Rear bearing/hub replacement

[conefree]

Hey all,

I have tracked down a problem to my rear passenger wheel bearing. I ordered this part to replace it:

http://www.napaonline.com/masterpage...y+-+Rear+Wheel

but, when I went to take the old hub off, it appears to be permanently mounted to the assembly that holds the wheel cylinder and brake shoes. What's the deal?

[bluesl2]

Remove the wheel, then the drum. Then remove the four bolts and give it a few taps and should come right off.

[conefree]

Yes, it should, but it looks like it's welded on. I took the 4 bolts off, hub wouldn't come off, even when hit a little bit. Looking on the back, it looks like there is a small weld bead there; I don't see how this is supposed to slide out. This is original equipment. I might end up taking the dremel to it...

Sorry for the lack of information, I am replacing the hub on a 1997 Saturn SL1

[madpogue]

Oy, that sounds drastic. Take a pic and post it here; someone might be able to identify what you're encountering.

Drum brakes? You realize the brake backing plate stays on the knuckle, right?

[stu]

Explosion:

http://www1.autozone.com/servlet/UiB...3d8019aa9b.jsp

stu

[conefree]

Thanks for the picture to illustrate my point The largest round part at the base of the plate that bolts to the main plate is sticking through the hole in the main plate. There appears to be a small weld bead around the circumference of this on the back side of the plate. I guess I'll use the Dremel....

[dschrader]

I don't know why somebody would weld there....I did a disc brake conversion on my car this summer and had to use an air hammer to break the assembly loose.

[Stephen 3616]

Yea, I was going to say "don't get mad,, just get a bigger hammer!!!"

[JPDucketts]

those bearings regularly rust to the knuckle. you need a good sized hammer to beat the old bearing out of the knuckle. hit it from the back, knocking it out of the knuckle. the backing plate will probably come off with it.

[S3aturnR]

Originally Posted by bluesl2

Remove the wheel, then the drum. Then remove the four bolts and give it a few taps and should come right off.

maybe in your rose-colored world it does...

here is my personal experience...

start with above procedure, then, hammer, pry, soak in pb-blaster (for 2 days), hammer, swear, throw ALL tools at the garage wall and just when you're about to give up... i used an extra (you'll probably have to improvise here) wheel stud and lug nut, threaded them together so they fit between the 2 parts that needed to be separated, grabbed the bottom with vise-grips, used a 19mm open end wrench on the lug nut and loosened it (so the stud/nut combo becomes longer) until it finally pried itself loose.

repeat all swearing and throwing of tools (to please the gods, of course) for the other side.

good luck!


s3aturnr


p.s. dogs, children, girlfriends/wifes should not be around while this process is being followed. they may become a victim of friendly fire during the tool-launching phase...

[cyphik]

I had the same problem, just beat the everliving f<@k out of it for a while and then hit it some more.

Drew 1994 SL2 5spd

[bluesl2]

Throw tools at garage wall? That sounds mature. I've changed maybe 2 or 3 of the rear hub/bearing assemblies, very seldom do they go bad. Maybe you need a bigger hammer.

[wolfman]

HEAT/PB Blaster (NOT WD-40!!!) and a 5 lb. Hammer.

[ringed1]

My solution was PB Blaster, a cold chisel, a claw hammer and lots and lots of pounding. A heavier hammer would have been the way to go, I just didn't want to go buy one. At one point, I even tried letting the hub down on a jack stand with the bolts removed, and it still didn't break the thing free. That perfect-looking "bead" that looks so much like a weld is actually rust--I thought it was welded too, until I took the chisel to it.
And cursing probably didn't help with the part removal, but it was a great tension reliever.

[conefree]

Yes much cursing was happening in the privacy of my garage. I ended up putting it back together last night, will give it another go this evening after I pick up some more blaster and a big hammer. Just like they say, the right tool for the job. And the claw hammer is most decidedly the wrong tool for that job.

It definitely looks like a weld bead, considering how uniform it is formed. But once I started tapping on it, it started to come free, although not free enough for me to finish the job last night. Thanks for all of the tips guys!

[conefree]

Well after much more blaster, the use of a 32 oz. mallet, and the good ole Dremel, she came loose. Replaced it, and man it is nice to drive without all of that horrendous road noise. Thanks for the advice guys.

[JS593]

When it came to replace mine when i first got the car, it poped right off no problem, didnt even need a hammer just hit it with a set of needle nose pliers... wierd..

[madpogue]

Regional differences. Iron oxide is some mighty powerful stuff here in the north. Wrenches I've known who've moved to, say CA are astonished when the get under a 20-year-old car, and it's less rusty than a 5-year-old car in MI or WI or ME or what have you.

[bigc791]

Slide hammer is perfect for removing them. Use one all the time on the vues.
Carmen