Help me not fail at my wheel bearing replacement

[PranK]

Seriously, everything that could have gone wrong this weekend has.

I'll update the issues I've had shortly but currently the hub and knuckle will not seperate from the drive shaft. I've tried bashing it (ha!) And I now have a 3 claw puller on as hard as I could (like shortly a crap load) and then bashed it again (ha!). No luck. I then left the puller on and heated it up with my propane torch for about 5 mins. And bashed it (ha!)

So the puller is still on. I was hoping that the constant pressure over night might help? After that I'm at a loss.

(Btw bashing it with a heavy plastic hammer so drive shaft and thread safe)

What the hell do I do now?

Thanks

C

[Duncan]

Did you take the nut off?

OK kidding! But put it back on so it is just before level with the end of the driveshaft, then bash that (straight on) with a heavy metal hammer

[PranK]

On 31/07/2022 at 6:13 PM, Duncan said:

Did you take the nut off?

OK kidding! But put it back on so it is just before level with the end of the driveshaft, then bash that (straight on) with a heavy metal hammer

Nut is off but I did leave it there to bash earlier. I'll try my little sledge on the but but it sits recessed into the hub so hard to hit with anything sizely. 

[Duncan]

In that case, leave the socket on there and bash the back of the socket  (hopefully its an impact socket)

Its tricky to give specific advice without knowing the exact setup (which model skyline is it?), but I guess it is something like aluminium on steel galling, so heat and shock are the answer

[joshuaho96]

Do you have something like this to help you push the axle out? 

 

[PranK]

On 31/07/2022 at 6:20 PM, Duncan said:

In that case, leave the socket on there and bash the back of the socket  (hopefully its an impact socket)

Yeah der me. Can definitely leave the impact socket on and bash that.

On 31/07/2022 at 6:20 PM, Duncan said:

which model skyline is it?

Oooh D.. you crack me up 😂

[PranK]

On 31/07/2022 at 6:20 PM, joshuaho96 said:

Do you have something like this to help you push the axle out? 

 

Yep I have a puller on now that I'll leave over night. It's as tight as I can get it. 😞

[White GTS-T]

Hit the end of the puller with a hammer (serious) while it is tight. You'll find once you shock it, you can retention the puller tighter, then repeat the process.

[PranK]

On 31/07/2022 at 7:29 PM, White GTS-T said:

Hit the end of the puller with a hammer (serious) while it is tight. You'll find once you shock it, you can retention the puller tighter, then repeat the process.

I was actually going to ask that considering it's adding pressure. I'll whack a socket on the end so I don't kill the top. Thanks!

[joshuaho96]

On 7/31/2022 at 3:04 AM, PranK said:

I was actually going to ask that considering it's adding pressure. I'll whack a socket on the end so I don't kill the top. Thanks!

Dumb idea but what if you use some refrigerant out of an air duster can upside down to cool the axle instead of trying to heat it? I did that with my rear block heater pipe and it helped it work loose.

[PranK]

Ok, so I made some progress. I managed to get the hub/knuckle off but not before pulling my whole bloody driveshaft out of the diff, but thats another problem.

This is the BMW E90 rear hub / knuckle set up;

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=VB33-USA-08-2006-E90-BMW-330i&diagId=33_1230

And this is the hub / bearing;

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=VB33-USA-08-2006-E90-BMW-330i&diagId=33_1231

My question is, I managed to press the bearing into the knuckle and then I started to press the hub into the bearing (which was seated in the knuckle) and it was slightly off straight, so I stopped and when I took the hub out, it took the top of the bearing with it. Nothing seems wrong with the bearing, just appears to be a cover. It seats perfectly fine back on there and after pressing the hub in again (straight) everything seems smooth and quiet. I have a spare bearing (always buy 2 when you break things as often as I do) and wondering if I should swap them over?

Thanks guys.