hub removal

copper hammer no 3 is a useful tool to have

It was one of the first problems with my P38a at the time. Nobody except the main stealer would touch the car ("it's an off road vehicle, we don't work on that" etc etc), so I used what I had at hand... a copper hammer would be nice though.

Def300: i was also afraid of wrecking the threads, but in the end everything looked and worked perfectly (apart of the bolt heads, of course, but even that was quite ok after some filing).

Saint: tried with wood, but it didn't move a bit. I think it required quite some sharp shocks from the hammering to break apart the contact surfaces.

Get some new bolts you stingy sod ! At least.

defender300td1 said:

Get some new bolts you stingy sod ! At least.

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:hysterically_laughi

Don't worry, I've changed them afterwards. Way afterwards

i'v just done the front bearings on mine with the 4 bolts out i just give it a tap probs rust where they join. i hag to get a 20ton press to do mine what a job to get the bearing out it had over heated and stuck

Got the hub off,what a job ,made up a puller 1/2 inch steel bar 2 holes to fit over 2 opposite wheel studs then center hole with nut welded over this to recieve bolt ,which is tightened against end of drive shaft to "pull' hub off.
this cracked the joint enough to allow me to get a chisel into the gap to prise hub off.
Was purely rust that had held the hub onto the carrier,a good clean up before I refit I think,
thanks for all the replies .

alan h said:

i'v just done the front bearings on mine with the 4 bolts out i just give it a tap probs rust where they join. i hag to get a 20ton press to do mine what a job to get the bearing out it had over heated and stuck

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Fortunately I haven't had to take one apart yet, is the bearing pressed equally in both parts of the hub or more one side of one half of a hub if you understand what I mean ??

gog, some also suggest using copper grease on contact surfaces when reassembling. I've put the stuff on, but luckily didn't have to disassemble the hub yet after that, so i can't comment about the success

makes sense chort,
not got the bearing out yet,looking at it can only see it coming out 1 way.

gog said:

makes sense chort,
not got the bearing out yet,looking at it can only see it coming out 1 way.

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One way I thought the hub has to be split in two ???

yes it does ,my mistake not sure on position of bearing ,will let you know when
I get to that stage.
I can see why the whole hub is sold as a replacement now,labour alone in a garage
could be expensive to replace bearing alone.

Yes I spoke to garage with labour it's not worth and some times they get damaged so for a garage it's cost effective to just put hub on .

P38 front hubs can be a right pain to remove. Don't be afraid to be really brutal removing them-I have used a lump hammer and large chisel before now between the swivel and hub flat face. The hub is built like a brick sh**house and will take a pounding, if the face is bruised during removal just dress the faces up with an angle grinder or file. It will be beneficial to use a flap wheel in an electric drill to polish the bore of the swivel prior to reassembly-don't forget to give all mating faces a good coat of copper grease.
I did a write up on wheel bearing replacement some years ago, if you want a copy PM me your email address.