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Removing inner race from wheel hub Mk2
by
srgtlord
on 01 Dec, 2011 10:12
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Alright so I was fed up with paying over 200 for new spindles with new wheel bearings pre pressed into the fron spindels so I purchased a cheap 12 ton press from harbor freight, pressed out the bearing hub and now I am left with the inner wheel bearing race stuck to the darn hub. The manual says to use a two arm locking standard bearing puller, but I am unable to locate one....anywhere. Has anyone else run into this problem? If so what can I do to remove the damn inner race?
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#1
by
BigVWman
on 01 Dec, 2011 10:52
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Probably not the correct way but i usually grind a notch in the race not all the way through to the hub but close and smack it with a sharp chisel. It is hardened and usually snaps allowing you to remove it!
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#2
by
CRSMP5
on 01 Dec, 2011 13:34
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i also use a air chisle to drive it off.. will ruin the bit.. and you cannot go hog wild hitting hub with it... slow and easy and the thing will slide off.. how ive done it for 20+ years...
next care... if you screw up it will damage the hub.. and ill say 3 times ive has things "implode" sending shrapnel into the flesh.. so long sleves, long paints, face sheild...
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#3
by
srgtlord
on 01 Dec, 2011 16:57
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Ok so I had a smart-ass mechanic remove the bearing race...and now it is scored because he cut off the bearing race
Soooo can I get away with using the damaged hub???
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#4
by
theman53
on 01 Dec, 2011 18:20
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yes. I have used a cut off wheel and tried to not cut all the way through the race and then smack it like described above ... and I have cut through. I ran it on my old 84 rabbit that way for 30,00 miles and replaced the next wheel bearing on the same inner race. The bearing didn't fail because of the slice, it failed because I used a 10.00 china bearing from the local parts store. I was amazed it went over 10,000 miles. I guess it would depend on how bad of a cut it was. As long as it was at an angle and didn't make it flat on one side I would give it a try.
I used the bearing puller last time on my MK2 and it worked well. They have them on ebay cheap.
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#5
by
srgtlord
on 01 Dec, 2011 20:38
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did you use the flat type or did you use a 2 arm puller?
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#6
by
theman53
on 01 Dec, 2011 22:36
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flat bearing splitter
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#7
by
fatmobile
on 02 Dec, 2011 00:15
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There is a flat spot on the hub, behind the stuck bearing.
A cold chizel between the race and hub can drive it away from the hub, a couple more smacks gets it out far enough to get behind it.
I usually just grind it until it slides off.
welding it might shrink it and make it fall off.
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#8
by
theman53
on 02 Dec, 2011 07:51
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If you weld it all the way around and have a air chisel ready to go the moment you stop welding it will come right off too. I have done that before Fatmobile. I never had it fall off, but I didn't want to crank the welder up too much and burn through.
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#9
by
Toby
on 02 Dec, 2011 13:26
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There is a flat spot on the hub, behind the stuck bearing.
A cold chizel between the race and hub can drive it away from the hub, a couple more smacks gets it out far enough to get behind it.
I usually just grind it until it slides off.
welding it might shrink it and make it fall off.
The chisel buggers the hub, so it should be your last resort. It can be cleaned up afterwards but is not good practice.
Heating the race hot enough to get it to come off with a tap is also not the best way to go about things, but sometimes there are no other options. It is bad for most things because if screws up the heat treating on axles that may lead to breakage. Not an issue here, but something to be mindful of.
Grinding the race away til it is paper thin w/o grinding through has much fewer poor outcomes and should be employed long before the above methods.