Can't get front hubs off

[NacsMXer]

I got everything stripped down to remove the front hubs, but they won't budge! I zipped the castle nut off no problem with an impact but the hub is like frozen on the spindle shaft. It spins freely of course but won't slide off.

I sprayed PB blaster in between the spindle shaft and the brass collar in the hub. It's soaking at the moment. I tried hitting the backside of the hub with a rubber mallet as hard as I could but I get no movement.

I just had the idea of bolting the wheel/tire back onto the hub and kicking it from the back?

Anybody have this problem before that can offer some tips? Thanks.

[gtt416ex]

one of your bearings is probably froze to your spindle. the pb blaster should work. i had that problem when i tore mine apart i just kept working at it and it came off

[fishnfergie]

Get a puller, like one used to take pulleys off of cars and such. Put one end on the center on the spindle and then the arms of the puller on the hub and tighten it down. If it wont come out leave it tight and hit the hub with a hammer. Then tighten it a little more and whack it again. Repeat until it comes off.

[Honda#4]

X2 what Fish said I had to do the same thing to mine.

[NacsMXer]

Ok thanks for the suggestions :)

This mofo won't budge. I bolted the wheel back up and whacked it with a deadblow hammer a thousand times but no luck. Then I kicked the crap out of the tire as hard as I could but again no go. I seriously felt like I was going to break something lol. This is just one side too, dang.

I thought about rigging up a puller somehow, that sounds like the ticket. Would a 3 jaw or 4 jaw work best?

[extremetrucker]

try to get the seals wrecked enough to get the pb blaster inside there and penetrate, then use the puller method, but i would make sure your getting that stuff onto the spindle shaft, or your next problem will be that the bearing stays on the shaft and your hub comes off the bearing, then you wont have anything to hit. but then you can always blow the remaining bearing off with a torch....carefully thats how i had to do a buddy's r one time. remember, nev-r-sieze is your friend

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by extremetrucker
try to get the seals wrecked enough to get the pb blaster inside there and penetrate, then use the puller method, but i would make sure your getting that stuff onto the spindle shaft, or your next problem will be that the bearing stays on the shaft and your hub comes off the bearing, then you wont have anything to hit. but then you can always blow the remaining bearing off with a torch....carefully thats how i had to do a buddy's r one time. remember, nev-r-sieze is your friend

Thanks for the tips. I'm using a combo of compressed air and PB to try to force it's way in there. I also pried back on the seals with a small pick and shot the PB blaster in there too. Man I wish there was antiseize in there, I use that stuff on everything. These are the stock Honda hubs, just never been off before. They're too darn chincy with the grease, just like everywhere else on the quad from the factory :mad:

[Honda#4]

I used a 3 jaw puller from craftsman, it is definently work to get it off thats for sure I thought mine would have broke too but the hubs are quite tough. I had nicks in mine when I got done though.

[tide2085]

i used a puller to get mine off and they came right off but i dont remember what size puller i used

[tayyo789]

i stuck mine in the oven for about 20 minutes and they came right off. i was already replacing the seals and bearings though

[jdog75]

all i did for mine was unbolt the rotor and move it away as best as i could and went to town with a hammer an it came off n less than 5 minutes

[NacsMXer]

Thanks for the other ideas so far! Good to have options :)

I found my pullers and tried to rig them up to the hub.

I have a 3 jaw inside/outside puller, but it wouldn't line up right to the hub. I could get 2 of the 3 jaws on in between the hub's 4 "fingers". But the 3rd jaw lines square up with the wheel stud itself (nothing to grab onto).

Then I switched to a big 2 jaw puller I have. I have it positioned in the middle between the hub's fingers/studs. I got a whole millimeter of movement so far haha. Only problem is I can only tighten it so far before one of the jaws starts to slip off then I have to start all over. I am thinking about maybe using a big hose clamp to keep the 2 jaws together and prevent it from slipping off.

Here is a pic to show how I have it set up. Please tell me if I should have it on differently. On the left is the 3 jaw puller and how it doesn't line up and on the right is how I have the 2 jaw puller right now.
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/4371/forsale012a.jpg (http://img6.imageshack.us/i/forsale012a.jpg/)

[NacsMXer]

Right now I have the 2 jaw puller on it just sitting under static tension. I just checked on it and it didn't pop off.

Here's my 3 jaw puller that doesn't line up (do I need a bigger one?)
http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/4439/dsc0180v.jpg (http://img710.imageshack.us/i/dsc0180v.jpg/)

And the big boy 2 jaw I have on it now
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/1979/dsc0181.jpg (http://img718.imageshack.us/i/dsc0181.jpg/)

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/7206/dsc0182l.jpg (http://img199.imageshack.us/i/dsc0182l.jpg/)

[rocky_mtn_honda]

being careful, throw a little mapp gas or propane torch at it just to warm it up a little. bet it helps :p
or see if theres anything you can fab up that will be strong enough to put behind the hub that will allow you to pull it more uniformly, and not have to worry about your jaws slipping.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by rocky_mtn_honda
being careful, throw a little mapp gas or propane torch at it just to warm it up a little. bet it helps :p
or see if theres anything you can fab up that will be strong enough to put behind the hub that will allow you to pull it more uniformly, and not have to worry about your jaws slipping.

Yeah I bet that would help a bit for sure. I'm not the best with applying fire/heat though lol. I don't have the experience and I don't want to mess something up.

I can't see why this hub would put up too much of a fight as long as I can get a good grip on the puller's jaws. It's not like I have taken my quad through mud bogs and water crossings in the past. This is a MX only quad that gets a little muddy at the most and washed off with low pressure water after every ride. I love how in the service manual they make it seem so easy like it just slides right off haha :scary:

I'm gonna try rigging up a hose clamp like this. I think I saw them use this one time on horsepower tv or one of those shows.
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/264/post761248739462.jpg (http://img189.imageshack.us/i/post761248739462.jpg/)

[fishnfergie]

I have a puller, (kind of like the crank case tool for atv's) That actually bolts on to the wheel studs by chance and it popped off with a little bit of persuasion.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by fishnfergie
I have a puller, (kind of like the crank case tool for atv's) That actually bolts on to the wheel studs by chance and it popped off with a little bit of persuasion.

Gotcha i've seen that type before but all I got is the jaw type.




Well I worked on it a little more today while letting it sit tight on the hub all night. I started to get some movement on it and thought it was finally coming off. But I look on the backside of the hub, and CRAP, the whole bearing is starting to pull right out of the hub :eek2:

Should I keep going and leave the bearing stuck on the spindle shaft now? Or should I stop and apply heat to the bearing or something? This sucks! And I really appreciate all the help so far, you guys rock!
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/7228/dsc0184de.jpg (http://img687.imageshack.us/i/dsc0184de.jpg/)
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/3550/dsc0183ed.jpg (http://img697.imageshack.us/i/dsc0183ed.jpg/)

[Ntensweapon]

I feel your pain. I had on stuck last winter. I used every method mentioned here to great lengths. I broke 3 pullers and 1 rubber mallet. Everyone kept saying to not give up "keep beating on it. It'll go". I had to take mine to the engine shop and have it pressed out. He thought I was being a wuss. Until he saw how hard the press worked to get it out. Always an option. Good luck.

[fishnfergie]

I would take it off and cut the bearing off its really easy if you have a dremel or a small die grinder.

I had to cut one off of my truck that did what is happening here; and it took 15 minutes to cut the old bearing off.

[f4istunna]

I had this problem a few times. I didnt have the right type of puller on hand so just used one of those balljoint forks behind the hub and pry against spindle. The one i had fit nice and is tapered so as the hub slides off you can still maintain pressure on it. I left the castle nut on spindle and smacked it with a hammer came off fairly easy for me each time ive tried. This is after it I already sprayed it w/ pb blaster and let sit for an hour or 2

[buildinitnow]

Use a HEAVY DUTY punch, place the tip in the allen head bolt that holds the rotor on (backside of hub). Hit it with your BFH (big f'n hammer). Hit it a couple times on that bolt, then rototate and repeat until its off. Its the only "safe" way I know how to do it. New bearings are $18 if it stays on the spindle, then remove it with a dremel, again its the only way I know how to get them off, unless you have a torch where you can heat it up and remove it.

You'll most likely need to remove one of the tie rod ends so you can turn the spindle in a direction to where you can have easy access to the bolts.

Also you can use some of that petro or liquid mechanic lube to get in there and loosen some of that rust. You wouldn't believe the work that stuff can do.


---> WEAR SAFETY GLASSES <---

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by buildinitnow
Use a HEAVY DUTY punch, place the tip in the allen head bolt that holds the rotor on (backside of hub). Hit it with your BFH (big f'n hammer). Hit it a couple times on that bolt, then rototate and repeat until its off. Its the only "safe" way I know how to do it. New bearings are $18 if it stays on the spindle, then remove it with a dremel, again its the only way I know how to get them off, unless you have a torch where you can heat it up and remove it.

You'll most likely need to remove one of the tie rod ends so you can turn the spindle in a direction to where you can have easy access to the bolts.

Also you can use some of that petro or liquid mechanic lube to get in there and loosen some of that rust. You wouldn't believe the work that stuff can do.


---> WEAR SAFETY GLASSES <---

I'm sure that works, but won't that mess up the hex hole in the rotor bolts? I'm trying to save those so I can reuse them.

I haven't worked on it since I posted the last picture. At this point it looks like the hub will pull off, but the bearing will be left stuck on the spindle. If I get lucky, I may be able to soak the bearing in PB blaster and pull it off with the puller if I can get the jaws to grab onto it. If not, I will probably do like fishnfergie mentioned, and cut the bearing in half with a Dremel.

[CJM]

A bearing or steering wheel puller would work sooo much better for this.

This: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=37824

Or This: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=1752

[buildinitnow]

Originally posted by NacsMXer
I'm sure that works, but won't that mess up the hex hole in the rotor bolts? I'm trying to save those so I can reuse them.

I haven't worked on it since I posted the last picture. At this point it looks like the hub will pull off, but the bearing will be left stuck on the spindle. If I get lucky, I may be able to soak the bearing in PB blaster and pull it off with the puller if I can get the jaws to grab onto it. If not, I will probably do like fishnfergie mentioned, and cut the bearing in half with a Dremel.


That won't mess up those allen head bolts. I've done it many times.

[NacsMXer]

I just got back from a snowmobiling trip so I was able to work on the hub some more.

I used the 2 jaw puller to completely pull the hub off the spindle. The bearing completely pulled out of the hub and was left stuck on the spindle shaft.

At this point I was able to fit up my 3 jaw puller with its jaws firmly behind the bearing (note I had to cut off the inner dust seal with wire cutters first to be able to grab onto the bearing). I then took my handy little pencil torch and heated up the inner race of the bearing real good.

I then started tightening the puller until I heard a freakin loud pop sound. I thought I broke the puller threads in half, but it was the sound of the bearing starting to move a bit. After one more loud pop sound the bearing finally came off.

I worked on the other hub today expecting the same ordeal but wouldn't you know it, it just slid right off like nothing....weird. It was laughable how easy the other front hub came off :p

Thanks again for all the help! Grease FTW :scary: