I have a 96 Intredpid that needs the front hub bearing assembly replaced. I have done this before and thought it would be relatively straightforward…but what dream was I in when I thought that to be the case. The hub assembly is rusted into the steering knuckle. The small pry slots on the outside are inadaquate to remove the the assembly. I want to remove the CV axle and try to hammer the hub assembly out from the inside. I need to remove the CV shaft to do this. I have tried for an hour today to pop out the shaft from the transaxle. It is a new axle which I replace about a month ago, so I have some history doing this. I have tried hamering it out with a block of aluminium while rotaing the shaft after each blow. I can’t get a good angle to direct all of the force in the direction I need, and I can’t get a good bite with a pry bar as the spacing is very tight. Is a slide hamer axle removers worth purchsing?
I have the hub soaked in Kroil right now as I plan to hammer it out tommorrow.
Anyone with any insight into these delemas.
Thanks
You need to put up the hammer as a first step.
Pounding on a block of aluminum against the joint is not giving you a straight shot at it. This is causing the splines to cant a bit and make the joint near impossible to remove.
A slide hammer helps of course, but with a good pry bar a couple of feet long and a small wooden block (say 1x2) you should be able to wedge the block in there and pop the joint right out with a sharp rap or two with an open palm.
As to the hub (and keep in mind I’m not a Chrysler pro) I would think there is a snap ring there someplace to lock the hub/bearing in place.
With some hubs and bearings it may be impossible to pound them out anyway and it may require a heavy duty press.
I’ve run into a few hub bearings that my little 12 ton press would not even begin to budge. This meant a trip to a friend’s auto machine shop and his 50 ton unit.
When one bearing in particular was groaning and the press quivering, I told him he was getting paid to get killed and I stepped myself right outside the door; just in case.
OK4450,
Thanks for your reply, Like I said I have done all of this before on this exact car so this makes all the more frustrating. The bearing is is just held in place by 3 bolts and it is a slip fit into the stearing knuckle. The bolts came out no problem. I was wondering if I put a torche to it??? The knuckle would take alot of heat as it is so heavy.
Thanks
If the end of the axle is visible in the center of the hub, how about a wheel puller? Put the arms of the puller on the hub and the center on the axle. Then push the axle out. That worked for me, the only time I tried it.