Stuck wheel bearings!

[farmer]

The wheel bearings on my Dana 44 front mangled themselves, had to torch and chisel the inner locknut off, now the inner race on the outer bearing is stuck. Heated it up with the torch, tried cutting it and putting the air hammer to work, still won't budge.

What would you guys try? The 44 is the same bearing setup as a 35. I'm at my wits end on this. Trying to save the hub and rotor, spindles pretty trashed at this point. I do have spares

 

[Spott]

Double checking here: do you have the axle shaft out of the housing, or is the stuck bearing holding it in?

If you have the axle shaft out, and the bearing race is stuck on the shaft, then just slot 90% of the way through the race with a dremel or grinder, with a cut-off wheel. Smack the slot with a cold chisel or large screwdriver, and the bearing race will split and loosen.

If it doesn't split, then cut all the way through. It will mar the bearing surface, but only slightly. It will still be usable even with that little cut in it.

Unless I'm confused, which is entirely possible.

 

[farmer]

Axle shaft is inside the spindle, bearing rides on the spindle

 

[Spott]

Okay, I did myself a favor and looked up an exploded diagram.

Let's see if I have it figured out now: you took off the rim and hub and locknut and adjusting nut, and the bearing is stuck on the spindle, holding everything else together.

Uhm. That's a tough one. You mentioned heat and force, have you applied plenty of penetrating oil?

Unfortunately, the heat of failure probably softened the bearings. Maybe you can shatter some bearing parts, or grind the lip off the inner race, or somehow destroy or remove the bearing cones.

 

[muzzlestuffer]

i'm assuming you tried to hit it from the backside of the rotor with a rubber mallet or a sledge and a piece of wood?

 

[farmer]

I put the sledge right to the rotor and it won't budge. Torching off the nuts that hold the spindle to the knuckle and ripping the whole mess off. Picked up another axle for parts for $100. Such a pain in the ass sometimes.

 

[FritzTKatt]

You're going to have a hell of a time getting the spindles off with the rotor still on there...

Tried a slide hammer? Might be able to rig one up to a pulley puller or bearing puller. I'd put a slice down that old race with a .045 wheel and then whack it with a 1/2" cold chisel, do the same on the other half of it. You won't have to even cut all the way through and touch the spindle face.

Then replace the spindle if needed...

 

[adsm08]

Try driving on it.

 

[muzzlestuffer]

sounds like you got them welded on there for sure!! got a plasma cutter that will get that rotor off in a hurry !