i plan on doing lower ball joints.

Does anyone know if the hub is pressed onto the driveshaft?...or will that just slide off?

 

The hub is pressed onto the wheel bearing which is pressed in the Spindle. The spindle may come out after removing the lower ball joint and tie rod with just a tap of a hammer. Or just rent a hub puller to get the spindle off the axle. I wish I had a hub shark to remove the hub without having to make myself a homemade hydrallic press to take mine off this weekend.
I have to replace my wheel bearings

 

i want to do wheel bearing also...it just seems even more difficult than ball joints.

 

You have to remove the halfshaft nut. Its not pressed onto the axle.

 

kris.
so the hub is not pressed on the halfshaft. great.

is the hub pressed into the wheel bearing?

or the wheel bearing is pressed into the knuckle?
if you see here.

http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.org/...s=&view=normal

the wheel bearing looks like its pressed into the knuckle.
then the halfshaft goes thru the center of the bearing.
when i take this apart...it should all come apart except for outer race of the wheel bearing that is pressed into the knuckle..right?

-joe

 

If you need one simple puller that you get(rent) from the parts store will remove it. It will be easiest if you take the knuckle off the car.

 

You can take the knuckles to a parts store like Napa with a machine shop & they will remove & replace them for you.

 

this part shows replacement uppers.
can the upper be replaced?....i thought i would need to replace the entire upper arm?
i should do the uppers also.


http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/de...QMOK90336.html

 

Oh yeah, forgot about the halfshaft nut. And I keep calling it spindle, not knuckle. My bad. I would recommend renting the hub puller for sure just so it will make it easier. Less grunt work.

You probably will be good with the uppers as they don't go bad as quickly as the lower. I did replace one on the passenger side a few weeks ago and I just bought the whole upper control arm. It was less hassle IMO.

 

for the ball joints you can replace just the ball joint. You dont need to replace the whole arm.

 

Agree with you, but for the price I got for the arm, it was worth it with less hassle to get the old joint pressed out and the new one pressed in. Especially when you don't have 2 cars to use to drive to a ship.

 

excellent..thank you guys.
i'm going to do upper and lower ball joints and wheel bearings.

 

Alright everyone. I have seen many people talk about renting the "Hub Shark / Hub Tamer", but not one mention of where to actually go online to do so...Any ideas, comments or help would be appreciated.

Thanks....oh yeah, I have a 98 VW Beetle, 2.0 and I'm replacing my wheel bearings and drive axles....

 

most auto parts stores rent pullers.

 

i replaced my lower ball joint and i just toke out the whole knuckle and just hit the ball joint with a hammer