Front hub / bearing stuck!

[peashooter]

I CANT GET A FRONT HUB OFF because the wheel bearing appears stuck on the shaft!
Front Drivers side came off fine, but the front passenger side is stuck. The bearing just wont come loose from the support shaft.
To my knowledge the bearing is fine, it isnt any hotter than the rest of them when driving, so I assume the bearing is okay and not shot and thus welded to the shaft.

So far I've tried the following:
-putting some lug nuts on and pulling the hub off with what strength I can muster (the lug nuts give something to grab on to)
-tapping the outside circumfrence of the hub flang with a large hammer in an attempt to pop it loose.
-putting the bearing nut back on and tightening it down and loosening it in an attempt to move it back to break it loose and make sure the bearing is on square and not cocked.

Not sure what else to do?
I assume I cant put anytype of puller onto the splined shaft coming out right? My only thought is to make a steel plate to use as a puller. It would have to have a hole big enough in the center to let the shaft go through it but not the threaded support shaft, then to pull I'd make some holes in in that line up with the 8 axle bolts and just tighten them and hope it pulls the hub off with the bearing.... I just dont want to spend a couple hours I dont really have making a single use tool if there is a faster more clever way that someone else can tell me.

 

[Kohburn]

blue wrench

I'd carefully heat things up - just not hot enough to damage them, then try the hammer again. can also use a hammer and punch to tap around just the bearing race.

to make a tool I would use a section of channel with a hole in the middle large enough for the splined shaft to slit through, and for two opposing lug nuts. run the nut onto the threaded tube to protect it. then slide the channel over the spline. if the studs aren't long enough then use some of the inner rear budds to extend them, then the outter budds to pull the hub.

 

[Warthog]

Does the drum have any play in it? You may be able to use a punch and tap around the bearing to start a slight movement. I would soak it down with PB Blaster to help it along.

You can make a puller that will attach at the lugnuts and use the splined shaft to push against.

Keep us posted.

 

[doghead]

You can weld around the bearing, to heat and expand it. Protect the spindle if you try this.

Does it look like it was dry and hot, causing the inner race to spin and gall onto the spindle?

 

[peashooter]

From what I see of the bearing, it looks fine. It spins smooth and has never made any noise or been warmer than the other wheels.
I like Kohburn's idea for the puller, its simpler than the idea I was thinking of. Looks like I'd need to use the inner bud thimbles as he mentioned too. I'll try to make that tool up tomorrow at work over lunch and give it a go. If that doesnt do, it I'll try heat as mentioned....... Thanks for everyones help and I'll report back.

 

[doghead]

Or you can use the hub drive flange bolt holes. Throw in some all thread and use a weight on the rod, and a stop nut on the end, to improvise a slide hammer.

I'd use heat as a last resort option(if your bearing looks and feel OK).

 

[Flyingvan911]

I say install grease zerks on the hub and call it good.

 

[91W350]

Turn your other brake drum around, slide it over the studs, thread the lug nuts about nut deep and use the drum for a slide hammer. A couple of love taps should put a pretty decent amount of pressure on the bearing.

 

[tie6044]

Tap the outside of the drum with a hammer, that usually vibrates the bearing enough to get it to start to move without damaging anything.

 

[nk14zp]

Did you back the brakes off yet?

 

[patracy]

I say install grease zerks on the hub and call it good.

Explain how that'd be done on a front axle?

Did you back the brakes off yet?

Bingo, that was my first thought.

 

[rosco]

Better back off the brakes - most Folks can't appreciate how important that is!

 

[peashooter]

I guess I should learn what backing off the brakes means, either way I didnt do it. The hub spun fine so I assume backing off the brakes wasnt needed? I ended up using a tool I made for a wheel balancer I built (seen here: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?74670-Balancing-Tires&p=1263962&viewfull=1#post1263962) I took 1 side off my balancing hub jig removed the bearing then used it to pull the hub off the spindle.

Now I have gone through all 6 hubs on my truck. The rest looked good in all regards and came off without trouble. This one didnt come off well and looks questionable to me mainly because it looks a little "Darker". The outer bearing cup looks like it shows some scratches but I can't feel them with my fingernail (still it looks worse than all the others I've removed/cleaned/greased). The bearings have some dark spots on the sleeve area that goes over the spindle. Also the roller bearings are a little darker on the outer bearing. Again its worse looking than all the others, but I dont feel like it looks real bad and I cant feel any scratches. Not sure if they are stained from slight rust, or if they got hot at one time before I owned it?

Does this bearing and race need replacing? I dont want to do it, but if it needs to be done I will.

 

[shadowrwolf]

a trick i found when they are stubborn is to put the tire back on it will brake it lose
more leverage

 

[gringeltaube]

..........Does this bearing and race need replacing?.....

..... NO!
It looks good enough to me, for another 30 years of service....!


G.

 

[rosco]

I agree with gringeltaube. The bearing/race looks good. I have seen the staining before, and I don't have a good explanition for it, other then that outer bearing might have been a little loose on the spindle and a miniscule little bit of dirt and/or rusting, caused the browning and the stain. There is much written about when to replace the bearings, with good pictures and examples.

The important thing, since you mentioned difficulty getting the hub off, is if that bearing race spun on the spindle. I assume it didn't. The difficulty getting the hub/drum off was more related to the brake shoes hanging up on the very outside edge of the drum. As the shoe lining wears, and the drum wears, there will be grooves worn into the drum. Consequently, there can be a very noticible lip on the outside edge of the drum, that requires your shoes to be backed off, so that they will clear, allowing the drums removal.

 

[welldigger]

Even without the lip worn in properly adjusted shoes are only a few thousands off the surface of the drum. Assuming there's nothing to hang on you would have to pull the hub/drum off perfectly strait to keep them from dragging on the shoes. Considering how heavy these things are, that's not easily done without backing the shoes off.

 

[peashooter]

Many thanks to everyone for your help and knowledge! I'll clean it all up, grease the bearings and put it back together. I got some Selectro lockouts last year before the prices skyrocketed and am putting them on now as well as painting the MRAP wheels so I'll post some pictures when its done. Thanks again!

 

[tie6044]

I have literally taken hundreds of drums off when I strip down axles to sell and I have never backed off the shoes to remove a drum. As far as the bearing goes isn't the dark color from getting hot? If it was going in a mud truck I'd say leave it but personally I'd replace it since it's going down the road, easier and cheaper to do in the comfort of your own driveway now than after it fails and the tow truck has to bring you home.

 

[Kohburn]

looks like you had the tool you needed the whole time.