engine and drivetrain Rear Wheel Hub Removal problem

[Beck180]

Hi everyone, any suggestions or ideas would be much appreciated.

 

Got one rear wheel hub off easily. Second won't come off.

 

I'm using a three-legged puller. Have used heat and penetrating oil trying to pull it off. Even tried an impact wrench.

 

BUT every time the puller gets tight, the hub just spins with the rest of the drive train.

 

Would putting the car in gear help? I'd be afraid of accidentally running the engine in reverse though...

 

What am I doing wrong?

 

Thanks

 

Beck

[TobyB]

Heat, penetrating oil, and a 2-3 lb copper mallet.  You pull the halfshaft, and drive the stub axle back out of the trailing arm.

 

Because if you're pulling the hubs, it's time for at least a re- grease anyways...

 

t

[M3M3]

Stop the hub from turning....

Put a breaker bar between the studs as a lever.

[TobyB]

I've bent/popped studs doing that!  I now have a plate that I bolt to the hub face for just this sort of thing...

 

t

[M3M3]

If using enough force on the three arm puller center bolt to bend a wheel stud, the hub ain't never coming off! The puller will destroy itself first. ..;-)

Heck, I have used the Breaker bar in the studs trick to loosen the 350ftlb hub nut without bending a stud. They are strong.

[Beck180]

And the winner was...

 

MORE HEAT!!!

 

This morning I tried again with the puller and a breaker bar between the studs with no luck. Realized I hadn't tried heat again and this time I sat the propane torch on the hub for several minutes. Was able to easily pull it off with the puller after that!

 

Thanks everyone!

[M3M3]

yeah!!

 

a propane torch is my second most favorite tool....right after the 5lb hammer!

[TobyB]

I dunno- once I went to acetylene, IT became the most favoritest takey- aparty tool in the box.  

 

But you CAN overdo it!

 

The nice thing about propane is that you're really unlikely to damage something non- flammable....

 

t

[Zorac]

bump,  exact same problem as the op, tried the heat (propane torch), penetrating oil, etc. my puller is starting to bend though (its just a cheap one like you see at harbor freight).  better that then the hub bending i guess.  using my 1/2 ratchet on puller, it is safe to use my breaker bar on it (puller might not survive, but if it gets the hub off, that's ok!)?  better to pull the half shaft and pound out the sub axle instead (a copper mallet was suggested)?  looks like the trailing arm mounts and bushing probably wouldn't like that though.

 

i guess i probably don't have many options besides more heat and more pressure on the puller?

[harold]

One very standard trick for using a puller:  tighten it up as much as you can, then whack the end with a small sledge hammer, hard.  Don't be gentle!  Also make sure you leave the nut on, flush with the end of the shaft.  That will keep you from mangling the threads.  Once the hub starts moving, you can remove the nut. 

 

Harold

[Zorac]

1 hour ago, harold said:

One very standard trick for using a puller:  tighten it up as much as you can, then whack the end with a small sledge hammer, hard.  Don't be gentle!  Also make sure you leave the nut on, flush with the end of the shaft.  That will keep you from mangling the threads.  Once the hub starts moving, you can remove the nut. 

 

Harold

 

 

That worked!  heated it up for a good 10-12 minutes, put the castle nut on not quite flush (so the tip of the puller wouldnt slip out), tightened up the puller as much as i could with the ratchet, than gave it a few good wacks with a 5lb sledge and it moved.  tightened puller again and wacked it again, had to do that to almost the end 5 or 6 times, but its off now!  hopefully it goes together a little easier!  the grease was pretty old/gross, definitely was time to do this job.

[worzella]

I have learned to hate those "finger pullers" so I bought a cheap H Freight puller that attaches to the studs and you bolt it right to the them. Not useful for all things but it will never pop off after you crank a bunch of turns on it. 

 

The right tool for the right job !!!