I am changing the front U-joints on a 2002 Ram 2500 4X4. I have removed the brake caliper and support bracket and the brake disk. The hub bearing assembly has been unbolted. I cannot get the thing to budge. I have spent almost two days on this. I sprayed almost two cans of Blaster on the inside and outside mating seams, since I first got the caliper off. I have beaten on it with a 5lb hand maul, reinserted the four hub bolts 1/2 inch, put a socket on them, and whacked the living govna out of them. No joy. Since the hub bearing does not have any play, I am hesitant of using a torch to try to break it loose.

Any ideas/suggestions?

Thank you.

(All the articles/threads that I have encountered refer to the 1500, mnot the 2500, and reference that the 2500 is more difficult.)

 

My passenger side was a bear to get out, but it was a 1500 (I did a thread on it) I'm not sure how the 2500 is setup differently though. On mine I had a small gap where the brake shield wasn't in the way and I beat chisels and screwdrivers in there enough to get a bigger breaker bar in. It wasn't fun. I've seen articles about people using the power steering system to wedge a socket between the frame and hub, but that doesn't sound like a good idea, and many posts will counter that by saying it will cause extra stress and damage on the PS pump. Maybe you can try some heat, just go easy on it.
Good luck.

 

I just tried using the steering system to try to pop it out. No joy. I also broke a 4' handle on a 10 lb sledge hammer trying to loosten the hub by hitting the bolts from the back.

Time for fire and hoping that I do not kill the bearing asembly.

 

Two cylinders of MAPP gas. Still no movement.

Can anybody suggest anything, besides shape charges?

 

For some reason the 2500 hub assy get stuck. The other truck maker that rimes with FORD. There's get stuck as well. Most of the time the bearing breaks trying to get them out. Not very helpful I know. They seem to get alot of corrosion between the HUB/Bearing assy and the control arm not sure why its such and problem on the heavier duty trucks. Good luck

 

Hey Mangelhaft... I just went through changing both front hub assemblies on my 2002 1500 4x4. I absolutely could not believe how hard I had to smack those things to get them to budge.... but eventually they did. I hit them each repeatedly for about 5 minutes in the same spot from the same angle.. with a sledge hammer.... on the outer flange where the wheel lugs are. I would have figured that bearing assembly would have come apart with that much force.... but they didn't. Couldn't believe it. I had the whole front end off the ground and turned the side I was working on front in towards the engine so I could smack the back of the hub assembly from the back towards the way it would come out.... and got busy with the sledge.

 

Good luck. I just helped a friend replace the entire front steering and suspension on his 02 2500 and the hubs were a major pain. He ended up buying new ones. You can try using an air hammer around the seam to try and break the rust apart with the rapid vibration. We ended up ruining the bolts holding it in by hammering them from the back to drive it out and prying in the seam with pry bar once it started to move.

Good luck.