AnExParrot

Among other things, I've been putting coiliovers on my 996 C4S. Since I'll need an alignment, I started looking for other items under there that would benefit from fixing before getting the alignment. The front wheel bearings felt a little grainy, so I decided to replace them all around. The process so far has been fairly straightforward except one thing. When I pulled the hub out of the bearing, the front inner race came off on the hub. I know this is common, but I can't figure out how to get the damn thing off.

Here's a pic.


Practically no gap between the race and the hub.
No place for the puller to get a grip.

Here's the puller I've been using to no avail.


I thought maybe cutting the bearing with a dremel, but am concerned about damaging the hub once I get through the bearing.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

AEP

kdm

This happened to both front wheel bearings on my 911. Took the 1st hub to a machine shop. They heated it and cut it. Did the other a month later - took that one to a different shop . They just cut it and split it apart with a chisel. Took them less than 20 minutes. They just have to be careful with the cutting wheel.

ltusler

Could you dremel slots for the puller to grab? And heat the race to expand it

theprf

Bearing separator.
https://www.harborfreight.com/bearin...set-62593.html

circuit.heart

You have a little lip left near the outside of the inner race - should be able to put a chisel in that lip and tap with a sledgehammer. If that doesn't move it, as others have said you can slot it with a Dremel and it should crack along that line when you hit it again.

allcool

If it were me, I'd Take that hub over to my bench grinder wheel and hit it hard and fast making a flat spot red hot, no more than half way thru the race, should take seconds with a good wheel. Then set it up on the bench supported sturdy, then hit the hot flat spot once, dead center, with a 1" flat chisel swinging a 2 lb sledge. The race will crack and come right off. 5 min job max, most of it will be getting the tools together.

jmo

tommelton

I've had this happen on a BMW E36 M3 - there is a pretty simple solution. Take a dremel tool with a fiber reinforced cutting wheel. Cut a diagonal slot in the race that is left on the spindle. DO NOT cut far enough to get to the spindle. Then, again, stopping early - take a cold chisel, place it into the newly cut slot on the race, typically one hit of the chisel with a hammer and the race will snap at the slot and then it will slide right off.

-Tom

fazm

Don't be afraid to go ham on the race. I built a tool to pull it, but just grinding it and hitting it with a chisel is fine.

Congrats on having everything back together within 40 minutes of clearing off the spindle.

AnExParrot

Bingo. Got this set from Harbor Freight and it worked like a charm. Thanks for the suggestion.

De Jeeper

Right tool for the right job....well done