Remove rear hub?

VMX · Postby **VMX** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:28 pm

Please...I've whacked this but not budging.

What am I missing...do I heat the hub or ?
TIA

RS2000 · Postby **RS2000** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:48 pm

The hub knuckle is still bolted to the top control arm, & I suspect it is still bolted to the lower control arm too.

VMX · Postby **VMX** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:06 pm

Thanks for your reply RS2000. So best to take the knuckle off then press the hub out? I was following this where he pulls the hub out first.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n23ek3ZIxqc

RS2000 · Postby **RS2000** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:28 pm

Ok, I see what you were doing now. I needed a press to do mine.
Also, it's better to install the hub into the knuckle off the car, because you can support the inner ring of the new bearing from behind, to prevent damage to the bearing rolling surfaces as you drive the hub in.
Cheers

VMX · Postby **VMX** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:07 pm

Have done more homework...I have a press and will give this method a go. Many thanks.
https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=622927

RS2000 · Postby **RS2000** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:55 am

Picture 20 doesn't look like good practise. The knuckle looks like it is sitting on that large socket underneath, so the press force goes from the hub to inner race & through the balls into the outer race. The support should go up inside the knuckle & be on the inner ring of the bearing.

ianoz · Postby **ianoz** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:45 pm

Hope you have more luck than me, but just a warning that sometimes they are just absolute evil b@st*rds and corroded in place. I tried heat, cold, slide hammer , increasingly heavy sledges, massive gear puller with a beefy rattle gun, air chisel, bench press, etc All I achieved was a snapped hub casting.... the bloody shafts just laughed at me... :evil:

After a few wasted weekends I gave up, bought hubs and shafts separately from a wreckers and changed the bearings on them instead! And put it back together with a lot of anti-seize on the splines. :wink:

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:09 pm

It is documented elsewhere here, these can be a real problem. Some separate with only an ordinary amount of violence; others require a 40 or 50 tonne press.

Best advice? Cleary yours are not falling into the 'easy' category, just take them to a decent workshop and get them to do it for you.

:mrgreen:

VMX · Postby **VMX** » Sun Nov 18, 2018 5:05 am

Thanks all, I really appreciate your input. After reading your comments, and a bunch of "horror" threads, and the fact that I wasn't making any headway, I took the complete upright, hub and shaft to Automotive Plus and Dave (many thanks) did the biz. They have a jig and even then the drive shaft didn't survive.

Here's another useful link for those more courageous? than I...
https://www.miata.net/garage/axle.html

The car is all back together now and off for a wheel alignment Monday, complete with new front hubs, tie rod ends and extended ball joints. Track day at Lakeside this coming Friday