Hub Assembly stuck ??

[eberswine]

Hey ya'all!

Hoping someone could offer me some advice.

I have a LX 2003 Mazda Protege and I need to replace the front driver wheel bearings and thought I would just replace the whole Hub Assembly, bearings, roter and pads while I am at it.

So, this is where I am at:

1) took tires off
2) took hub nut off ( 32 mm nut )
3) took Caliper off ( 2 bolts ) and secured it to the spring and out of the way
4) took roter off, had to hit it a few good wallops with a rubber mallet
5) then tried to pull off the hub assembly -- I broke a puller, tried hammer and then tried a BIG sledge hammer -- but still not budging...
Am I missing something? There are no other bolts connecting the hub assembly on that I can see. I thought it would just slide right off .. I have read some other guys are disconnecting this and that and this to get it off...

Please help. I am sure I am missing something or it is just rusted completely on the spline........ .. ..

Thanks.

[yunvmyegt]

arent they press in?

[eberswine]

I have no clue... ??

I thought I could just hammer it off ??

[Ace]

I betcha the axle's seized up in the hub. does the axle shaft move in and out? if not its gotta take a torch and a BFH.

[eberswine]

Nothing moves.

I just have one side of the car jacked up and resting on jack stands.

hmmmm.

What is BFH ?

I beat the living Shizzle out of the backside of the hub trying to get it out. I even sprayed a full can of PB Blaster too....

dang.

I wonder if I just blast it with a torch for 5 mins or so and then try and belt it with a sledge again.. ??

[goldstar]

What is BFH ?

Big f***ing hammer?

Happy Motoring!

[MazdaNoob]

whole spindle comes off then you press out the hub ..

[eberswine]

So your saying this is the only way ??

It doesn't matter if I beat it with a hammer on the backside.. ?

Will it eventually come off, or is taking the whole spindle out the only way??

I need to get a Shop Manual or Chilton... ?

Thanks.

[goldstar]

According to the FSM, the steering knuckle has to be removed first and then the hub component can be removed by pressing it out. The FSM indicates SSTs (special service tools) to press out the hub. SSTs are also used to press in the hub. Nowhere is it mentioned that a BFH can be used to remove, or replace, the hub.

As MazdaNoob stated.

Happy Motoring!

[pirite]

According to the FSM, the steering knuckle has to be removed first and then the hub component can be removed by pressing it out. The FSM indicates SSTs (special service tools) to press out the hub. SSTs are also used to press in the hub.

Happy Motoring!

this.
the whole steering knuckle has to come off, put on a shop press, and pressed out. you may be able to remove the knuckle, take it to a local shop and have them press the old one out and the new one in for you. they would prolly only charge you $20 or so and you dont have to worry about messing the new one up.

[eberswine]

Does someone have a "guide" for this?

[Ace]

I thought he meant the knuckle coming off. If the axle end doesn't easily slide in and out then he will need a method of getting that out and then the whole knuckle will come off.

[eberswine]

I can't find a chilton or haynes for a life of me.

I guess I will try my best on getting the whole knuckle off!!

WIsh me luck!! I will report my doings!!

[goldstar]

Wheel Hub, Steering Knuckle Removal/Installation

From the FSM:

1. Remove the parts displayed in the diagram in the order indicated in the table.

2. Install in the reverse order of removal.

3. After installation, inspect front wheel alignment.

Photo 1: Diagram

Photo 2: Table

[smokstac]

I think he's saying that the axle is stuck inside the hub and he can't get the axle to push inwards towards the engine so he can remove the hub assembly.

I had this happen on my 97. The right side axle came out of the right hub assembly once I removed the axle nut and gave it a minor amount of force but I never got the left side free from the hub no matter what I did.

What happens is enough water/salt gets into the splines and the splines on the axle input shaft rust to the inside of the hub.

Even with heat and the biggest hammer around sometimes you can't get them to separate. You could disconnect the hub assembly from the lower ball joint and then pull the hub assembly with driveshaft attached and take it somewhere to have them press it out. You'll have to probably drain the transmission to do this since you'll be pulling the shaft out of the transmission to do this.