Wheel Hub Removal..

[Arnold]

There has to be an easier..better way to do this sometimes.
How do pros do this? Do they sometimes have to change the entire knuckle? (I had to do that once)

This one was on an 06 Uplander 4wd. Front hub.
Where the splines on the axle shaft mate with the hub..just rotted together.
This thing was soaked for days prior with penetrating oil..
Yes..I have one of those massive OTC hub pullers that you beat with a sledge hammer. Impact wrench. Torch.
I was actually getting close to thinking MAYBE I have to change the entire knuckle..axle shaft and all. I did once have to do that.

What am I missing?
Maybe move away from the road salt capital of the world

Any tips?

Thanks..

[jaybee]

The best way I know is to hope the last guy put anti-seize on the splines.

[enjenjo]

Which part would you rather save? I have a large OTC puller that can be rigged to push the axle stub out, with a little heat, but if you don't have one, you may have to sacrifice the cheaper part.

[wayne petty]

pull the CV shaft with the knuckle.. move it with help to the shops hydraulic press..  hopefully you can support the back of the hub flange in the bearing splitter.. so you can press it out..

there is also a really nice big hole right in the middle of the CV axle end.  that is just in the proper spot when you slip the rotor back on and bolt it on with the lug nuts and shove a screwdriver into the fins of the rotor at the bracket ... to allow you to drill a hole all the way thru the outer joint splined area.. going bigger and bigger till you get to the splines.....

you are going to want to replace everything except the knuckle.. when i took a quick look the steering knuckles are NLA..  but i don't have all the actual model info so i could be wrong..

i wonder if somebody on the line joked and put some lock tite from the hub and bearing bolts into the splines.  but knowing where you are. deep water soak caused rust..

lastly... angle grinder..  slice off the cup on the back of the outer joint.. you will have to get creative..  so you can undo the hub and bearing bolts and pull the bearing with the stub left right thru the hole in the steering knuckle..   the screwdriver in a rotor vent will help hold the angle as you move the grinder around.  hopefully you can get at the hidden retaining ring that holds the CV shaft into the inner spider..  so you can flip the spider and cage sideways to knock the balls out..   option 4.. same procedure with a cutting torch..

just thoughts..

when a 50 ton shop press won't free up the brake caliper slides.. you know you are in trouble.  that was done with dielectric tune up grease as a lube for the caliper slides.  totally the wrong thing to use..  it even gets funnier when people walk in the parts store with 2 pairs of vice grips on a brake adjuster screw..  it won't move they are saying.  the fun continued at the parts counter.. they did not stock only the adjuster screw..  the pizzed off street mechanic started to turn and walk away... i yelled over from where i was standing.. sell him a self adjuster kit..  it will have the part he needs.  i love pulling that stuff in parts stores.. korean guy standning in front of me in this long line at AZ..  guy had six exhaust flange studs with the little torx shape on the end and One AC delco CR43TS spark plug.. i pointed down the isle behind where he was standing and said the exhaust flange studs for your chevy 4.3 astro van are down that isle.. and make sure they give you the proper spark plugs for your astro.. he stood there looking in his open hand at the 7 parts in it.. how did you know i have an astro van.. i know what parts fit what .. i am a mechanic.. yes.. but its just a spark plug..  yes.. i am a good mechanic..  he was stunned.. i did not let on it was just a wild but educated guess as that is one of the few applications for the CR43TS spark plugs.  if you have never seen one.. next time you go in.. you should ask to see one.  the center electrode and side are at least 50% thicker.  think supercharged applications that might have blown off the electrodes before.  or spark plugs you want to never change in 100k miles.

[58 Yeoman]

Wayne, you never cease to amaze me...

[enjenjo]

Wayne, you never cease to amaze me...

He amazes me too!

[Arnold]

pull the CV shaft with the knuckle.. move it with help to the shops hydraulic press..  hopefully you can support the back of the hub flange in the bearing splitter.. so you can press it out..

there is also a really nice big hole right in the middle of the CV axle end.  that is just in the proper spot when you slip the rotor back on and bolt it on with the lug nuts and shove a screwdriver into the fins of the rotor at the bracket ... to allow you to drill a hole all the way thru the outer joint splined area.. going bigger and bigger till you get to the splines.....

you are going to want to replace everything except the knuckle.. when i took a quick look the steering knuckles are NLA..  but i don't have all the actual model info so i could be wrong..

i wonder if somebody on the line joked and put some lock tite from the hub and bearing bolts into the splines.  but knowing where you are. deep water soak caused rust..

lastly... angle grinder..  slice off the cup on the back of the outer joint.. you will have to get creative..  so you can undo the hub and bearing bolts and pull the bearing with the stub left right thru the hole in the steering knuckle..   the screwdriver in a rotor vent will help hold the angle as you move the grinder around.  hopefully you can get at the hidden retaining ring that holds the CV shaft into the inner spider..  so you can flip the spider and cage sideways to knock the balls out..   option 4.. same procedure with a cutting torch..

just thoughts..

when a 50 ton shop press won't free up the brake caliper slides.. you know you are in trouble.  that was done with dielectric tune up grease as a lube for the caliper slides.  totally the wrong thing to use..  it even gets funnier when people walk in the parts store with 2 pairs of vice grips on a brake adjuster screw..  it won't move they are saying.  the fun continued at the parts counter.. they did not stock only the adjuster screw..  the pizzed off street mechanic started to turn and walk away... i yelled over from where i was standing.. sell him a self adjuster kit..  it will have the part he needs.  i love pulling that stuff in parts stores.. korean guy standning in front of me in this long line at AZ..  guy had six exhaust flange studs with the little torx shape on the end and One AC delco CR43TS spark plug.. i pointed down the isle behind where he was standing and said the exhaust flange studs for your chevy 4.3 astro van are down that isle.. and make sure they give you the proper spark plugs for your astro.. he stood there looking in his open hand at the 7 parts in it.. how did you know i have an astro van.. i know what parts fit what .. i am a mechanic.. yes.. but its just a spark plug..  yes.. i am a good mechanic..  he was stunned.. i did not let on it was just a wild but educated guess as that is one of the few applications for the CR43TS spark plugs.  if you have never seen one.. next time you go in.. you should ask to see one.  the center electrode and side are at least 50% thicker.  think supercharged applications that might have blown off the electrodes before.  or spark plugs you want to never change in 100k miles.

 Wayne..really..is there some NASTY!(or other) job that you have not done..or know how to  
  As I mentioned..I had thought about removing the knuckle.
  I have to remove the knucke to change a wheel bearing on my d/d :evil:  
  I knew I was in pretty deep when I stripped the threads on the centre bolt of my OTC axle shaft puller. To be fair..I really could not get enough thread engagement. So..not having that massive OTC hub puller..I orderred one..knowing that would pull it off easily. Boy was I ever wrong.
I used my impact gun on that thing..and seriously beat it with a sledge hammer..torched it. There was no way this thing was coming apart.
I ended up wearing my heavy insulated overalls and safety glasses face shield..preparing for this thing to fly apart..then I "took runs at it" by really loosening the centre bolt on the puller..moving it out far enough that I could get the impact gun up to maximum speed..and hence the centre bolt too..and ramming it into the end of the axle shaft at full speed. Repeatedly.I know I know..abuse of tools,equipment..but this thing was not gonna beat me..I FINALLY got it loose..
  All I had to replace was the wheel bearing..and a 1 1/8 impact socket..went back together pretty easy.

  Having to use an angle grinder to remove a front hub..
  I had to replace a rotor($15 Cdn) on an old Pontiac Firefly(Suzuki Swift)
  Impact gun,torch..the through bolts going through the drive plate broke deep :evil: This thing was not coming apart. I phoned some wreckers..buy another KNEE..CV shaft,knuckle,hub,rotor,caliper,strut. Unbolt the strut from the tower,lower ball joint,tie rod end,brake hose..buy another used one all together..and stick the whole thing in.
Right..to change a rotor. I did..and took the old knee apart by cutting into the hub with an angle grinder..to keep as a spare..or the other side :evil:
   When I went to the dealer to buy new hub bolts..
   There was a recall on 3 cyl Cdn models hub bolts. They swelled up and could not be removed

   Thanks again Wayne You are a GREAT! source of info.,help

[Arnold]

pull the CV shaft with the knuckle.. move it with help to the shops hydraulic press..  hopefully you can support the back of the hub flange in the bearing splitter.. so you can press it out..

there is also a really nice big hole right in the middle of the CV axle end.  that is just in the proper spot when you slip the rotor back on and bolt it on with the lug nuts and shove a screwdriver into the fins of the rotor at the bracket ... to allow you to drill a hole all the way thru the outer joint splined area.. going bigger and bigger till you get to the splines.....

you are going to want to replace everything except the knuckle.. when i took a quick look the steering knuckles are NLA..  but i don't have all the actual model info so i could be wrong..

i wonder if somebody on the line joked and put some lock tite from the hub and bearing bolts into the splines.  but knowing where you are. deep water soak caused rust..

lastly... angle grinder..  slice off the cup on the back of the outer joint.. you will have to get creative..  so you can undo the hub and bearing bolts and pull the bearing with the stub left right thru the hole in the steering knuckle..   the screwdriver in a rotor vent will help hold the angle as you move the grinder around.  hopefully you can get at the hidden retaining ring that holds the CV shaft into the inner spider..  so you can flip the spider and cage sideways to knock the balls out..   option 4.. same procedure with a cutting torch..

just thoughts..

when a 50 ton shop press won't free up the brake caliper slides.. you know you are in trouble.  that was done with dielectric tune up grease as a lube for the caliper slides.  totally the wrong thing to use..  it even gets funnier when people walk in the parts store with 2 pairs of vice grips on a brake adjuster screw..  it won't move they are saying.  the fun continued at the parts counter.. they did not stock only the adjuster screw..  the pizzed off street mechanic started to turn and walk away... i yelled over from where i was standing.. sell him a self adjuster kit..  it will have the part he needs.  i love pulling that stuff in parts stores.. korean guy standning in front of me in this long line at AZ..  guy had six exhaust flange studs with the little torx shape on the end and One AC delco CR43TS spark plug.. i pointed down the isle behind where he was standing and said the exhaust flange studs for your chevy 4.3 astro van are down that isle.. and make sure they give you the proper spark plugs for your astro.. he stood there looking in his open hand at the 7 parts in it.. how did you know i have an astro van.. i know what parts fit what .. i am a mechanic.. yes.. but its just a spark plug..  yes.. i am a good mechanic..  he was stunned.. i did not let on it was just a wild but educated guess as that is one of the few applications for the CR43TS spark plugs.  if you have never seen one.. next time you go in.. you should ask to see one.  the center electrode and side are at least 50% thicker.  think supercharged applications that might have blown off the electrodes before.  or spark plugs you want to never change in 100k miles.

 Wayne..really..is there some NASTY!(or other) job that you have not done..or know how to  
  As I mentioned..I had thought about removing the knuckle.
  I have to remove the knucke to change a wheel bearing on my d/d :evil:  
  I knew I was in pretty deep when I stripped the threads on the centre bolt of my OTC axle shaft puller. To be fair..I really could not get enough thread engagement. So..not having that massive OTC hub puller..I orderred one..knowing that would pull it off easily. Boy was I ever wrong.
I used my impact gun on that thing..and seriously beat it with a sledge hammer..torched it. There was no way this thing was coming apart.
I ended up wearing my heavy insulated overalls and safety glasses face shield..preparing for this thing to fly apart..then I "took runs at it" by really loosening the centre bolt on the puller..moving it out far enough that I could get the impact gun up to maximum speed..and hence the centre bolt too..and ramming it into the end of the axle shaft at full speed. Repeatedly.I know I know..abuse of tools,equipment..but this thing was not gonna beat me..I FINALLY got it loose..
  All I had to replace was the wheel bearing..and a 1 1/8 impact socket..went back together pretty easy.

  Having to use an angle grinder to remove a front hub..
  I had to replace a rotor($15 Cdn) on an old Pontiac Firefly(Suzuki Swift)
  Impact gun,torch..the through bolts going through the drive plate broke deep :evil: This thing was not coming apart. I phoned some wreckers..buy another KNEE..CV shaft,knuckle,hub,rotor,caliper,strut. Unbolt the strut from the tower,lower ball joint,tie rod end,brake hose..buy another used one all together..and stick the whole thing in.
Right..to change a rotor. I did..and took the old knee apart by cutting into the hub with an angle grinder..to keep as a spare..or the other side :evil:
   When I went to the dealer to buy new hub bolts..
   There was a recall on 3 cyl Cdn models hub bolts. They swelled up and could not be removed

   Thanks again Wayne You are a GREAT! source of info.,help

   From the "Horses Mouth"

    This from a really,really busy 5 bay garage..often with vehicles lined up outside being worked on. This is a country garage..mom and pop operation.
I use them..they have never,ever advertised!
   They are in the midst of "Car Rot Country"
   THEY KNOW RUST/ROT.

   Yesterday I was there..I ask them the above.
   #1..OTC hub puller
   #2..Sledge Hammer
   #3..Torch

     and quite often..no big deal..
    "Cut the axle shaft..the rot gets in between the splines on the axle shaft and the internal splines of the drive hub..then they swell up..then they rot..there is NO way to get them apart. We have fought to get some apart only to find that that BOTH spines are rotted"

[kb426]

I don't envy the problems from farther north at all. I've had my eyes opened several times by the posts you guys make.

[river1]

I don't envy the problems from farther north at all. I've had my eyes opened several times by the posts you guys make.

Being in AZ I agree

later jim

[UGLY OLDS]

This is what happens when rust gets away from you ... Look Close ..

110K miles on a well maintained , mechanically perfect truck ..Sniff ..Sniff ...

Bob...

[kb426]

I believe that's an "ow sh''ter"!

[58 Yeoman]

This is what happens when rust gets away from you ... Look Close ..

110K miles on a well maintained , mechanically perfect truck ..Sniff ..Sniff ...

Bob...

Don't have to look close at that one, Bob.