one seal pops off when you take them apart... this requires using a flat-bladed screwdriver to "reseat," because it is between the halves and is done after the halves are placed back together.



We always fill the cavity full of grease, have not had a single bearing failure... but we did have one eat through the spindle, which causes the hub to become loose (that bearing had 167k). Again, my dad has 280k on the original bearings... they have been split apart twice (once for balljoints, a second time for ujoints).

 

[brods]

If you look at the deal when you start pressing, the axle shaft bottoms against the axle tube/housing... the ujoint is taking a lot of pressure... ... .

Yes and the ball joints get the same force (in the opposite direction) until the bearing lets go. Seems our 3G ball joints do not need any extra help wearing out.

 

[steved]

Yes and the ball joints get the same force (in the opposite direction) until the bearing lets go. Seems our 3G ball joints do not need any extra help wearing out.

I have over 157k on the original ball joints in this 04. 5... guess they didn't know enough to fail??

 

[brods]

Maybe your joints were made before some AAM bean counter figured they could save lots of money by using less grease in all the ball joints and u-joints, lol. Hopefully my next set will last as long as yours did!

 

[_Hyde]

I am hating life over this now as my axle that I had already been through most of this with was whacked when someone decided they wanted to be in my lane worse than me. As a result I have a replacement axle from deep in the heart of the rust belt. Having a few spare parts unviolated from the old axle I thought I'd try to get the axle out so I could put my old one in with less rust and a new joint with about 10k miles on it. Bearing assembly wouldn't budge with the steering pushing on the bolts so I went for a gear puller on the flange, pulling in the same manner as the right tool. A lot of pressure and a few whacks with a BFH and it popped, the bearing separated. How are you rust experienced individuals getting apart from here? I was able to reassemble and drive so as to save this battle for another day. Was only in a position to be involved in the job, not committed.



Thanks

 

[jelag]

I just did this on my 05, I have a Hilti electric drill and hammer. .

On one wheel after the puller actually separated the front bearing from the rear bearing in the housing I set the drill to the hammer position and hammered between the hub and spindle until the 2 separated... I later had to spend 30 min cleaning up the surfaces where the chisel end did some damage... .

Once apart. . BTW - I did unbolt and remove the ABS before working on this... I cleaned up all the surfaces with a flapper wheel, and when it was time to put it back together I put never seize on the parts so that next time they come apart...

On the side where the bearing housing didn't come apart I greased the bearings... on the side that came apart I cleaned the bearings, and greased them and pressed the assembly back together... Simple task with an arbor press.

Installation took maybe 2 1/2 to do both sides... where taking it apart easily took me 8 hours... . and I had the truck on a hoist so I wasn't working on the ground...

I could not find grease able joints... I've got 2 other trucks like this and I'm going to them soon... my total cost was 68 for the 2 joints and 19 for the dust shield that I damaged... . and I'm guessing this is over a $1000 at the dealer... I am taking the 2 other trucks and am not starting to spray some oil on the hub to spindle connection with the hope that it will help later this fall when I get some time. .

 

[rbattelle]

How are you rust experienced individuals getting apart from here?

I made a simple puller, described here.



I have offered to loan it free to anyone who needs it, but they must pay the cost of shipping both ways.



Or you can make your own, if you've got the time. Mine is simple 2"x1/4" A36.



Ryan

 

[LFJ]

On the pitcure that says, Will a air chissell take care of that???? Th puller plate is smaller at the bottom than the top. Looks like about 3/16. Also put the plate backwards now, and some proper sizes spacers and bend it back to straight position, If you would have had spacers the first time. I don't think that would have happen???

 

[BMH95]

It's the same diemnsions all the way around, just an optical illusion from the picture. I'm not sure how spacers would have helped?

 

[Andersonville]

Gee. You see that ABS sensor? Take that out with a 5mm allen wrench and pumpthat baBY FULL of synthetic grease until it comes out of the seal and your hub bearings may last 270k like mine have. I bought a rubber nipple that screws on the end of my flexible grease gun hose and hold it in there as tight as I can. Works better with a powered grease gun!