What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

[saltymike]

I took the old hub off, bearings were shot. Found some new bearings that fit finally and got them in. For some reason the hub won't go all the way onto the spindle. There is a part on the spindle that i'm not sure whether or not it should be there or needs to be taken off. This is my first time messing with hubs, spindles, bearings, axles, etc....I looked at some videos on youtube and talked to some mechanics around here and it seems that I have the bearings installed correctly. Any help is greatly appreciated. I don't know how much longer I can look at the boat on cinder blocks in the driveway. I pin-pointed the 'part' that is on the spindle in the picture.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii193/saltymike123/DSCN2833-1.jpg

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

.....it appears to me that the old inner race of the inner bearing is still firmly attached to the spindle !!!!
Do what ya' gotta to get that thing off there and your new bearings will probably fit.

FWIW....Ed in 'ol Virginny

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

No. That is the inner bearing race and is in the way.
If its not loose then use a chisel to split it and remove it. Just be careful. Time spent in doing this slowly is good time spent.

 

[Whoopbass]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

A dremel tool with one of those little cutting discs will eat right through that race. Be careful and stop before you get to the spindle and be extremely careful around the area where the seal rides.
When I did it I think I had to make two cuts about 1/2" apart and then I used a chisel to separate everything. The race I cut off was the outer one so your going to have a tougher time but it still should be pretty easy.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Looks like it ran dry and galled to the spindle Cut it off but it should clean right up.

 

[rbh]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

do you own a brass drift/punch, wont gall the metal.
rob

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Agree with all of the above.You may try to heat it with a torch and smack it with the hammer.If that fails cutting it off or trying to knock it loose with a punch is next.

 

[saltymike]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Thanks guys! HUGE help. Like I said this is my first time attempting this and I love to do things with my hand and do it myself rather than take it to a shop. I'll try and get my hands on some tools to remove it. Screwdriver and 3lb sledge wouldn't budge the darn thing. Do you think I could cut it CAREFULLY with a hacksaw some and then try to knock it off?

 

[Knightgang]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Yep... I would try to cut about 1/2 way through it then heat it with a torch if I had one available. Just be very careful not to hit the spindle with the cutting wheel or the slea seat area. If you happend to it both, it will not seal correctly...

You should have noticed when the old bearings came out that one was not fully intact. All is not lost though. When you get it off, and cleaned up, I would dry fit the inner bearing to ensure that it is a snug fit and seats easily. If is does not, you will go through bearings pretty quickly...

 

[Knightgang]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

THe problem with the Hacksaw is that you cannot get up to the seal seat. You need to be able to cut across it. You can pick up a Dremel Tool for about $20 at Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot. Once you have one, you will find about 1,000 uses for it if you like to work with you hands... It should come with some small cutting wheels and you can always get a few more for a couple of bucks...

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

If you go with a dremel or a grinder PLEASE wear glasses..... It's tough to work with something in your eye!

 

[Knightgang]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Safety First. Can't argue about that...........

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

I think that bearing race is just to darn hard for a hacksaw, abrasives are your only option.
Its hard so its somewhat brittle if you cut close the race in 2 spots 180 degrees apart from each other and up to the seal diameter and then wack in the groove with a chisel it should split right in half.
A Dremel would cut you some nice precise slots, it might take a few abrasive cut off discs. A Dremel for $20 ? Sounds cheap, maybe plan to spend atleast $50 if you want to decent tool capable of completing the job.
I would use my 4 1/2" Milwaukee angle grinder with a thirty thousandths thick cut off blade and have it off in about 1 minute.
If all went well.

Access to wack it off from the backside looks a bit limited, you might try a little dry ice to expand it enough to slid'er off. Probably impossible to hold the ice on there so scratch that.
Vice grips on there and try to rock it back and forth, if you can free it up enough rotate you might work it off there with a bit of effort.

 

[fjohn]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

on the farm we just get out the torch and then the emery cloth. tone down the O2 so it doesn't blast through to the spindle and you're good to go.

 

[saltymike]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Thanks again fellars. Got it off with a sledge hammer and screwdriver, broke off after about 20 mins of taking a beating. Cleaned the spindle up as you can see in the picture and got the hub back on in gave it a test run, seems good to go.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Thanks again fellars. Got it off with a sledge hammer and screwdriver, broke off after about 20 mins of taking a beating. Cleaned the spindle up as you can see in the picture and got the hub back on in gave it a test run, seems good to go.

Well on the way to becoming a mechanic....

 

[Knightgang]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Good Job. Persistance pays off... glad you were able to get and now you can feel like you really accomplished something...

 

[Shizzy]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Thanks again fellars. Got it off with a sledge hammer and screwdriver, broke off after about 20 mins of taking a beating. Cleaned the spindle up as you can see in the picture and got the hub back on in gave it a test run, seems good to go.

AWSOME! same tools I used to do the same thing on a $50 car on the side of the road when I was 16.

 

[zorak]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

For future reference to anyone else removing a race i want to say that safety glasses are a must for something like this. I agree with the dremel approach.Just be sure to buy the fiberglass cut off wheels,the cheap emory ones will shatter if you flex them too much.I learned the hard way to not just blindly beat on the inner race as i did that once and not only did it shatter but 1 piece went into my knuckle and another piece had enough force to puncture a full can of WD-40 about 3 feet away.Whew! Glad i didn't have the kerosene heater running.

 

[cribber]

Re: What Is This On Spindle?! Can't Get Hub On!

Nice job!!! Sometimes brute force outweighs a shortcut with the dremel.