rear hub removal

[aimlessrock]

am stripping down my rear swing arms and getting no where fast.

Im trying to remove the hubs so i can get to the bearings and removed the rusted back plates etc. Ive purchased a good puller but with drive shaft removed the puller has noting to push against..

If i refit the Drive shaft and put the hub nut on will the bolt not prevent the hub from being pulled off?..if not the puller will surely just push the drive shaft out?

I know i could take it to a garage but I'm determined to do as much as I can on my e30.

any tips would be most welcome.

cheers

[maggspower]

With the drive shaft removed, you can tap, hit, or smash the hub out from the diff side, or use a slide hammer from the outside. The outermost inner race will probably come out with the hub. Then you have to remove the rest of the bearing. I have only ever done this with the arm removed and on a press, and it's not straight forward even like that.

[maggspower]

Your thoughts on the puller are correct by the way.

[aimlessrock]

Thanks Maggs..hmmm perhaps i need to concede that i cant do this without a press and visit the local garage.. giving the bearing and hub death with a hammer is only likely end in me destroying the hub or my hand!

[capnmchl]

Take the trailing arm out.

Place in vice/on bench with hub facing down

Use appropriate drift/socket/bearing shell and larger hammer. Hit the fucker out.

Use a press for the rest.

[capnmchl]

Take the trailing arm out.

Place in vice/on bench with hub facing down

Use appropriate drift/socket/bearing shell and larger hammer. Hit the fucker out.

Use a press for the rest.

[KimH]

I took the trailing arms off and, with the circlip removed, found a short piece of scaffolding was just the right diameter to act as a drift. The hole in the back of the trailing arm keeps the business end in place while you bash the other end of the scaffolding. Others have used a large socket instead but I didn't want to damage one.

I used the threaded rod from an old car jack and a bunch of assorted large washers and nuts to act as a puller to insert the new bearings. They go in easier than they come out but you must keep them parallel to the bore as you wind them in.

The old and new bearings had one chamfered edge so I made sure to put the new ones in the same orientation (can't remember which way the chamfer went so check this as the old ones come out).

[suedenim]

^^^ this. No need for a press. The old inner bearing race is perfect sized drift for final few mm of New bearing. Don't be tempted to hammer the hub back in you'll end up splitting the bearing. Don't forget to refit the backplate before the hub either.