Help getting Wheel Hub off of Dana 60

[skumancer]

Got a 2016 Dana 60 out of an F250. 90k miles. Overall looks great, just needs a good clean and coat of paint. I’m disassembling it to replace ball joints, u-joints and seals.

I’m at my wit’s end trying to get the passenger wheel hub out. It so stuck on one side, I cannot move it. I’ve used penetrant, a 3-lbs hammer, chisels and heat.

many help would be greatly appreciated. The driver side came out easily.



This is the side that will not separate.

 

[Rebuilder]

First thing I'd try is a brass drift (or just a solid steel rod if you don't care about the studs) and big hammer to the 4 studs on the inside of the knuckle. Hit one a few times then move to another and another until you start to see a gap.

 

[skumancer]

First thing I'd try is a brass drift (or just a solid steel rod if you don't care about the studs) and big hammer to the 4 studs on the inside of the knuckle. Hit one a few times then move to another and another until you start to see a gap.

I’ve been doing that, but can only get a gap going on the left sides the right side will Not budge…

 

[Rebuilder]

Maybe hammer the left side back in and then get a bigger hammer and start on the right side?

 

[NatersXJ6]

There is a YouTube video of a guy using the power steering to push a socket over the stud and pop the bearing that way. Understanding you are probably off the vehicle, but maybe you can do something with leverage to make a similar thing happen?

Also, I assume you aren’t trying to re-use the bearings… how much heat have you applied? If it’s not an acetylene torch, it isn’t really heat.

have you thought about popping the ball joints and then taking the whole knuckle to a press? 60-100 tons had a tendency to solve problems you never knew you had! (it can also create problems you never knew you had)

 

[Buddha.]

I’ve done every trick in the book, even using the power steering(not effective at all).
Finally got it off with a big boy oxy acetylene torch and two guys trying to wedge chisels between the hub and knuckle with a 3 pound hammer and sledgehammer.
The bearing was red hot at times and didn’t spin at all afterwords.
It was over an hour of heat and beat per side after I’d exhausted all other ideas.

The knuckle were pretty beat up afterwards but I cleaned them upwith a flap disk.

 

[Walkers]

Here is a video.

 

[Walkers]

You do have all the nuts off right? Sounds silly, but lesser things have stopped many.

 

[skumancer]

Thanks for the help, @Walkers need are definitely off. I did see this video before, but entering in there has been useless…

I did make progress today by doing two things, drilling out the side from the front (threaded side), then using a 3-jaw puller. I’m finally seeing some separation. Bottom right is still kinda stuck, so I’ll need to do some more cleanup…and pulling with the puller, no more uneven hammering from here on out…



Thanks for the tips @NatersXJ6, that’s an idea but kind of difficult to do without space from removing the axle shaft.

 

[NatersXJ6]

As I owned my F250 for about 120k miles and never even considered changing a hub, I’m curious…

Is this stuck because of an interference for part? Or maybe because of rust? I would probably be polishing everything and then using massive amounts of anti-seize when I put this back together.

 

[Raul]

You have the snap ring out, right? They are a pain in the bottom to take out, but they are easy to miss. This is the part I hate about working on the front axle.

 

[skumancer]

As I owned my F250 for about 120k miles and never even considered changing a hub, I’m curious…

Is this stuck because of an interference for part? Or maybe because of rust? I would probably be polishing everything and then using massive amounts of anti-seize when I put this back together.

Rust! There’s a layer of rust on the studs and the flange that goes into the knuckle. It’s insane!

 

[skumancer]

You have the snap ring out, right? They are a pain in the bottom to take out, but they are easy to miss. This is the part I hate about working on the front axle.

View attachment 727038

I’ve checked multiple times because this amount of effort is insane, but yes I did remove it!

I’ve been able to get more progress using a 3-jaw puller. The bottom right stud is still stuck, so I drilled it from the front and hoping this relieves pressure and let’s me remove the hub.

 

[Sheep Shagger]

I had a similar issue on one side, I found that after pulling all 4 studs out the bearing assembly came out easily. I welded a smaller nut to the stud (knuckle side), that way I could get a thick wall socket on it to get it out. I took a smaller nut drilled and tapped it to the size of the stud, threaded it on 1/2 way then welded the center.

 

[skumancer]

I had a similar issue on one side, I found that after pulling all 4 studs out the bearing assembly came out easily. I welded a smaller nut to the stud (knuckle side), that way I could get a thick wall socket on it to get it out. I took a smaller nut drilled and tapped it to the size of the stud, threaded it on 1/2 way then welded the center.
View attachment 727310

Great idea! I ended up drilling the rust-welded stud and then using the 3-jaw puller. Knuckle is at the machine shop getting the stud removed.