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Help! Wheel bearing assembly stuck in steering knuckle

9

96cherokee40

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Carfax said this thing came from the east coast, and it shows. Any ideas on how to get the wheel bearing assembly unstuck from the knuckle? Put the bolts back in most of the way and smacked on them, tried wedging my way between the two parts as well with no luck. Is currently soaking in WD40, Any ideas?
 
Soak with PB Blaster, it will become your friend.
I use a crap 13mm 12pt socket to bash on so I don't screw up bolt head.
I've read about using pressure from the power steering pump by using a deep socket wedged between bolt and inner "C" iirc
 
If you go down and buy a few M-12 bolts about 4 inches long, you can get a better swing on the bolt head with a hammer. First one side then the other, turn the steering wheel from lock to lock to get as much room as possible.
Soak it in penetrating oil and be sure and sand it smooth a grease it good before reassembly, it sure makes next time much easier.
I whack it pretty darned hard, haven't broken one yet, but it is cast. I usually use a grade 5 metric bolt, so it has a little give to it.
 
Do a search, plenty of ideas.

I'll mention my favorite here again......Take a stock steel wheel, put it on backwards, rock it back and forth. Failing that, beat on the tire with a dead blow hammer alternating sides.
 
Rent a slide hammer. after taking 3 hours on one side my bro in law suggested this, and i had the other one out in literally 5 minutes.
 
took this from another thread after I used the search button! From the other thread post # 13 http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=919959&highlight=wheel+bearing
"Put a bolt in there between the end of the yoke and the side of the inner C and turn the steering wheel. Pops them right out of the knuckle without hurting anything(except hammer sales). You may have to move it to the other side to walk the bearing out, but it's real easy to do. "
DSC0236.jpg
 
I usually soak it w pb blaster then loosen up the bolts. drive around the block and it is ready to drop out. You must be very careful and go slow, if it comes off while your driving it you can wallow out the knuckle. If it does get loose while driving just pull over and tighten it up.
 
penetrating oil, 3 ft pry bar and a hammer and youll have the most rusted hubs off in 10-20 mins, although i like the slide hammer idea, id second that over mine but only if you have the slide hammer available....
 
Air chisel. Tears up the dust shield. JIM.
 
magimerlin said:
took this from another thread after I used the search button! From the other thread post # 13 http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=919959&highlight=wheel+bearing
"Put a bolt in there between the end of the yoke and the side of the inner C and turn the steering wheel. Pops them right out of the knuckle without hurting anything(except hammer sales). You may have to move it to the other side to walk the bearing out, but it's real easy to do. "
DSC0236.jpg
Click to expand...
Ive used this method so many times over the years and it has always worked
 
A pully puller (as mentioned) will take it off in 10 seconds

It may not be a great idea if you intend to put the same bearing hub back on though
 
I backed the bolts out about 1/2 inch, put a socket over the uppermost bolt head, and used a breaker bar between to socket and and the C. came out easy, and mine were pretty well rusted.
 
I ended up putting a 3/8" extension between the outer part of the joint and the hub assembly (similar to what was hsown with the bolt) and it screached and ground its way out of the orifice. Now if doing the u-joint was only that easy. NOBODY had one that would fit right, but with a file and dremel, it is finally done. Thanks for all the replies
 
I used a pulley puller but must've got it torqued at a weird angle. Whacked it with the hammer and it shot out a good two feet.
 
TunaSoda said:
A pully puller (as mentioned) will take it off in 10 seconds

It may not be a great idea if you intend to put the same bearing hub back on though
Click to expand...

Yeah I should have noted that...if you plan on reusing the bearing assembly don't use a pully puller. My assembly went into two pieces, but most likely because it was shot.
 
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