TheSamba.com :: View topic - Rear wheel hub issues

Sat Feb 05, 2005 4:12 pm

I’m posting this to the Beetle and Ghia forum since it can apply to both, and I can use all the help, ideas and suggestions I can get. Basically, one of my rear brake drums is frozen on the splines and I cannot get it to budge. Here is the basics: 73 Ghia that set in a garage for the last 25 years. Here is what I’ve done:

1. Borrowed a 4 lug hub puller from a local VW guy. Ripped that tool to shreds – gotta figure out what I’m gonna tell him later.
2. Been soaking the spline with PB Blaster for the past 1.5 month.
3. Heated it with torches till the center of the hub is glowing.
4. Bought a $250 3-point, 13 ton gear puller and cranked it down till I couldn’t crank further.
5. Kept the gear puller in place with the tension applied and heated it till glowing again, crank on the puller some more, beat it with a BFH, swore a whole lot. Still, NO GO.
6. Come inside, mix a drink, post to the Samba forums.

Before you ask, yes, I took the axle nut off before I did all of the above. So, there is my dilemma. I welcome any ideas, thoughts, suggestions or any new swear words that have helped people in the past.

Thanks,
Ed

Sat Feb 05, 2005 4:23 pm

The drum is expendable maybe you could cut it in half.

another slightly more involved option would be to replace the entire trailing arm. I'll bet after you get the thing off the stub axle and bearings are going to be trash anyway. PM me if you want a whole rear trailing arm I have some.

Sat Feb 05, 2005 4:27 pm

Yeah, I've already bought new drums for the car, but how would you cut the drum in half and save the spindle? Would cutting torches do this without trashing the spindle?

Sat Feb 05, 2005 4:38 pm

After heating up the axle, did you try tapping both the drum & axle with a hammer? That may help dislodge it from the splines. You can also try heating it up again while using the drum puller.

Sat Feb 05, 2005 4:54 pm

I've heated this thing at least 7 or 8 times and beat it anywhere my hammer would hit. Still no luck.

Sun Feb 06, 2005 2:56 pm

since the drum is just cast iron, a sawzall or band saw and 6" or 4" grinder would cut it off and allow you to "split it" off the axle at some point. Even then replacing the stub axle is not a big deal.
After sitting for 25 years :shock: and all the heat you put on it I would for sure be repacking the bearings and replacing the seals anyway, which would require removing the stub axle anyway. I have plenty of those too if you want one.

Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:32 pm

Quote: Basically, one of my rear brake drums is frozen on the splines and I cannot get it to budge

Sure it's the stub axles frozen to the spline or are the shoes frozen to the drum? Could be a combination of both.
With the cv's and axle removed, hit the end of the stub axle with a BFH and see if it will drive it through the drum and out of the trailing arm. Might be easier than pulling the drum off. Stub axles are easy to find if you waste the threads.

Sun Feb 06, 2005 11:39 pm

Nothing like having a good BFH in your tool box!
I have several. Although we always referred to them by class....

Like class 1 for light duty, class 2 for intermediate beating , and the granddaddy class 3 for stuff that wont let go or really pisses you off...

good luck with stub axle