Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) like new truck

[coldsteel]

All i can say is wow!!!!!! I had a slight squeal under braking so I bought new pads and proceeded to pull the the wheels and found the front rotors shot. Decided to replace rotors so after i removed the 4 12pt. bolts found that my rotors were siezed to the hub assembly. . my father was able to fabricate a puller but still no avail... i don't know if it was luck or what but I decided to take some weight off the front axel(on jackstands on left and right side of truck) by jacking the frame up a bit behind the axel. I then retried the puller and it worked on the left side and the right side also, but bent the puller into a horseshoe shape. Then I find the wheel Bearings to be shot 420$ later i have new left and right hub/wheel bearings..... Finish putting the wheel bearings/hub/rotors/brakepads on and decide to change the fuel filter and transmission fluid and filter while i'm at it... after i bled the sytem went to fire up the truck and it was very difficult to start but eventually did..... but low and behold something is dripping which i trace back to my fuel return line... great this should be fun i think to myself so with a little magic i was able to stretch my finger tips and reach the clamps without loosening a single nut!!!!!done for now... . started on wed night after work and continued pluggin away every night after work till sunday... but its done finally!



p. s. antisiezed all bolts upon reassembly with copper antisieze... any diff than regular antisieze??

 

[TSielski]

Glad you got the hub/rotors off. Many on this forum have had this fun job, thanks to the engineers at DC. Like you, I had to fabricate a "little" slide puller to remove my hubs prior to replacing the ball joints. The ~50 lb beauty is now an ornmament in the garage. Nothing like heavy duty! Size of the beast makes it a two person operation, but with no more than two smacks of the slide, the hub/rotor hasn't been rusted enough to resist this baby.

 

[Cooker]

Christofaris,



Welcome to the TDR.



I dread the day of having to replace the rotors Glad you got 'er buttoned up.



As far as you antiseeze question, the copper has a higher temp rating (1800 degrees) than the regular stuff (I don't recall the temp, I think it around 1400 degrees).

 

[illflem]

Any anti-seize that has ground copper, lead or aluminum in it is the best. Avoid the types that don't have ground metal.



Quite often after doing the work you did the front axle seals will leak. Give them at least 500 miles, most will heal on their own.

 

[LSMITH]

Chrisofaris, welcome aboard.



TSielski, you don't mess around do you Cool puller.

 

[TSielski]

After breaking a Snap-On 3-jaw puller trying to get the rusted hub/rotors off had to get serious. Worked real well! Anyone in the N. Va, S. Md area that might need a little nuclear persuasion to remove a stubborn hub/rotor assembly on their truck is welcome to use this beast.

 

[coldsteel]

puller

thanks for the welcome guys..... The puller I used wasn't the slide variety it was just 3/4in. thick steel with holes to fit over the hub bolts, and a large threaded hole in the middle to run a bolt in against the axel but is now worthless because its horseshoe shaped... ...

 

[RON'S RAM]

The first time I pulled off one of my hubs, I fabricated a puller to bolt onto the wheel lugs, and push against the axle. I ended up pulling the hub apart from the bearings. Wasn't sure about pressing back together with correct preload, so I bought a new hub/ bearing assembly. ( costly mistake). When I did the other side, I left the 12 point socket on and beat it with a hammer. ( not fun) I anti siezed everything. Had to pull apart again to replace u joints. I bolted a slide puller to the lugs, left the axle nut on, and with a few slides of the puller, they came right off. Not sure if this method would damage the bearings if the hub was siezed to the axle as mine was the first time around.

 

[Andy Redmond]

Lisle makes a slick tool for the air hammer. Its about 5" overall and has a "socket" that is too large to fit over the hub retaining 12pt/ fasteners. After they are loosened a few turns, bumping with the air hammer usually loosens everything right up.



I think the packaging state it was for GM application. Ahh. . now we know what's wrong eh?





Sometimes, a "big-who's your daddy" puller is necessary.



I'll never forget watching a dealership tech pound some off with a sledge (his small slide hammer wasn't working). The vehicle was from the salty north according to the license tags. Amazingly, new hub rotor units found their way back on. Hopefully the axle seals didn't get it in the process.