mrfixit82852 3 #1 Posted October 2, 2014 Removing wheel Hubs A friend of mine stopped by and asked how is the best way to remove wheel hubs that are stuck on the axles. In the past I had built a wheel hub puller we decided to try. But the transaxle had 1-1/8 inch axles and the puller was to light duty to remove the hubs. So it got me to thinking. How to build a heavy duty wheel hub puller with what I had lying around. I had and old 10 pound barbell weight and a short piece of 1 inch althread rod with a couple of 1 inch nuts. I drilled 1/2 inch holes in the barbell weight to match the holes on the hub. I then threaded a 1 inch nut onto the 1 inch althread rod and welded it to the end of the rod. I then inserted the rod through the barbell weight and put a 1 inch washer in place and screwed a 1 inch nut on the end of the rod. Using 3/8 inch bolts to connect the barbell weight to the hub and snugging it up to hold it in place. Using a wrench to fit both nuts and now it was time to see if this would work. The first hub we tried a little heat. The hub came off with no problems. The second hub we pulled with using no heat and the same results. Hub came right off. I need to say before we tried this heavy duty puller the hubs were sprayed with PB-Blaster all week and the light duty puller wpuld not get the job done. The threads stripped right out of the nut and plate. but this heavy duty hubs worked great with no problems at all. I guess bushings could be made to reduce the size hole in the barbell weight to accommodate smaller althread rods for smaller axles. I will try and attach PDF files to this message for both pullers. Figure maybe someone could build their own. I will try to attach some files for the light duty puller as well for the heavy duty puller Joe Wheel Hub Puller Heavy Duty.pdf Wheel Hub Puller.pdf 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,731 #2 Posted October 2, 2014 Looks good. How did you drill the 1/2" holes in the weight? I hear they are hard to drill. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrfixit82852 3 #3 Posted October 2, 2014 Looks good. How did you drill the 1/2" holes in the weight? I hear they are hard to drill. I used low speed on a drill press with contant pressure.. They drilled very easily. Never even drilled a pilot hole first. Drilled right through with a 1/2 inch drill bit. Joe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daveoman1966 3,762 #4 Posted October 2, 2014 I noticed that, in the last of 3 pdf pics, you have the trans split in half trying to get the hubs off. With a couple of long box-end wrenchs, you could have reached into the trans and remove the 4 (or 5) differential bolts which would let the trans completely separate. At this point, just remove the axle circlip(s), then pull the axles out with hubs still on them. For those with access to a hydraulic press, this is sometimes an easier way to pull the hubs. What you've done would work equally as well. I have made the same type of puller using a HD worn-out 1 1/8" ID Wheelhorse 5-lug hub instead of the 10lb barbell weight. It, of course, is already drilled to the pattern of the offending hub so I didn't have to drill anything. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrfixit82852 3 #5 Posted October 2, 2014 I noticed that, in the last of 3 pdf pics, you have the trans split in half trying to get the hubs off. With a couple of long box-end wrenchs, you could have reached into the trans and remove the 4 (or 5) differential bolts which would let the trans completely separate. At this point, just remove the axle circlip(s), then pull the axles out with hubs still on them. For those with access to a hydraulic press, this is sometimes an easier way to pull the hubs. What you've done would work equally as well. I have made the same type of puller using a HD worn-out 1 1/8" ID Wheelhorse 5-lug hub instead of the 10lb barbell weight. It, of course, is already drilled to the pattern of the offending hub so I didn't have to drill anything. Thats good to know about removing the bolts to slide the axle out. My friend is a member here so hopefully he will read this message thread. I emailed him the service manual for the transaxle. I happen to make the light weight puller many years ago. But it only had a 1/2 inch tread, that stripped out trying to pull the hubs. I redid the puller with a 5/8 thread and double nutted the plate. But did not want to take a chance of using it. Using another hub is a great idea. I just did not have one and figure I would use what I had lying around. The hub never stood a chance this time around. With each crank on the threaded rod the hub moved. Thanks for the input on the transaxle, it just might come in handy in the future. If not for me maybe someone else reading this. Joe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,174 #6 Posted October 2, 2014 Good title, and good write up, someone doing a search on pullers should hit this quickly. So -- since I had just completed another variation on a puller I thought this would be a good place to show it. As with mrfixit, and a lot of us, I just scrounged around in the shop and came up with the materials -- a slab of 3/8" steel plate about 5 1/2" square (4 1/2" bolt circle on hub) five 7/16-20 bolts, a little to long but its what I had, and a 3/4-16 bolt. Set up the mill and drilled the 5 holes to match the hub and drilled and tapped the 3/4-16 threads. mounted ti up taking care to maintain equi-distance on the 7/16 bolts to prevent 'cocking' and hit it with my 1/2" impact wrench. The 2 hubs would no doubt been ones that would have defied any lesser means of pullers - 3 jaw, etc they were TIGHT!! Even when they started moving, they fought till the last 1/2" or so. The bolts were common hardware items and probably wont last but another couple pulls, ideally Grade 8 would be used 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrfixit82852 3 #7 Posted October 2, 2014 Good title, and good write up, someone doing a search on pullers should hit this quickly. So -- since I had just completed another variation on a puller I thought this would be a good place to show it. As with mrfixit, and a lot of us, I just scrounged around in the shop and came up with the materials -- a slab of 3/8" steel plate about 5 1/2" square (4 1/2" bolt circle on hub) five 7/16-20 bolts, a little to long but its what I had, and a 3/4-16 bolt. Set up the mill and drilled the 5 holes to match the hub and drilled and tapped the 3/4-16 threads. mounted ti up taking care to maintain equi-distance on the 7/16 bolts to prevent 'cocking' and hit it with my 1/2" impact wrench. The 2 hubs would no doubt been ones that would have defied any lesser means of pullers - 3 jaw, etc they were TIGHT!! Even when they started moving, they fought till the last 1/2" or so. The bolts were common hardware items and probably wont last but another couple pulls, ideally Grade 8 would be used 001.JPG Yes the 7/16 bolts is the way to go, but I did not have any in house. One suggestion would be to put nuts on the bolts after they are screwed into the hub. This way there is no chance of pulling them out of the threads. The hubs we had were like really stuck on those axles. GREAT JOB The first light weight puller we used rip the threads right out of the plate and nut. So that was made to use a 5/8 bolt instead of 1/2 inch bolt. But I thought the 5/8 bolt might not work either. So that is when I went to the 1 inch althread. It is great to see members posting their photos so we all can share. Joe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jrc0528 20 #8 Posted October 2, 2014 Just a note... I didn't thread into the hub threads as I was worried about damaging the threads with how tightly the hub was stuck. I opted to drop to a smaller bolt, 3/8", and I placed the bolt head behind the hub so that the smooth shank was passing thru the hub threads. The nuts for these bolts were then used on the puller plate end. (Mine was the remains of an old car brake disk) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrfixit82852 3 #9 Posted October 2, 2014 Just a note... I didn't thread into the hub threads as I was worried about damaging the threads with how tightly the hub was stuck. I opted to drop to a smaller bolt, 3/8", and I placed the bolt head behind the hub so that the smooth shank was passing thru the hub threads. The nuts for these bolts were then used on the puller plate end. (Mine was the remains of an old car brake disk) That is what I used 3/8 bolts and made sure the smooth shank was in the hub. No thread to thread contact. Joe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
