wake49 18 #1 Posted October 1, 2014 (edited) I am dismantling an 854 and have dropped the transmission. I am working on getting the hubs off. I started with the dirty one, which is dirty as a result of a leaky axle seal (the reason I am pulling them). Yesterday I borrowed a few different two-jaw and three-jaw pullers from a friend's father who owns a body shop. I started with the two-jaw, but didn't have any luck keeping it on so I moved to the three-jaw. I got this one to stay on, but it did not budge past the initial tighten-down. I am thinking of throwing a two-jaw on the other side and seeing how tough that one is... I sprayed down both hubs with PB last night, down into the set-screw hole and all around the axle. I hope letting it sit and work its way in there will loosen up this axle some. Is there anything else I can do to loosen it up? I have a torch; I have read members' accounts of heating the hubs. I have two new axle seals, so I am not too concerned with ruining the current ones. Should I hit the back of the hub with a dead blow to help 'persuade' the hub? I don't want to break the hub, so I will take my time and work a little off at a time if need be. Edited October 1, 2014 by wake49 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmsgaffer 2,045 #2 Posted October 1, 2014 You have to be careful with hammering. The axles are held in the differential with clips and if you hammer it you could pop one of the clips and then require a full tear down. If your puller has a pointed end on it (like mine) i used a 1/4-20 nut to spread the force out without mushrooming the axle. I put it under a lot of pressure after soaking in PB blaster and tapped the hub itself with a hammer. After just working on it slowly (just a small turn) for a while it broke free. However, many people using the jaw pullers break the cast hub because its on there so tight. If you look around people have made pullers with other WH hubs to spread the force out even more. Search the forums for "hub puller." There are many different ideas. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,905 #3 Posted October 1, 2014 This is what I use. Do not pound out on the back of the hub you may pull the axle out of the transmission. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lane Ranger 10,992 #4 Posted October 1, 2014 Yep just like Paul -it use another HUB and bolts and nuts to slowly remove the stubborn hub. The woodruff key is usually flattened where the set screw comes down on it and makes the hub much harder to remove . I did this several times after trying the other methods ! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wake49 18 #5 Posted October 1, 2014 What do you do, tighten down all the nuts (in the lug positions) to force out the axle? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lane Ranger 10,992 #6 Posted October 1, 2014 Yep -you position the hub with bolts on the other HUB still on the transmission. You set the center bolt against the axle . You tighten up all the bolts so all six are firm and then you slowly tighten each of the five outer bolts on the outer hub until the inner hub (hub still on axle and transmission) starts to move and then comes off! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrc0528 20 #7 Posted October 1, 2014 Just a note, you'll do well to use grade 5 or 8 bolts for the 5 outside bolts. I didn't and ended up badly deforming the threads on all 5 bolts, my hub was extremely tight!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wake49 18 #8 Posted October 1, 2014 (edited) I will keep that in mind. I still have to get at least one hub off to do it though... Edited October 1, 2014 by wake49 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bmsgaffer 2,045 #9 Posted October 1, 2014 I would have to imagine there is a member here that has a spare hub to sell you. Check with Kelly or daveoman1966 . I haven't bought one yet, but I cant imagine they are bringing too high of a price. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wake49 18 #10 Posted October 1, 2014 I'm in CT, so if anyone in state wants to chime in, it would be greatly appreciated... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doc724 925 #11 Posted October 1, 2014 Here is the hub puller I had built (since I do not have welding or machining skills). It is super heavy duty and I have not found any hub that will not succumb. It is made from 1/2 inch steel plate with a 1" grade 8 nut welded to it and uses a 1" fine pitch grade 8 bolt to apply the load to the axle shaft. Bolt the plate up to the offending hub with five 7/16-20 bolts, put a 1 1/2 open end wrench on the welded nut. (These wrenches are long enough so that it will touch the floor and provide the resistive force to the torque you will apply to the bolt). Drop a 1 1/2 inch, 3/4 sq drive socket onto bolt and crank away. Because the threads on the bolt are not long enough to completely remove the hub, halfway through the removal process, I have to remove the puller and insert a 1 inch diameter cylinder into the partially removed hub and reassemble the puller. If I had to do this all over again, I would use a 7/8 diameter bolt so it could be used on 1 inch axles. How well does it work? I have pulled 3 sets of hubs. Two sets were real nasty and one was relatively easy. An impact wrench would have speeded up the task. The puller that an earlier RS member made from a hub will work as well, I just did not have a spare hub lying around. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wake49 18 #12 Posted October 1, 2014 I lucked out! I went and tried the hub (with the two-jaw puller) that wasn't affected by the leaky seal, and it slid right off! I am going to bring it to work tomorrow and get the appropriate bolts to use it as a puller. I am stoked that the first hub came off! Another question: I bought new seals and I am not sure which way to install them. They have a U shape, so does the cavity face the transmission or the hub? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wake49 18 #13 Posted October 1, 2014 Thanks doc. I was thinking of going this route if I was unsuccessful in getting one hub off. I was hoping I wouldn't have to go to the metal shop and have them fabricate something. I'm trying to keep this project under $500 for the initial restore, and I am already at $160... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ben06351 19 #14 Posted October 1, 2014 I've had success using a hub puller made from a junk hub. no photo of it but it looks like the ones above. if you can see the key it may help to make sure that it isn't flattened out and jamming the hub. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wake49 18 #15 Posted October 2, 2014 Okay, I picked up the bolts I need. Unfortunately we only sell partial threads in the larger bolts here, so I had to make due with a 3/4" x 5" with a few washers. It has an 1-1/2" stub on it. I hope getting it started is enough to safely use a puller, but if not I will back it out and add a spacer. When you tighten the bolts where the lugs are, do you use a star-shaped pattern or go in a clockwise pattern? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,905 #16 Posted October 2, 2014 I must admit I use a clockwise pattern...star would probably be better (I would lose my place trying a star pattern ). Key is to do it slowly After things are snug only 1/2-3/4 turn on a bolt before i go on to the next one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wake49 18 #17 Posted October 4, 2014 I actually got it to break free with the "hub to remove a hub" trick! It took about forty five minutes of tightening downs bolts, but it came free. Now I start cleaning and priming! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chazm 413 #18 Posted October 4, 2014 Good deal Wake .. love it when a plan comes together Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,905 #19 Posted October 4, 2014 Glad it worked for you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,497 #20 Posted October 4, 2014 Good job,,, I remember how tough they were getting off.. I had a bearing seperator behind the hub and a massive puller out frknt pulling away. The sweetest music to my ears was the "pop" when it broke free. Glenn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
