doing my first wheel bearing job, i've always swapped hubs in the past.

 

as usual the outer bearing cone came out with the hub.

 

what kind of set up other than a press do i need to remove that?

Hi Gary, actually I just did this same job for the first time today. I happened to have one of those Harbor Freight large bearing pullers and I saw that in someone else's pics so I tried it, and it worked fine. I had a press I never used before so I used that, but I think with the bearing puller, then it could simply be driven off with a block of wood and good size hammer. It wasn't on there super tightly.

 

Thinking about it, it might be possible to lock the bearing into a vise and then pound the hub out with a block of wood? Not sure if that would mess up the hub though.

 

I'm using the Harbor Freight front wheel bearing adapters to do the r&r, those are actually working out very very well.

The HF unit does a good job of removing the outer bearing cone. I don't think a hammer and a block of wood will get the job done.

I would think it would be tough without a bearing puller. With the puller, even a good size arbor press it seems like would take it off.

It wasn't on there super tightly

actually mine came off easily with a 3 jaw puller as well. thanks.

 

i disassembled everything and never removed the circlip inside the knuckle...how did that happen? everything came apart rather easily actually, i assumed that clip should have held something in place?

 

I'm using the Harbor Freight front wheel bearing adapters to do the r&r, those are actually working out very very well.

i have that same kit to reassemble the new bearings...though it looks like my knuckle is trashed inside. pic here:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?p=1117595#post1117595

You need to press the outer race out of the hub, you'll see what needs to come out when you have the new bearings in hand.

 

If you don't have a bearing splitter and a press for getting the inner race off the hub flange, you can cut most of the way through it at a diagnonal with a cutoff wheel. Then use a cold chisel with a rag around it to keep shrapnel from going into your hand and give it a hard whack in the cut. The bearing race, being hardened steel, is brittle and it will crack. Once it's cracked, it will slide off the hub by hand. The key is careful control of the cutoff wheel. Don't nick the sealing surface or gouge the hub.

Hey Gary,

 

That is the outer race of the bearing inside the knuckle. Your knuckle most likely is fine (although the race is now junk). The hub usually takes the brunt of a bearing failure. Once you got the cone off the hub, you can inspect the hub for any major damage necessitating a replacement.

 

I used this method to drive the race off - great care must be taken not to gouge the hub surface. The ABS tone ring is a bit of a nuisance to get around.

The Dremel notching/chisel thing will work as well. On the final removal of the hub race, part of my race shattered - so be careful and wear safely glasses when beating on these things.

 

The outer race will have to be driven out from the OUTSIDE of the knuckle to the inside.

 

Pounding on it will be frustrating at the very least. And for Pete's sake, get the circlip out!

 

This is what you are after....

 

A press will certainly do it..... but I used the HarborFreight kit and an impact wrench to drive it out. A vise was very helpful for stabilizing it.

 

Hang in there man - once everything is in pieces, it will totally make sense what is going on.

 

Just remember the rules change when installing the new bearing - you have to support the races properly before pressing/driving anything.

Right that clip holds in the outer race. There is a lip at the outside of the bearing housing to set the proper installed depth. I accidentally tried to drive that out - but fortunately it won't move! The slightly smaller size adapter is needed, then it drives out pretty easily.

 

A three jaw puller, good idea, it does seem like that would work! I had only a really small one that wouldn't fit on the hub.

Took most of what my 20 ton press was capable of mustering to press out the outer race from the knuckle... sometimes they are tight, sometimes they are damn tight!