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Wed Sep 10, 2003 6:18 pm

The trials and tribulations continue...
I'm trying to pull the hubs on the rear wheels on my '67 Fastback to replace the bearings and seals, and one of them is causing me fits. The left side just slid off after I removed the slotted nut; on the right side, the nut came off O.K., but the hub...I've tried liquid wrench, heating the hub, a 2-ton puller using a 4 foot breaker bar on the end - and all I have to show for it is 2 broken sockets, 2 broken 1/2 inch wrenches, a broken 3/4 to 1/2 inch extension (and a Snap On to boot...), and a warped hub that is still on the spline.
So, to make a long story short, I'm at my wits end. Any suggestions or tricks I haven't thought of for getting the hub off? Dynamite doesn't count...
Thanks!

Wed Sep 10, 2003 7:24 pm

1. If the nut is off use a BIG hammer and smack the edge of the drum. Rotate and repeat untill it pops loose or your tired. Grab a beer, hit it again.

2. If nut is still on then get a nut splitter and crack the nut off then see step one.

Wed Sep 10, 2003 8:19 pm

Here's the rub...it's not the drum I'm having problems with - its the the hub inside it. I tried keeping the drum bolted on to the hub and smacking it off from behind with a BIG hammer - nothing, nada. I also tried putting the tire back on the drum and kicking it off from underneath (yes, car was up on stands); again, nothing. I'm almost to the point where I think I'll have to take off the whole axle assembly and have someone torch the dang hub off...

Thu Sep 11, 2003 12:18 am

Don't smack it from behind man! Bolt the drum back on the hub then beat the crap out of the edge of the drum at a 45 deg angle to the axle (You will find a flat spot at that angle) while rotating it after each blow. This may sound strange but all your trying to do is jar it loose. I have had struggles like that and thats the only way that has never failed. I was taught by a man that worked on ACVW's since 1967 starting out working in a dealership.

Another way the old timers used in the 60's, when their massive V8's would twist their puny little axles, is get a 6' chain and bolt it down on a lug and play "crack the whip". I haven't had to resort to such madness as of yet but I would assume that it would be very effective.

Try the hammer first.

Thu Sep 11, 2003 12:21 am

Oh ya, don't forget to get a BIG hammer! At least 2 lbs.

Thu Sep 11, 2003 1:38 pm

Allright...I'll give it a shot, though it seems a tad counter-intuitive to hit something hard in the opposite direction that you want it to go. I'll try heating it for 20 minutes, hit it for while, and then put the puller on it to see if that helps. I'm not a metalurgy expert, but will a few cycles of heating and cooling help out here?
Thanks!

Thu Sep 11, 2003 7:37 pm

Hmmm...well, I tried the big hammer at a 45 degree angle on every inch of the rim, the butane torch, the puller and cheater bar...and it's still on there. What next?

Fri Sep 12, 2003 5:07 am

Damn. I know what you got, that hub only with the removable drum, 2 bolts right? Seems like the puller would get a good grip on it, better than a solid drum. I'm sure you've lubed the heck out of it, wd 40 or liquid wrench, and it's had some time to soak in, should do it I'd think. Notch up has the right idea, that works good on 1 piece drums, whacking the drum vertical or at a 45 to the axel will break the crust, loosen things up and let the penetrating oil in. But with the 2 piece drum you are loosing a lot of your "whack".Have you ever tried a spray can penetrating oil called PB Blaster? The stuff works better than anything else I've ever used for soaking into places like that (I get it at walmart). I'd spray it up 2 or 3 times a day and beat on that hub where the snout is to work it in, do it a few days and try the puller again. Pull it tight and beat the snout some more to break the rust loose.

Still don't work? I wouldn't try the cutting torch if it's swingaxel, you'll likely ruin the axel. If it's irs it might be worth sacrificing it. But you might try this: while pulling and beating as mentioned above, heat up the hub with the torch, good and hot and take a piece of ice and put it on the end of the axel. The heat will expand the hub and help break the rust, the ice will contract the axel. Too much heat though and you'll melt all the seals inside! Good luck!

Ain't workin on vw's fun???

Fri Sep 12, 2003 6:31 am

This is great! I can see it now..."Honey, I have to run down to the store to get some ice, a blow torch, some lube oil, and a bigger hammer. Oh, and can you get out my blue neoprene Batman suit for me while I'm gone?" The sage continues...

Fri Sep 12, 2003 11:32 pm

These guys are trying to help fastmatt.......Thier ideas sound pretty good to me. PB blaster is an awesome loosening lube. Let it work for you before you break out the heavy artillery.

Sat Sep 13, 2003 12:48 am

Anybody ever heard of ruster looser? I know I'm not spelling it correctly, but it's close. I'ts in a german can. I seen it once in the 80's and when you spray it on it looks like hydrogen poroxide on a fresh cut. it bubbled up and fomed. That stuff worked like no other, and fast! I wish I could find that stuff again.

Fastmatt, I have never lost a battle with grade 8 bolts in the hub (I think clutch bolts will work) with a propane tourch and a 4 pound hand jack (sledge with a short handle). Dont do afraid of killing it, the drums are tough.

Get in those tights with the bug "S" on the cape.

Sun Sep 14, 2003 4:13 pm

Well guys, I appreciate the advice, but...
1) tried the rust buster - no worky
2) bent the 2 ton puller
3) even tried dry ice on the spline
So now what? Well. I pulled the tranny this weekend, and I'm going to take it down to the local VW guys to see if they can cut the damn thing off. It's O.K. though - I learned that I can drop a tranny in about 45 minutes, and I also found out that the shocks are shot in the process. A silver lining to the cloud, or am I reaching here? I'll keep you posted on the latest.

Sun Sep 14, 2003 7:28 pm

I went through the same BS on a 1963 Squareback that I parted out. I spent an entire November afternoon (I think it was then) beating that damned thing. I had removed the brake cable, pulled the brake line, and loosened every bolt from the backing plate so as to alleviate any pressure the shoes were exerting.

Then, I would squirt WD-40 on the splines to saturate it really good. I then got a 6" length of 1/2" black pipe (used for propane and natural gas) with a 'T' connector on the end. I placed the side of the T to the drum and beat on it, working my way around the drum. I would then heat the drum/splines with the propane torch, WD-40, and beat it some more. I didn't have a helper, but in case you do, work a long, large screwdriver between the drum and backing plate. This will take a hell of a beating along with heating and WD-40. Once you can get a screwdriver in there, work so that you can get a second one in there opposite of the first. The pressure of the screwdrivers working against the drum and backing plate will assist you while you continue to beat around the edges of the drum. I did this for 6 hours using wrenches, WD-40, and propane as well as the black pipe with the T connector on the end. All I could figure was that over the years the grease from the axles fused the iron of the drums and the steel of the driveshaft. It was a royal PITA to remove, but I wasn't giving up for anything. Good luck.

Sun Sep 14, 2003 8:34 pm

It's not counterproductive to move it in the wrong direction. Getting it to move at all is the key. 8)

Mon Sep 15, 2003 4:41 am

Well, at least you know how to pull your tranny now...

Thu Oct 02, 2003 6:07 pm

Here's the final tally - had to cut the axle and axle tube in half, after the shop guys tried a 20 ton puller on it, to no avail. Looks as if the hub was spun on the shafts, and would likely never had come off. So...new axle, axle shaft, hub, drum (for good measure), seal kit, bearings...'bout $200, when all was said and done. Back in the car now, and I should bring it down off of jacks this weekend. Thanks for the advice, though...