Tips learnd from front wheel bearing R&R

[Rock2610d]

This is just a helpful hint I came up with.....at least I could not find anything referenced here.

Once tire, wheel, rotor, and brakes are off....and hopefully the axle shaft is not stuck.

My wheel bearing assembly was horribly stuck....18 years worth of rust and corrosion. This is what I did and it popped right out.

1) remove 2 lug nut bolts....on the most opposite sides as possible. You will have to rotate the hub a little to do this.

2) Get 2 each 4 inch long 1/2 inch or so diameter bolts.... fine threaded(fully) and hardened if you do not want to strip threads.

3) Get 2 each fine threaded hardened nuts to fit the 1/2 inch hardened bolts and some stout washers too.

4) Put the bolts thru the 2 lug nut openings and slip on the washers then thread on the nuts. NOTE: nut and washer are on the back side of the hub and the bolt head is on the front side of hub.

5) Center each bolt end on the brake components knuckle (#5 in attached photo).

6) Evenly screw the nuts onto bolts until they engage the bearing assembly/hub.

7) now just keep screwing on nut until the assembly pops out.

Its the same principal as the bolt holes in the rotor.....just a little different.

Hope this helps some out there.

 

[1000hpgsx]

Thanks for the tip! My axle bolt actually snapped a 2 foot 1/2" Snap-On Breaker bar after getting the torch! I had much better luck with the wheel bearing assembly though. Good info nonetheless.

 

[bryanwheat]

That will only work if the bearing doesn't seperate. It would help out with this method if you put a bolt thru the center with a nut on the back to hold the bearing together. I always use a 6 lb sledge from the rear. Works every time.