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Rear hubs resist laws of physics!

P

Paul A

Alpine Registry Curator
Platinum Level Sponsor
I spent several hours yesterday attempting to remove the rear wire wheel hubs from the project car. 45 years of corrosion have, so far, successfully resisted all laws of physics! I'll make one more attempt this morning with a 6 foot lever on the socket. If unsuccessful it will be time to bring in the "high heat" with an acetylene torch.

So far a slide hammer has not worked. Neither has the hub removal tool pictured in the post by Jim Ellis a long time back. All I have to show for my efforts so far is a set of bruised hands from applying as much force as possible to the slide hammer. A sledge hammer was not any more successful on the Jim Ellis tool.

What a challenge!
 
canuck pride

canuck pride

Donation Time
Bin there , Done that Paul. I ended up using the heat, home made puller and a big hammer. Only a couple bandaids. good luck. mike
 
JonPiz

JonPiz

Donation Time
re rear hubs

If you are not trying it already then try this. When I took mine off I used the puller but just tightening it wouldnt pull the hub out. You have to tighten it as much as you can even hammering the bar round a bit putting as much pressure on the hub as you can. Then with a sledge hammer hit the top of the hub puller but stand clear as they can shoot out and damage legs quite easily.
 
P

Paul A

Alpine Registry Curator
Platinum Level Sponsor
Hi Jon

Yep, tried that - no luck. Will have to go to acetylene I guess. What a project!
 
J

jammont

Donation Time
hubs

I had the same problem when i switched over to 4 bolt hubs....spent a couple hundred bucks on a heavy duty puller off of ebay and beat on the wrench like there was no tomorrow and then pop...she came off.
Just takes alot of persistance and the right tool.
 
Paul N.

Paul N.

Donation Time
Same problem when changing my rally car to wires. Tried a 4-tonne press on one side - total failure and ended up destroying the old bolt-on hub.
icon_e_grrr.gif
Followed the WSM on the other side - worked a treat first time.
icon_e_perfect.gif
 
Ken Ellis

Ken Ellis

Donation Time
Harbor Freight has a hydraulic puller. Haven't used one, so all I can offer is the source. But you wouldn't have to take the axle out to try it...
 
V

volvoguys

Diamond Level Sponsor
Other than the Rootes original Churchill hub puller, no tool works better for this than the Proto 4001 puller, around $75. I've successfully pulled dozens of steel/wire hubs and strongly suggest you avoid heat as it isn't necessary and many a hub has been destroyed in a press. You just have to have the correct tool and be prepared to pound the center puller bolt REALLY hard with a sledge.

Mark ..... volvoguys
 
Ken Ellis

Ken Ellis

Donation Time
I guess I should ask this: are the hubs worth saving? If the serrations are sharp and pointy, or are curled over at the top, then it's no great loss to trash them. A thin slice with the handy grinder and a whack or two with a cold chisel (backed with appropriate mass on the opposite side) and "Bob's your uncle."

If they're in good shape, though, then you're on the right path...
 
P

Paul A

Alpine Registry Curator
Platinum Level Sponsor
Hi again everyone

thanks for the various tips. this forum is the best!

The original wire wheel hubs are off and the "new" steel wheel hubs are installed. What I thought would be a 2 hour job turned into several days.

Drivers side: first side I worked on - hub removal tool like the one shown in Jim Ellis' post from many years ago was used to no avail. Beat the heck out of it, including with my 8 lb sledge hammer. After it was clear that it would not release under those conditions, I soaked everything with Aero-Kroil and went to the passengers side. That was on Friday morning.

Passengers side: again using the hub removal tool and beating the heck out of it, the hub would not budge. Decided to used heat. Saturday afternoon my friend brought over the torch and heated things significantly. After a period of time and some tugging with the hub removal tool the hub released and was free. Stayed on the passenger side when I returned to the project on Sunday and installed the new steel wheel hub. Finished with that side during half-time of the Packers game.

Drivers side: decided to pull the axle and take it, along with the hub to the shop and use the hydraulic press. Remember when I said I soaked everything in Aero-Kroil? Well, just for the heck of it I thought I'd see if the hub was loose. Tapped the hub- did not use much force at all - and it slid right off. I could hardly believe it!

So - was it the Aero'Kroil? Might have been. At any rate both new hubs are installed and the steel wheels are in place.

thanks again for all the tips. By the way, the original wire wheel hubs were badly worn in the splines - junk.
 
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