[s-cars] Tools for pressing hubs and bearings

[Fred Munro]

Tom;

 

Thanks for the tip on the hammer - makes a lot of sense. I'll give that a
try the next time I have to change a bearing. I hardly ever use an impact
gun, but a friend had lent me a big one for the bearing job so I gave it a
go. Ended up going back to the hand-powered tools anyway. They are slower,
but I find I get a better feel for what is going on with the fasteners with
hand wrenches. This is a hobby, right? No rush, no pressure J

 

Good tip, Tom. Thanks!

 

Fred

 

From: Tom Green [mailto:trgreen at comcast.net] 
Sent: July 13, 2011 1:33 PM
To: s-car list; Dave Forgie
Cc: Fred Munro
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Tools for pressing hubs and bearings

 

Fred,

Don't use an impact tool on the hub shark type tool.  It may not say so in
the directions,

but the bolts will not withstand that much torque.  It's probable that you
have stretched 

the bolt already and need a new one.  A cheater bar will over-torque it as
well.  When 

you get the nut up tight but nothing moves, use a 3# hammer to provide the
impact.

Just a tap to start things moving, then retighten the nut and repeat as
necessary. 

This hint was provided by another lister when I got my tool.

 

Dave,

Listen to Fred.  He is the man on this.  Take your strut and determine what
kind of 

anvil set-up you will need to support the strut in a perfectly vertical
position while 

you operate the press.  The slightest deviation from the bearing axis will
ensure the

bearing will not move.  Also, 12 tons is not enough for these bearings.  It
is enough

to distort the frame on many of these cheap presses.  If that happens, you
will then 

have to compensate for whatever angle that introduces to the press.  I hope
you do

not really mean cast iron pipe fittings are your choice for adapters.  Those
would 

certainly not tolerate any off-axis or off-center force without showering
the area with

shrapnel.  You might as well use a hand-grenade instead.

 

Maybe you forsee a lot of other uses for a press and really want one.  Just
realize 

that you will need many other parts to make the press usable, including a
set of 

adapter plates and cylinders similar to what comes in the HF hub tool.  That
ad 

offers the kit at full price.  Never pay HF full price when they always have
sales

ads on their web site and 20% off coupons every day in some magazine or
newspaper.

 

You can use the hub shark tool with the strut off the vehicle as well.  In
fact, this is 

probably the best way to learn to use it since you can't see as well with it
on the car.

 

Don't bother with anything fancy like bearing pullers to remove the axle
stub from 

the inner race.  Just place a cold chisel tip in the space and lightly tap
it evenly 

around the hub and it will slip right off.

 

Tom

 

On Tuesday  July 12, 2011, at 9:50 PM, Fred Munro <munrof at sympatico.ca>
wrote:

 

Dave;

I have a 12-ton shop press with a 3" platen, but when I had to do my front
bearings I went with the Audi "Hub Shark"-type tool. The jigging to properly
support the bearing housing while struggling to position the strut seemed to
be fraught with all sorts of potential for disaster - so I took the easy way
out! As you know, some of these bearings are in there tight. I don't know if
12 tons would do some of them. I've stretched my press to the limit at times
on rear bearings. Even with a 1" impact gun, the Audi tool wouldn't move one
front bearing and I had to resort to a 3/4" drive Johnson bar with a 6-foot
cheater to move it.
If you do get the press and need a larger platen cap, you might be able to
fab one from a 2.5" steel pipe end cap if you know someone with a lathe. You
want things to be square working at high press loads, otherwise pieces tend
to fly everywhere if something lets go.

HTH

Fred Munro

-----Original Message-----
From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of David Forgie
Sent: July 12, 2011 8:28 PM
To: s-car-list
Subject: [s-cars] Tools for pressing hubs and bearings

I need to change the front hub bearings on my UrS4.  I am thinking of buying
a 12 ton shop press
(H-frame with bottle jack).  However, it would only come with a 1" (or so)
pressing "pin".  I know
I will need something much larger, e.g. 3" to press the bearing out.  What
have people used to do
this? (I am hoping for off the shelf Home Depot-type cast iron plumbing
bits).

TIA

Dave F. 


Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:28:10 -0400
From: "Cody Forbes" <cody at 5000tq.com>
To: "David Forgie" <forgied at shaw.ca>,      "s-car-list"
            <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Tools for pressing hubs and bearings
Message-ID: <ECE20255F19244C490A863BF23308011 at Hamilton>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
            reply-type=original

Buy the following instead and to the job on the car in less time for less 
money and not take up a bunch of space:
http://www.harborfreight.com/fwd-front-wheel-bearing-adapters-66829.html

I've used that exact tool in a professional environment about 10 or 12 times

with no issues.

-Cody