Help - anyone press a wheel bearing out ?

[3VOM]

Anyone have the ability, or know someone who has, to press out a hub and wheel bearing on a Mk3 Golf ? Around Stockport area. Hub is a stupid shape so it needs the necessary bits to support it, otherwise I could get a neighbour to do it for me. Only quote I've had so far is not cheap.

[Lacquer Peel]

Any garage if you remove the hub.

[lisbon_road]

Like LP says.  Last ones I did, I got the local engine rebuilders to do it.  Just dropped in and they did it straight away with a hydraulic press.  Gave them £10 but they didn't look like they expected it.

 

Generally easier to get the new ones in as you can clean everything up nicely.  Getting the old ones out is more difficult as you need to start them moving.

[3VOM]

Like LP says.  Last ones I did, I got the local engine rebuilders to do it.  Just dropped in and they did it straight away with a hydraulic press.  Gave them £10 but they didn't look like they expected it.

The place I asked wanted £40 and that is probably without VAT, hence me raising the issue. If someone can do it for £10 cash fine but both me and my neighbour (who is a car mechanic) appear to have dismissed the chances of a "local garage" doing any better than we can with a hydraulic press. It will either need a garage who has a selection of press tools or an engineering type place with the right kit. I have some more ideas of suitable candidates and places to ask now though.

It's just very annoying too as I did the rear bearing on a drum braked car only last Saturday without any real issues. Come to do this front bearing and it's all gone Pete Tong.

[lisbon_road]

OK I must be missing something here sorry.......

[steveo3002]

they dont need specialist tools ....as above ive had a few done but choose a grubby back street place that doesnt mind a cash job

 

what you /they need to do is

 

bash the drive flange out of the hub/strut...the bearing will fall apart and leave the inner on the drive flange and the outer in the hub

 

use a bearing seperator /grinder/chisel to remove the inner race from the drive flange 

 

press /hammer out the outer

 

press in the new bearing and then support the inner race so you dont damage it while pushing in the drive flange , you can use the old bits or a big socket , theres nothing special needed other than the force to fit it

 

 

 

its nothing special at all...can be done at home with hammers and a big vice , but its worth a tenner to get it pressed in

[steveo3002]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23Pc-Front-Wheel-Drive-Bearing-Removal-Installation-Tool-Kit-UK-/281893119968?hash=item41a223a7e0:g:hPMAAOSwJcZWe42c

 

ive also done them with this kit ....

[steveo3002]

and once its done idealy needs the camber re set /checked ....or at least try to mark it before taking it apart 

[M'coli]

The bearing is fucked, yes? The cv joint is out, too? Have you tried the cure-all of all stuck things, Dr. Heat & The Big Club? Basically, heat the fucker up (if it's off of the car then a cut-down bean can with some meths/aftershave in it can do the trick) and a big fuck-off plying hammer will shift most things. The trick is to pour water on the thing you're trying to shift inside the hub after it's all got hot as this makes it shrink and it's easier to get out.

[twosmoke300]

Another trick if you are pressless is to knock the hub out the middle with a hammer and suitable socket .

Then pick all the bearings and cage out , clean the grease off then run several beads of weld around the inside of the old bearing outer race . Then leave it to cool and the race will fall straight out .

Then get the grinder to the inner race that's stuck on the hub . Grind it down wafer thin then use a chisel behind it and it will crack in half and slip off

 

WEAR GOGGLES

[Dave_Q]

I've got one of these you can borrow, in Huddersfield so not too far away.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23PC-FRONT-CAR-WHEEL-BEARING-REMOVAL-INSTALLATION-TOOL-KIT-GARAGE-MECHANIC-SET-/301674917600?hash=item463d39eee0:g:thUAAOSwjVVVkTZq

 

You still have to smash the hub out with Mr Big Hammer but the kit can pull out the old bearing and press in a new one, worked a treat on my Berlingo.

[spartacus]

What twosmoke300 said, works every time.

[Junkman]

The place I asked wanted £40 and that is probably without VAT, hence me raising the issue.

 

I'm surprised they didn't ask "486.34 plus VAT, M8" in Stockport.

If you want to get something done, you need to take it to any place OUTSIDE of Stockport, and if it is merely 10 yards outside of it.

Stockport has been fully taken over by the tweakers now.

[twosmoke300]

What twosmoke300 said, works every time.

60% of the time it works every time !

[scaryoldcortina]

The problem with doing golf ones is the utterly, utterly STUPID shape of the hub stopping you getting the thing square on the press. MK4 ones are even worse.

[twosmoke300]

Even better are the vag ones with the abs ring that forms a cage around the inner race on the hub . Stops you getting the grinder into it 

[Minimad5]

That welding trick / tip works a treat, as had to do just this at work, where you could not get any pullers etc onto the inner race - Queue a bit fat arc welder and some guesswork.
 

[3VOM]

OK I must be missing something here sorry.......

It's more the how to support it while removing the bearing than removing the bearing.( I've removed bearings and other things over the decades in various ways, including kingpins on a 2CV) I'd rather use a press but however I do it, it has to be supported safely and firmly while press/hammer/whatever is applied.

Thanks for all the suggestions and link though, I will get it sorted someday soon.

[3VOM]

The problem with doing golf ones is the utterly, utterly STUPID shape of the hub stopping you getting the thing anywhere close on the press.

More like it.

Thanks.

[3VOM]

Update: found a piece of "I" beam which together with various lumps of wood as support has allowed me to 1 knock out the hub leaving part of the race stuck to it as predicted by Mr twosmoke. Duly attacked with grinder, I removed it leaving only one small nick in the hub. Part 2 involved the tedious and careful drifting out of the old bearing. Apart from the disc shield, I am ready to re-assemble.

I think someone mentioned alignment after doing this. Don't worry - it will need it as I am also having to replace the top mounts on the suspension struts on both sides.