1992 Nissan Maxima Wheel Bearing: wont come out with 12 ton shop press. Help?
I'm helping my bro with his Nissan Maxima, both front wheel bearings were shot. We got the knuckles out and got the hubs off, but the bearings broke when taking them out so the ouside casing is stuck in the knuckle and the inside is stuck on the hub. The 1992 Maxima has pressed bearings and so we bought a 12 ton press, bearing plates, and a bearing puller that works with the press. The inside bearing ring on the first hub came off easily when pressed. The remaining hub and the two knuckles won't budge. We bent the bearing puller trying to get the inner bearing ring off the second hub, and that plate was supposed to withstand a 50 ton press. The rings in the hubs won't budge.
Are we missing a step? I found a site where a guy did a different import vehicle but has the same knuckle, and he has the same equipment, used the same procedures, and had no problems.
Our last idea to try is to get a propane torch and heat the knuckle while on the press then try to press the bearing out, but we're not terribly hopeful. We checked the specs and the bearings are supposed to be put in with 10 tons of pressure, so 12 to get them out should be plenty.
Again, any ideas are much appreciated.
Anonymous2011-05-18T06:57:46Z
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So? Buy new hubs (the old ones are probably wrecked anyway) and press the new bearings on those. Don't worry about the old bearings at all.
Problem is you need a socket or metal object as big as the bearing to press out .Did you remove the snap ring when the hub came off.I would avoid heating it.If your doing it right all you need is a little PB blaster love and patience.Make sure the knuckle is level and elevated for the bearing to come through, spray down with PB and let it penetrate, while putting pressure on the bearing again you need a object as round as the bearing and start pressing and tapping the sides with a hammer while putting more and more pressure on it . As far as the hub, easy way would have been buying the bearing with hub, if not you can cut the ring in a diagonal pattern with a cut off tool, make sure you do not hit the hub it will need to be smoothed out if you hit it with a file and emery cloth.I usually put a nice starting cut and slide it off with air hammer.Either way with money spent on the press and plates you probably could have gone to a shop or parts store to have them pressed in and saved more in the long run.If you get the old bearing out its easier to use that as pressing tool to put the new one in, at the shop we have a thick metal plate to go over the old bearing and use that to put the press on.The fun part will be the trick to putting the spindle on so you don't blow out the races, so ill let you have fun with that on your own.GL
Easy stuff first, then the harder ways. First I'd get Liquid Wrench's penetrating oil (not the same as WD-40, this is designed to loosen rusted components.) Squirt it on liberally, go do something else for awhile. Squirt it on again and see if that press of yours works.
If that doesn't get the job done, propane heat might work; I don't think you'll hurt anything with propane. Acetylene is another matter, since it gets beyond steel's melting temperature.
If the propane doesn't work, I might try my small metal cutting Dremel wheel. I'd try to get through the bearing race but not mar the hub. Even if there were a little bit of the race left, that might be enough to get the race to compress so you could use your press to pop it out.
Last option might be to take the pieces to a machine shop and see what they can do. Take care!