How to remove a stuck brake disk/hub?

[rotorwings]

Looking to clean and repack my bearings.

I have one disk and hub off with no issues at all, but the other one will just not budge. The disk rotates perfectly smoothly and there does not appear to be a physical issue, but it will just not come lose!

Any tips greatly appreciated!

Here is a photo of the stuck disk/hub:

[downsman]

Mine just pulled off. How about using the wheel studs to pull it free?
You could make a steel plate or use some angle iron so the middle rests on the stub axle end, and the ends go over the studs. Using nuts on the studs, you could then tighten them until the hub is pulled off in a controlled fashion.

[sjmmarsh]

Or put the wheel back on and give it a good tug. Better purchase that way.

Another trick is to point a fan heater at it for 10 mins while you have a coffee. The races are just an interference fit and it should help them come loose.

Steve

[rotorwings]

good tips. I'd like to make up something as mentioned so that I could use the lug nuts to pull the hub out as described. Unfortunately, I do not have easy access to the materials and tools required at the moment. Good idea though.

I have tried using the wheel to pull on the hub, but it really will not move; not even with the extra mass and force provided by the wheel.

I have sprayed some WD40 into where the bearing sits on the stub axle (in case some rust has formed and bonded the bearing to the axle), and will have another go tomorrow.

[red_slr]

Slide hammer?

[jimmy7]

Hub Puller? Although possibly a little overkill!

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cht240-universal-h...

[rotorwings]

I've ordered a hub puller and will give it a go when it arrives. Nothing else so far will move it.

Also ordered 4 new bearing because I don't know if I trust the existing ones now. Better safe than sorry I guess.

[sfaulds]

If it's stuck that fast you'll almost certainly need a new hub and stub axle - the only times I've not been able to pull them off is when the inner bearing has run dry because the seal is damaged.

[rotorwings]

Okay, I finally got it off with the hub puller. It came of quite easily with the right tool, but left the inner race for the inside bearing still stuck on the axle. This eventually came loose after some soaking in of WD40 and twisting with vice grips.
The axle had some light surface rust between the bearings and axle, this was what bonded the bearings to the axle. After some clean-up with 1200 grit paper, it looked basically as good as new again, and I've fitted the new bearings.

It seems that caterham (it's a factory built car), never put ANY grease on the axle when assembling; leaving the axle completely dry. This caused the inner race of the bearings to eventually bond with the axle. Really poor workmanship.

[downsman]

It isn't just the axle they don't grease. My bearings needed replacing after 12000 miles, because they didn't put much grease in the actual races. They guy who assembled it also damaged the inner seals on both sides!

[rotorwings]

downsman said:

It isn't just the axle they don't grease. My bearings needed replacing after 12000 miles, because they didn't put much grease in the actual races. They guy who assembled it also damaged the inner seals on both sides!

My car has only done 6000miles and I think the bearings would have been in a VERY bad state by 12000 miles. There was not much grease at all, and yes, one of them had a damaged seal that looks like it was damaged during installation. So now I have 4 new bearings and a much better installation (performed by a person with NO experience as a mechanic!).

Everyone should check their bearings I think. There are so many reports of failures and bad installations. Caterham QC is shocking, if it actually exists at all.

For anyone interested, the non-Caterham part number is NTN 4T-L44643-L (matches caterham part 75121). Make sure you get the ones with the seals, which I think is denoted by the 'L' at the end of the part number.