2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Hub removal

[KRStone]

I have searched and read and read, and thought I was ready to do this. How do you all loosen hub bolts on the back of the hub and then hit them with a hammer, it it way to confined of a space and close to abs tone ring. I don't see how to strike them.



I have the wheel off, the caliper off, and the axle nut loose. Now I'm just gawking at it.



KRS

 

[SVick]

I'm sure I have seen several posts here on getting the hub off by using the power steering and a socket to break it free, do some searching and you'll find it. Hope that helps.

 

[Flinty]

I will hose everything down with penetrating oil first, then let it soak. Then I break the bolts lose with an impact wrench. It has to be a high quality wrench that develops lots of torque; Snap on, Mac, IR, etc. I can get the wrench in there with the right length extension and six point socket. Once the bolts are lose I run them in so there is about 1/8" from the shoulder of the bolt to it's seating surface. Then I clamp a 1/2" extension in a set of vice grips to keep from hitting my hand, place the end of it over the bolt head, and proceed to beat it like a rented mule with a 3# single jack until it moves. Then I turn the wheel and repeat the on the side opposite of the one I just got to move. Once that bolt has moved I back them out another 1/8-3/16". Rinse and repeat. The extension must be sacrificial as the end of it will be toast. A regular steel rod will bend and mushroom. The top and bottom bolts can be left out, just use the bolts on the horizontal to work the hub out. This method has worked well for me on the most recalcitrant of hubs and I've done a few. It just takes time and patience. It's a hard job. I put a coat of anti-seize on the mating surfaces before reassembly to make the next time easier.



Luck.....

 

[KRStone]

That clicked in my head! I have to turn the wheel to get more clearance!

 

[JR]

That clicked in my head! I have to turn the wheel to get more clearance!

That and spin the universal joint to make the bolt more accessible. The power steering trick can work if the hub isn't too frozen, but I would be afraid to get over zealous with it. They also make a puller, you might be able to call around and rent one.

 

[Cosmo]

Are you replacing the bearing? We typically hit it with the torch after soaking it in schmutz. I tried the steering pump method and it didn't work last time. They make special air hammer bits for them, the ends are basically hardened tubes that hit the shoulder of the bolts. Those didn't work on the one before.

 

[KRStone]

I have the bearing off. I bought ball joints, but i cant feel any play in these. Got the studs pressed oit, the new hub bearing in the rotor, and studs pressed back in.

Tomorow i need to get a stub shaft with tone ring, press in ujoints, and reassemble. The inner shaft seal is dirty along with the inside of the tube. The face of the seal has grit on it. It looks impossible to keep the splines clean upon reassembly.

 

[JR]

mine were pretty nasty as well. I sucked what I could out with my old shop vac, then sprayed them down with brake cleaN and swabbed them out with a rag taped to a chunk of brake line or all thread or something. I repeated that until they were clean. I'll warn you though if you spray anything in there you need to drop the front diff cover because some will wind up in the diff. TheN when your done with both tubes you will have to spray the diff down liberally to make sure you get everything out. It is a tedious process and one you have to be very dilegent to make absolutely sure everything is clean. I know alot of people (including most shops) would just stick the shafts back in but mine had a ton of gunk in them and I was pretty sure I would have wound up with some crap on the splines, and possibly a leak after they got shoved through the seal, so I took the extra time to make sure everything was clean.

 

[mwilson]

I use this to clean the tube, run it in up to the seal. Drop it and pull the crud out towards you. It will haul 99% of the crud out of the tube with a little patience and repetition.



1 pc 5/16" redi-rod, 2 nuts and 1 fender washer.

 

[bighammer]

I'm sure I have seen several posts here on getting the hub off by using the power steering and a socket to break it free, do some searching and you'll find it. Hope that helps.

The power steering can exert some extreme pressure, but it's a good way to blow out your (otherwise good) ball joints. (ask me how I know )

There is an adapter that fits on the bolt head and into an air hammer.

 

[S.Morris]

Snap-On makes a socket especially for this. (about $40)(can't remember # ) It is a little deeper than a reg impact socket and inside of socket is only depth of bolt head (such that the push is on head of bolt as well as shoulder). It is exactly right length to use p. steering method. It works well and will break loose the worst in a couple of minutes.



I have done the extension method and beat on it, heat it method before I got this rig. It is BY FAR the best way to go and worth its weight in gold when you way in the frustration averted. ( Notice the area of country I am from and the fact that we use nasty road chemicals from Nov to April and if you want to see some nasty siezed up metal, its up here)

 

[mwilson]

Here is the link to the Snap On socket that S. Morris is referring to. I bought one and love it, before that I just used an el cheapo socket and short extension that I didn't care about.



http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=682401&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog



Also a thread dealing with hub removal...



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...oval-Tool-that-is-a-MUST-HAVE!&highlight=snap



Mike.

 

[Cosmo]

Is that for the Dana front, or the AAM front? They use different sized bolts.