Re: Help! Rear Hub Trouble!

[jeeprisk]

reposting due to the age, recommended...

Hello,
I am having the same issue getting a rear hub off of my cj3b Dana 44 tapered axle.
It will not budge.  Hammer, bigger hammer, puller and have used heat until the puller is hot as well.
Nothing is working.
I did follow previous posts to keep the axle nut on, but the gap is not changing.

Of course, the first side tried it popped right off.

Am I headed to a machine shop as well? 

[jeeprisk]

I am new to this and have no experience.
I need advice on removing the axle from the side the hub is off. 
I have the backing plate off as well.

[Rus Curtis]

jeeprsk,
There are several threads discussing this.  This problem happens a lot.  With the nut removed, do you see the key in the axle / hub slot about flush with the outside or is it in deeper? I'm wondering if the assembly was done incorrectly before you got it.

Some opt for a 5 arm puller vs. a 3 arm puller.  Once tightened down, then hit with a hammer.  Too much heat may warp the hub.  Others noted that after torquing down, smacking with a hammer and cussing a lot, left the garage for the day.  Came back the next day and it had released.

If you want a machine shop to do it, you'll need to pull the entire axle.


Another technique that has some success is to loosen the nut 1/2 -3/4 turn put the cotter pin back in and drive on a bumpy road. 

[jeeprisk]

No the key is not visible.

I successfully got the axle, with stuck hub on it, out.  Used the posts that stated use the drum on backwards.  Then hammered drum/2x4 and it is out.

The other side came right off as well with the drum trick.
Though I did purchase a slide hammer and kit and it's on the way for the seals etc.

Going to try my puller one more time, on end letting pbblaster soak for remainder of day.

Thanks for all of the tips/tricks you folks bring to the table.
*the site isn't letting me upload the pics
jeeprisk

[Chuck W.]

I am new to this and have no experience.
I need advice on removing the axle from the side the hub is off.
I have the backing plate off as well.

If you have the hub, backing plate and retainer off, the axle can still be very hard to remove from the housing. I made an adapter so I can thread my slide hammer onto the end of the axle. Even with this setup, sometimes the axle can be very hard to remove.

Edit: Good work! I went to Fastenall and bought a nut that would thread onto the axle and another nut that would thread onto my slide hammer and welded the two nuts together. Works great, although I have not had a chance to use it on an axle that is really stuck yet.

[Rus Curtis]

No the key is not visible.


*the site isn't letting me upload the pics
jeeprisk

If a PO had installed the key and then put the hub on and then torqued it down it almost always drives the key in deeper and up into the hub.  That makes getting the hub off real difficult - and almost always ruins the hub (cracking).  So, plan on that.  The correct assembly (when you get all of this sorted out) is to slide the hub onto the axle, insert the key, tapered end first so that it matches the curved taper of the axle) and let the washer and nut anchor it into place.

On the pictures, what are you posting from; a phone or a computer?  2 ways to post:  3rd party host like Flickr (copy image URL and post here using the img button) or click on the "Attachments and other options" you see just below the box you type in.  There it allows you to browse ("Choose File") to where your picture is stored so you can upload.

[Chuck W.]

I'm sure you are using the right hub puller, but FWIW, this is the one I use and so far, it hasn't failed to get them off, although a couple were pretty violent when they did pop. This is an OTC tool, not one of the cheap  Chinese tools that will get you hurt. Be sure to keep the nut on the axle and don't get in front of it!   And Rus is spot-on about the key.

[jeeprisk]

After getting the axles out with the reversed drum as hammer, took the stuck hub/flange to an auto shop and they had to use their big puller with air impact gun.  Boy did it "pop" and no one hurt.  Now moving on new hub/flanges and lug studs.  New bearings on the axles and ready to re-assemble.

[jeeprisk]

drum hammer

[Earl Baker]

I believe the correct method of removing the hub is to First remove the key and then remove the  hub from the axle shaft. Failure to do this can make it very difficult if not impossible to remove the hub without damaging it. When installing the hub the hub is placed on the axle shaft First and then the key is installed and then the nut and washer . Use of anti seize makes it a lot easier to remove next time.

[Bruce_W]

  I don’t think the key can be removed with the hub in place. If it can, fine, do that. But it will not hurt to leave the key in place during hub removal.
  Earl is right about the assembly process.
BW