Games with Stub Axles, (insert grumbling here) Options

[Rusty]

I charged into the garage... determined to R&R my CV joint boots on the drivers side.

I unbolted the CV from the gearbox, and wiped down the grease that had been slung around. Started to unbolt the CV from the outer side, and realized that I'll never be able to get it apart. It's all snuggly in the trailing arm. So... the only thing to do is pull the stub axle. Never done it before, but what the heck.

Jack the car up, pull the wheel, pull the retaining pin... a little leg muscle, and the nut spins free! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

Then, things get difficult:

- rap on the stub with a mallet - no luck
- spray with PB Blaster and wait
- get a 2x4 up against the stub and start wailing. 2x4 disintegrates and I'm left with a dumb look on my face. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/blink.gif)
- start wailing on the stub itself with a hammer. Discover the joy of maybe having screwed up the threads. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/mad.gif)

So... what now? I think I need a new stub axle & castellated nut. Maybe I can chase the threads, but I kind of doubt it.

How the heck do I remove this thing without screwing anything else up? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/unsure.gif)

-Rusty (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smoke.gif)

[SLITS]

BFH (as in 2 - 5 lb sledge)............It should come out. Hopefully doesn't eff up the bearing.

Need a stub & nut...just ask..I should have one.

[Rusty]

I should have mentioned... these are /4 stub axles, not /6s.

-Rusty (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smoke.gif)

[Rusty]

QUOTE (SLITS @ May 22 2005, 01:20 PM)

BFH (as in 2 - 5 lb sledge)............It should come out. Hopefully doesn't eff up the bearing. Need a stub & nut...just ask..I should have one.

So... are you saying this is time for the application of a bigger hammer? I'll bring home a sledge from work tomorrow, if need be.

When I reassemble... is antisieze advisable?



P.S... PM on the way!

[skline]

I used a puller on mine and it came right out, getting it back in is the hard part. You may wind up replacing your bearings while you are in there. I would if I went that far. But that is just me.

[RustyWa]

Just did mine. One side of the car came right out with VERY light tapping on the axle nut. The other side wouldnt' budge. I was told that if you have to beat on it with a hammer, then your bearing is NOW toast.

I used a puller and pushed my axle out and replaced the bearing.

[Rusty]

QUOTE (skline @ May 22 2005, 01:25 PM)

I used a puller on mine and it came right out, getting it back in is the hard part. You may wind up replacing your bearings while you are in there. I would if I went that far. But that is just me.

A puller to remove it? (Trying to envision that, with little success.)

Why is installation so much more difficult?

[skline]

They have to be pulled in very consistent or the bearing will seperate. If I can find the picture of the tool I used to put mine in I will post it. All it is was a allthread bar about 24 inches long with large washers and spacers to hold it in and then tighten it up and it pulls it in very nice.

[Aaron Cox]

rusty.. this is why you leave the nut on the threads.


you beat the piss out of the nut....and the threads survive. nuts are cheap.
stubs arent. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/dry.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)

[SLITS]

Mine were never that hard, but rust of the bearing race to the stub surface would be my guess. I used crocus cloth to clean the surfaces prior to reinstall and John Deere antisieze.

I also used washers and an impact gun to pull the stub thru the bearing.

[Verruckt]

Get some BRASS!!!

I used to work in a tool shop, so I guess I'm lucky here. But definitely get some brass pieces. Round stock, flat stock, etc, etc. It will be SOOOO useful you will wonder why you never had any before. The brass will get all F'ed up before the part you are "persuading" will. Thats the whole idea. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

[Rusty]

So why is it that I could mess up my bearings? I'm hammering on the stub axle... with force straight in, not on the hub.

I have a set of new rear bearings that I was saving for Elwood... I'll use them on Princess if I must.

[brp914]

QUOTE

but rust of the bearing race to the stub surface would be my guess.

I dont think bearings rust, I believe his hub is rusted to (the remains of) his stub axle. Ideally, a tool would exist that is a thick piece of bar stock with 2 holes at either end that cuold be bolted to the hub with a couple lug nuts and then tapped in the center for a fat ass bolt to drive the stub axle thru the hub. Barring that, I think I would get a compressor and air hammer. I'm all for replacing the bearing at this point.

[Bleyseng]

BFH made of Brass works fine...... hit it, more PB, hit it some more, more PB, drink a beer, hit some more, more PB, another beer, hit, hit harder, more beer, more PB, hit it some more, hit with the beer, drink the PB, hit is some more...

[Eric_Shea]

Your going to ruin the bearing taking the stub axle out. That's the nature of the split bearing.

Leave the nut nearly fully engaged on the threads. Then use the BFH.

I have an extra stub axle here. If you've toasted that one then take the nut off and pound the living shit out of the stub. No sense in wasting the nut too.

Buy bearings...

At this point I always find it much easier just to drop the control arms.

In for a penny... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smash.gif)

[hmeeder]

Rusty;

Just went through this a couple of months back. Trust us when we say that banging that hard on the stub will damage the bearing. The stub has either rusted or galled to the inner part of the bearing. In fact, it will probably be easier to remove the stub from the inner part of the bearing after the whole thing falls apart (sounds like you may be close to that point anyway.) Eric suggests taking the control arm off and I agree. You'll never get the right force on the thing if you are whackin on it at a weird angle. The arms flex and the bushings also absorb some of the shock and make some of that effort worthless. Shoot the stub with some PB blaster and let that soak, even overnight if possible. If you don't have a brass hammer, use the nut like Aaron suggests. You can't put heat on the bearing without burning up the dust shield anyway.

After you have the whole damn thing apart and have bought your new bearing, put the bearing and the stub in the freezer. Warm the trailing arm up with a torch, lightly grease the outside of the bearing and it should press pretty easily into the arm. The fit for the bearing is very snug and if you are even the slightest bit off of perfectly level it will go in cattywompus and give you grief (I'm assuming you don't have a machine press to make sure the surfaces are parallel.) Let the arm and bearing come up to room temp, take the stub out of the freezer and then follow a similar approach with the stub. Some persuasion with a drift or hammer is OK, but if you find yourself whaling away on the thing with a 5lb sledge, you will totally dick up the bearing again.

Good luck!

[Eric_Shea]

QUOTE

put the bearing and the stub in the freezer

I think you mean the "hub" because the stub doesn't go into the bearing.

Also... there's no way I would "ever" hammer in the hub. That will ruin the bearing for sure. They need to be pulled in, either by placing the castellated nut on the stub axle "upside down" until you can get enough of the stub axle through the hub (not the bearing) to fip it back over, or with a tool you can make with some threaded rod and a suitable socket. For the do-it-yourself tool check the PP site for a nice drawing.

Or you can follow the process right here and never leave the comfort of your own club. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

The last picture in the link shows the tool I use for pulling in hubs.

[skline]

Rusty, if I were there, I could have them out in like 15 minutes. Fly me out there and I will take care of it for you. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[Eric_Shea]

QUOTE

Fly me out there

Hey Look Everybody!! Somebody "wants" to go to Kansas!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/w00t.gif)

[Rusty]

Anyone from the Club is welcome in my home... to visit or just to crash during a roadtrip.

Scott, it'd be great to have you out this way for a weekend!

-Rusty (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smoke.gif)