The bearing for the rear wheel of my 1996 Caravan failed and got really hot. With a struggle, I got two lug nuts off and broke off the other 3 studs. (I had just removed the wheel a couple of days before and, no, I didn't crank the nuts down too tight.) I got the brake drum off. With another real struggle, I removed the 4 hub assembly bolts.

I cannot get the hub assembly off.

I threaded the top two hub bolts in a little ways and pounded on them as much as I could, and dared. No luck. I pounded at the edge of the base plate of the hub with a cold chisel in the one place I could access what seemed to be an appropriate spot to get it loose. No luck. I beat on the hub with a 3 lb hammer and then an 8 lb sledge. Still no luck.

Any suggestions as to what I should try next? I don't have a torch. Well, except for a propane torch.

Added info: I don't have any air tools or any specialized tools. Just basic stuff to work with. I've tried pounding on it some more but it's still stuck. I really don't understand how it can be that stuck.

 

Well, OTC makes a Hub Tamer tool to remove it, but that's a mere $400. So soak the heck out of it with PB Blaster (NOT WD-40). Got an air chisel? If so, set up vibrations using the air chisel. Vibration and PB Blaster are your best bets.

NEVER use a torch on a sealed wheel bearing. All you'll do is ignite the grease and then you'll really have a disaster on your hands.

 

Thanks, RickMN, but I don't have any air tools. Never heart of PB Blaster, but I see on the web that its a penetrating fluid. I've set up some pretty serious vibrations and shocks with my 8 lb sledge since I first posted but still no luck. I don't understand how or why it can be so stuck.

 

Got it off. Finally!

What it took, besides some penetrating oil (not PB Blaster), was a LOT of very HARD pounding with my sledge hammer. And a lot of time.

The new hub will be here tomorrow morning. Hopefully it will all go back together a LOT easier than it came apart. Unfortunately, our forecast is calling for a 60% chance of snow and then rain and snow mixed and ... yeah ... I'm working on this outside. It was in the high 50s and low 60s when I started this project. Won't get back up to those temps for another 5-6 days. Yeah, I know this is May 1. I also know this is far northern MN.