I was going to change out my wheel bearing/hub assembly today but I can't seem to get the 4WD hub out. I've replaced the bearing ***'y before and the 4WD hub slid out fine, but this time it seems to be seized to the axle stub shaft splines, inside the 4WD hub, not the large exterior splines. I would really like to get it off without destroying it and I've tried a rubber mallet to break it free, soaking it in PB (as much as can get in there), pulling on the hub while someone prys against the axle shaft, etc. Nothing's working. Any ideas FTE community? I gotta get this thing off otherwise I have no way of removing the bearing assembly.

 

Keep doing what you are doing, with some cussing thrown in.

You've had them off before, so we don't need to tell you how to get them off, just keep wiggling, whacking, soaking and swearing until they come loose.

 

Are you sure there's no snap ring you're forgetting??

 

I'm having the same problem..there is one snap ring which I removed..soak in in Wd-40, pb blaster and beat the hub all freaking day...Finally the casing gave way and now I using a home made bearing separator..puller..no luck..the hub is ruined now The only thing the left to do is cut it off..BTW: I did try some heat but with just a propane torch you can only heat up so muck..

Note: the other side is stuck also..if anyone has any ideals please advise

 

Well it took literally two hours, but it came out. I had to sit there with both hands on the hub grabbing and pulling while wiggling it the ~1mm it could move back and forth to get it to slide ever so slowly. By the time I got that off it was too late to swap out the hub/bearing assembly so I greased it and the axle shaft liberally and reinstalled it. Hopefully it comes out much easier when I try again tomorrow.

 

Got mine of too but mine wouldn't budge...had to brake off the plastic/aluminum casing, drill holes around the gear that locks the hub..air chisel the aluminum casing eventually it came out in pieces..i was able to pull the gear of the shaft with a claw hammer pretty easy..but if the gear seized on the shaft..you should be able to get a smaller puller on it and remove it.
now on the the ball joints...Man when they say built Ford Tough they mean it.

BTW: I am in no means a mechanic just a DIYer'..I'm sure with the correct tools things may have gone easier IDK though that hub was on tighter more than a wh*re in church.

 

Suffering through this right now…I don’t know what else to do, I even broke a rotor trying to get some leverage on the hub…

 

The original post is about the locking 4wd hub mechanism not sliding off. Looks like you've already removed it (black plastic part with dial held on by a snap ring).

Are you trying to remove the wheel bearing assembly?


If you're trying to remove the bearing assembly, you will need to remove the 4 bolts from the back first, then most likely use a large 3 jaw puller. Looking at your 3rd picture it looks like the 4 bolts are still there (I can see 1 I believe)

 

My bad, pictures are not showing up for me so I was not sure of what was going on.

I am trying to remove the hub bearing. I’ve removed the 4 nuts from the back and the snap ring holding the axle shaft, but the hub bearing won’t come out…heat, penetrant, hammering, nothing is helping!

A 3-Jaw puller against the axle shaft you mean?