Front wheel bearing tool

[Hawk321]

Hi all,

which front wheel bearing tool can you recommend and which puller for the inner race is the right one...don't want these bearing "knife" seperator...

Any experience with these two tools?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

What kind of car, what kind of front wheel bearings? Front drive? Different tools for different jobs.

Charles

 

[engineboy]

If you are after a FWD bearing that is pressed in the spindle, the correct tool is called a "hub tamer" or some call it a "hub shark"

http://www.tooloutfitters.net/hub-shark-fwd-hub-bearing-remover-installer-kit.html

 

[Hawk321]

Bearings on FWD with and without ABS...if possible, also bearings with this new ABS ring (Volkswagen).


Hub shark looks nice...any experience with it? Is it universal?

 

[autoace]

Cannot beat the following for the price, works great on most all applications.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=45210

 

[Hawk321]

Nobody? I really like the hubshark and/or the OTC version...but I need some reviews or user experience before I import it.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

i just take the extra 15 mins to pull the hub and do the job in a hydraulic press, works perfectly (as it should).

 

[engineboy]

Nobody? I really like the hubshark and/or the OTC version...but I need some reviews or user experience before I import it.

Ive never used one myself, but have sold half a dozen or so, no complaints so they must work just fine .

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Not to offend those to buy/use/sell them, but i honestly feel that i you have the right tools like ball-joint separators and such then removing the hub takes only a little longer and can be easier. I've used a Klann wheel bearing installer/remover and it took pretty much the same time as pulling the hub and using a press. You still need to pull the hub flange and CV joint, don't take much longer to separate the wishbone ball-joint, track rod end ball-joint and either the shock pinch bolt or strut top mount. I did a pressed bearing yesterday in the press and it was fine.

 

[caper]

I agree with Moose,I usually just pull the whole hub and use the press.Back years ago before having access to a press I got by using a large bench vise and a hammer.Really doesn't take much force to put one in,it's getting the old one out that's a b*tch.Finally realized a few good smacks with the hammer will take out the center and the ball bearings then a quick snip with the torch and the outer race gives up pretty quick.Brutal but sometimes you do with what you have when money is tight.

 

[Hawk321]

Don't have a press here and/or a big vise... to be honest, I hate it to use a press, because you need always a lot of old sockets and other stuff to balance the hub...specially VW is terrible...

So...the HubTamer and the HubShark doesn't need a slide hammer to remove the hub (without press)...consider I've to import these tools.

I don't want to do an adventure like this one here

replaced 100... of bearings...all with a press...(at my old work) but I hate it.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I've done it like that, but with a press, wasn't bad at all. Granted i was at a friend's (extrememly well-equipped) shop which made it easier having all the right tools, but it wasn't a bad job to do.

You'll find that a press can do wheel bearings and LOADS more, a wheel bearing remover/insaller can only do one job.

 

[35mastr]

Any of the hub tamers or sharks are good stuff.I have used them all and own one.The press is what I prefer.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I have found that my Blue-Point hub puller (for pressing out CV shafts) and my Klann ball-joint separator make the job a HUGE amount quicker and easier. I already had two ball-joint separators, but neither quite as serious as the Klann one.

 

[rhandwor]

http://www.ntxtools.com/ Search OTC-6537
Pep Boys loans this tool out. I never asked if it was free but the man showed me the tool.
I have a hydraulic press I use for my own use.

 

[billymade]

There are probably quite a few options out there but here are some USA diy's using home made and a Schley tool (Schley Products 63500 VW bearing puller) and SIR tools B90:

(http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1722551:
http://www.gtishrine.com/wheelbearing.php
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1722551
http://www.samstagsales.com/sirtools.htm#bearing

Another diy using a tool from SIR (Sir Tools Part # B90)
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=80027

SIR B90 being used on video on youTube:

(don't ask me why the guy on the video is using a torque wrench with the puller! LOL! )

SIR B90 tool for sale:
http://www.handsontools.com/SIR Too..._campaign=broi&thissku=18849&site=google_base

More of a universal kit that could be used on a bunch of other applications: http://www.toolsource.com/wheel-bea...mercedesvolvovwaudiporscheasian-p-102083.html

I"m sure there are other tools and options out there... here are just a few I found on a quick "google".... these seem to be addressing the Mark IV chassis but I'm thinking these should work for others as well...

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I had a bearing recently that the 10-ton press at work wouldn't remove. I highly doubt one of these tools would have done the job..

 

[Hawk321]

@Moose

I know those stubborn bearings...at home I could use a heat gun. Anyway, I don't have the space for a press here.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Do what i do, send it to someone with a press! Our 10-ton press wouldn't do the job, so i sent it to someone with a 20-ton press!

 

[vssjim]

I have both a press and Hub Shark and I'll tell you know if you live in a rust area sometime you need both because you can't always get all the parts off for a press and then a Hub Shark is a must.

 

[kiall1987]

Do what i do, send it to someone with a press! Our 10-ton press wouldn't do the job, so i sent it to someone with a 20-ton press!

We have a 50 ton press at work and it was sitting at 20 ton trying to put the outer race out of a hub , bit dodgy looking so at thi point i will weld a ring of weld in the race on both sides and cool it in water and out she *** with a punch !! ive also used the on the car installers/removers although they do work they heavy to hold whilst trying to get them set-up so am with moose take them off , unless its a transit!!

 

[billymade]

Hawk321, I don't know if you are using it professionally, or just a "one time" project but while I don't know about deutschland, allot of the vw specialist parts/performance houses in the USA will rent you the tool, at a reasonable price. What is your situation? Are you doing VWs or other cars... pro, occasional use etc. ?

For the hell of it; I looked in my "official" VW New Beetle Bentley Service Manual and they show the bearings being removed and installed on a hydraulic press (component off the vehicle)!

 

[billymade]

I started a earlier thread about Klann tools: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23680
The video of their bearing tool, has always impressed me; wether it is overkill and too expensive, is probably up for debate! Check it out just for fun! I will say that it makes the whole thing look easy; many seem to argue it is too slow! If you were doing this type of work all day long; it would be nice, though! This tool seems to symbolize and show that German sense of the "correct" way of doing things, without allot of human effort or damaging the vehicle! This seems to illustrate the adage: "work smarter, not harder".
"Ahhh, sooo vee phut the bhearing on eassyyy, yah? Not zho hardt, zee? Vee have veys of doing ze bhearings on ze Volkswagens!" (phonetic attempt at a german accent!)
http://www.klann-online.de/englisch/Filme_E/KL-0039-Serie-Radl_E.htm

 

[Hawk321]

@Billy

home and professional use...all brands. In germany you can NOT rent tools.
VW has some great (original special tools) which hit exactly the form of your bearing housing.
So you don't must search for old sockets and other means.
The KLANN bearing tool is great, but to expensive...about ~3000 Euro.

I want this bearing tool for my private cars...and in my toolbox.

 

[Monte]

@Hawk: If you have a "Matthies Autoteile" shop there you can rent several special tools

like these zugvorrichtungen Silent/radlager for BMW, VW , opel etc. and many others (Federspanner, Bosch KTS teile, Endoskop, kupplungswerkzeug etc.)
3 days 38 - 46.- Euro netto...

If you don`t have a Matthies shop I would try one of the other car parts distributors like Stahlgruber, Carat-Gruppe, Wessels+Müller etc...