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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    9

    Question Rear wheel bearing - rusted/stuck, can't remove

    Hello everyone,
    Still working on my Dad's Volvo. Thought I got all the hard stuff out of the way (coolant leak, P/S leak, sunroof rattle...), and was going to "knock out" this wheel bearing thing Thursday night. Well it's Friday and still no luck.
    Got everything off around the bearing, and the 4 bolts out the back, so it should just come off right? No ... not after plenty of whacks with one of the largest dead blow hammers I could find. This "persuader" has worked in plenty of other situations for me but not this time. Bearing has soaked in PB blaster (which has been applied repeatedly) for 24 hours. Still nothing.
    Any ideas of what next? Thankfully I have another car to use in the meantime.
    Ideas:
    1) Get a sledge / bigger hammers
    2) Rig up something to thread through the wheel bolt holes (on the hub face) to get leverage and whack on that too

    Not sure what to do next...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    Posts
    1,446

    Default

    Did you remove the axle bolt in the center of the hub?

    Dave.
    Our Most Probable Fate Is Death !!!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Sure did ... Wish it was something as simple as that...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Devon PA
    Posts
    11,409

    Default

    Keep soaking it in PB blaster and give it some heat on the next try (blowtorch).

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    Posts
    1,446

    Default

    Here's an idea.....we'll make the car do all the work. Put the bolts back in that hold the hub in the knuckle, but don't tighten them up all the way. Leave them loose about 1/8" clearance between bolt head flange and back of knuckle. Put the wheel back on the car, and bolt it up. Then lower the car back down on the ground and, with an assistant, start pushing the ass end of the car side to side.....see if the weight of the car will break the hub loose. Once it has done that, then jack it back up and carry on as per usual.

    and give it some heat on the next try

    NO, don't use heat. You'll damage the backing plate, plus you don't ever use heat around an aluminum component such as a steering knuckle. It won't do anything anyway except swell up the hub and possibly crack the knuckle.

    Dave.
    Our Most Probable Fate Is Death !!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    9

    Default

    Now there's an idea... I see where you're going, use leverage of the car's weight to work it off. I'll try that if a sledge doesn't work.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Western Head, Nova Scotia
    Posts
    3,089

    Default

    Did you get the PBlaster in the joint between the bearing carrier and the suspension arm? There are a lot of things going on there and it can be tough to see but if you've soaked it good, try putting a bit of heat on the joint. Perhaps that will allow the PB to soak into it.

    When I did mine, the first few whacks with a dead blow didn't do it, but I used Deep Creep (made by the makers of SeaFoam) and managed to get it in the joint. A couple of good whacks at that point and the thing just fell off.

    Good Luck

    Bill
    Western Head, NS CDN

    '08 BMW 750i (Black Sapphire)-204K kms to-date
    '05 XC70 (Lava Sand)-296K kms to-date
    '02 V70XC-gone @393K kms
    '05 V70R (Magic Blue)-120K mi to-date - gone
    '96 854R (Red)-real CDN-spec 5-speed R - gone @270k kms
    And other Volvos and misc. Euro stuff

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Edmonton,Alberta, Canada
    Posts
    65

    Default

    I had similar difficulty with removing the rear bearings. I ended up fabricating somewhat of a reverse gear puller (a gear pusher) out of some 3/8" threaded rod and some steel angle iron. I would tighten the nuts on the rod to put outward pressure on the bearing and with a hammer run around the circumference of the bearing and little by little it started to inch out and then finally it just popped out.

    Cheers,

    KC

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    202

    Default

    Sledges (2 and 10 lb) worked for me with "Resolve".

    Cleaned with a wire brush and finished with a liberal amount of "Anti-Seize" on both back (where you are fighting) and front (where the alloy wheel centre contacts).
    MY05 XC70: +4C+DSTC +Premium Pkg +Zimmerman Coated+Ceramic +General UHP+Rims +IPD Solid Strut Conv. +IPD Poly Mounts +IPD HD TCV +IPD HDCoils

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    9

    Default Success!!

    Hey guys,
    The winning technique goes to a 10lb sledge and half a can of deep creep. I just kept spraying the joint (as mentioned below) between the bearing and the mounting face. Saw some of the foam come out the sides and kept going. Got inspired and about 20whacks with the sledge later it came off.
    In fairness, this is all I had done:
    Quarter can PB blaster and about 50 whacks with a 4lb dead blow.
    Entire can of CRC freeze off and about 20 whacks with the 10lb sledge
    Then finally,about a half of the deep creep can and 20 whacks with the sledge.

    Best $11 I ever spent. Thanks for the tip!

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