Need to change rear wheel bearing, but...

[audiophool]

A picture is worth how many words? Need to get this off to R&R the wheel bearing. Ideas?

[Clavurion]

Have you tried any tools like rotating wire brush to see what reveals out there? At this point it looks like some heavy grinding is needed and the splines can be so rusted that you need to remove the whole shoulder axle with drive shaft first.

[SirHiss]

Holy moly! Do you live in the sea?

[X5chemist]

Getting the nut will be hard part. A sliding hammer can be used. The entire hub will come off though. A jaw claw may not work unless it's a very big one.

[audiophool]

Originally Posted by SirHiss

Holy moly! Do you live in the sea?

Ha! Actually, Calgary AB. 3300' elevation and dry af here. Car is local too, and otherwise rust-free. But they do salt the roads.

[audiophool]

Originally Posted by Clavurion

Have you tried any tools like rotating wire brush to see what reveals out there? At this point it looks like some heavy grinding is needed and the splines can be so rusted that you need to remove the whole shoulder axle with drive shaft first.

Tried chipping at it with a cold chisel and hammer and it's all pretty solid. Those flakes on the OD of the hub are rock solid too.


I do have a replacement hub and bearing, so I'm prepared to sacrifice the entire thing. Maybe cut it 180 degrees apart with an angle grinder and split it.

[audiophool]

Originally Posted by X5chemist

Getting the nut will be hard part. A sliding hammer can be used. The entire hub will come off though. A jaw claw may not work unless it's a very big one.

True, except there's no nut left, just the flange against the hub face and whatever is bonded/oxidized to the CV shaft. I got a new hub and bearing as a set from Rock Auto. The only upside is the wheel bearing bolts to the suspension upright rather than a press fit.


I was going to try drilling alongside the CV shaft notch and see if I could split it with a cold chisel, but...

[audiophool]

This project may have to wait until nicer weather so I can have some outdoor swinging room. Right now there's a foot of snow on the ground and 4" of ice on the driveway. Garage is full of motorcycles and my daily driver 535xi - and I hate scraping frost off windows in the morning.

[Clavurion]

You can try to cut the nut with dremel on opposite sides not going all the way to the threads and then use impact hammer (or chisel) on the groove to split the nut. Then you see if there's any hope trying to separate hub and drive shaft without cutting the hub and drive shaft into pieces.

[audiophool]

Originally Posted by Clavurion

You can try to cut the nut with dremel on opposite sides not going all the way to the threads and then use impact hammer (or chisel) on the groove to split the nut. Then you see if there's any hope trying to separate hub and drive shaft without cutting the hub and drive shaft into pieces.

Because I have a new hub, I'm willing to cut through the hub as I delve down to the nut. Hoping the CV splines aren't equally crusty. Otherwise I'll have to get a gas welder with a blue-tipped wrench over to play with it.