Not a good day to replace my hubs

I tried to replace my hubs today since they are starting to go out and like usual, something broke that stopped the project cold. The upper bolt on my caliper snapped but it could not have snapped in a better place. The part that was able to be removed looked almost new and it broke almost immediately after I started loosing it. Thankfully, it broke right where it threads into the axle. I am not sure what the part is called, but it is the assembly that has the ball joint and where the rotor rest against. The caliper was still able to slide off and I preceded with the rest of the process to change out my hubs. Sadly, those fought me too. Both hubs are original and my XJ is a 98 with 176k, so there was a lot that was keeping them there. I tried using a mallet and even a gear puller but nothing. I did learn that as long as some of the bolt is still accessible, a set of vice grips is a good way to get the broken stub out. There is a Jeep shop 5min from my house and they quoted me $160 for u-joints so I may have them replace my u-joints (original) and have them put the new hubs on too. It is more then I was hoping to spend since I bought a set of Timken hubs but it will be worth it since this is my only vehicle right now.

I am still not sure how the upper caliper bolt snapped though. I don't have any pictures but it snapped at the threads. The lower bolt came out nice and easy.

That'd be the steering knuckle.

The way to get hubs out is to loosen the 12pt 13mm bolts (3 of them) till they are only threaded in 3-4 threads, then put a socket you really don't like on the bolt heads and whack the crap out of them with a 4lb hand sledge (the socket is to keep the bolt head in good enough shape that you can put a socket back on it!) If you are going to be junking the hub anyways, you can also just whack on the unit bearing flange...

Remember to remove the spindle nut first - the big honking one right in the middle of the hub unit. It's easiest to do with the vehicle in 4wd (with at least one wheel of the front axle on the ground) or if you loosen the nuts before lifting the tires off the ground.

Use the aforementioned socket and an extension braced against the inner-C, then have a trusted helper start the XJ and *GENTLY* use the power steering to pop the hub free.

I might add that I've used on Dodge front D60s. Works nicely.

I just replaced my hubs as well. 3 out of my 4 caliper bolts sheared in half. I ended up using a slide hammer to get the old hubs off.

ChiXJeff said:

Use the aforementioned socket and an extension braced against the inner-C, then have a trusted helper start the XJ and *GENTLY* use the power steering to pop the hub free.

I might add that I've used on Dodge front D60s. Works nicely.

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Now that's a neat trick. Methinks I can use this method alone with proper application of some good mirrors and a pair of binoculars... since I don't really have any trusted helpers around.

The impact gun made getting the spindle nut out really easy and I tried using the extension but I gave up on it pretty quick. I was working on it on base at the auto hobby shop and they closed at 5. I spent most the day working on getting the stupid bolt out so I ran out of time. The three 13mm bolts on hub were a pain to loosen but I can only imagine what they would have been like with out being soaked in PB blaster all week.

kastein said:

Now that's a neat trick. Methinks I can use this method alone with proper application of some good mirrors and a pair of binoculars... since I don't really have any trusted helpers around.

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I can't claim credit for it. I think I heard it first from NotoriousDUG from Chicago.

kastein said:

Now that's a neat trick. Methinks I can use this method alone with proper application of some good mirrors and a pair of binoculars... since I don't really have any trusted helpers around.

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skip the mirrors and binocs-- wedge something in there (I've used a socket, extension and an old bodywork dolly and anything else handy) and turn the wheel. If it doesn't stay in place, all it's gonna do is fall to the ground and knock over your beverage of choice that you should have moved out of harms way. It'll have you cussing yourself for not having tried it sooner-- turns a PITA job into a simple half hour repair.

Even with a hammer it usually only takes me about that long... I'll definitely be trying this tonight, since I have a driver side bearing+u-joint (and probably shaft since it's really rusty and I'm lazy) to swap.

160 for ujoints is alot!! well maybe not if you having this much trouble. U-joints will probably be easier than getting the hubs out.

The broken caliper pin should be an easy fix, just drill it out and be careful not to mess up the threads

lowicz96 said:

1

The broken caliper pin should be an easy fix, just drill it out and be careful not to mess up the threads

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I was able to get the caliper pin out, a set of vice grips helped with grabbing the part that was still visible and I was able to twist it out. I thought about drilling it out but I did not want to risk it.

The $160 is mostly labor, since everything is still original and it spent a lot of time up north, there is a lot of salt corrosion on most of the parts. I have been able to replace a lot of worn out parts, but these hubs have been the worst to deal with.

The caliper pins are probably PC10.9 which is likely harder than the knuckle metal. Good thing you were able to remove it with vice grips because drilling it out would be a party...

Since it spent time up north, check your brake lines for rust. Better to find them now and replace them than find them at the worst possible moment and replace them... and a bunch of body panels.

kastein said:

The caliper pins are probably PC10.9 which is likely harder than the knuckle metal. Good thing you were able to remove it with vice grips because drilling it out would be a party...

Since it spent time up north, check your brake lines for rust. Better to find them now and replace them than find them at the worst possible moment and replace them... and a bunch of body panels.

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I found out just how hard the pins were, broke 2 different bits! The brake lines, calipers and rotors are only a year old, I found out the hard way what salt will do to them. My calipers froze up while coming down a steep mountain but thankfully there was no one in front of me and I was near my school. The body is actually free of rust but the bolts and hardware is another story. I am slowly replacing everything that even looks remotely bad because I do not want a repeat of the brake incident. I am going to take another shot at the hubs this week and hopefully this time they cooperate.

I was finally able to get my bearings replaced and wow, what a difference! I never knew how bad the bearings really were until I drove with the new ones installed. The Jeep hasn't driven this smoothly since it was new. A gear puller was used to pry the old hubs off.