Removing hub without bearing falling apart

[cavalier1990]

Hi

Anyone managed to do this or know a way to remove the hub with spline without the bearings falling to pieces? It seems the hub locks on to the bearing inner runner(s) and when you have to knock it out the bloomin thing pulls the front of the bearing runner off plus seals with it.

[FatherTed]

For many years I've tried to remove just the hub/ drive flange without damaging the bearing but never had any success. I think that although the hub just taps into the bearing inner races after the new bearing is pressed into the strut, the force of the hub nut clamping the whole shebang together is so immense, it seats the hub so firmly that non-destructive removal is impossible!

[Robsey]

I did always wonder about this bit.

You can press the hub into the leg without killing the bearing...

but very few attempts to press the hub out again ever work.

[planetc]

Forget it, new bearing every time.

[cavalier1990]

When fitting a new one I usually use the old bearing shell in a vice to press the new one home but then have to put the hub in, which pushes the back of the bearing out once it moves it's way through to that section. My trick/partial fix for this is to run the hub on to the first outer part of the bearing. Then put strut on car, put shaft into spline and start slowly tightening nut. You should feel a gentle resistance as it pulls the hub in through the bearing while the back of the CV joint provides something for the back of the bearing to press on to as the hub is drawn in.

Removing the hub without ripping the bearing apart is however another story.