I did my tear down to put ball joints in. Got it down to the hub bearing and used the socket and extension and with the help of the power steering pump push it out. ive done it this way before but this time instead of pushing the bearing out it pushed my socket into the steel. Now im stuck with a tore down truck with a stuck bearing

 

01's and 02's are very tight. I had to remove them and use a press. I don't remember exactly but it was like 19,000 lbs to move them!!!!! I cleaned up the bores and used anti-seize when it went back together.

 

I assume that your already have used plenty of penetrating oil(PB Blaster). What you would want to try is to get a hub puller, put it on the hub, and tighten it down until you get pressure on the hub itself. Then loosen the four bolts that hold the hub on. Then strike the steering knuckle with two heavy hammers from both sides simultaneously. Then tighten the hub puller a little more and repeat. Also, take turns hitting the bolts from behind.

What you want to do it to hit the piece that is holding the hub(knuckle) to send shocks into it from different angles. This will break the rust free and seperate it from the knuckle. Try to avoid using heat as the bearing races inside of the hub are made of plastic and will melt.

When you have to reinstall it, use anti-seize so it will come off easy in the future.

 

If for whatever reason I have to use a press how do I remove the axle without cutting the u-joint in half and sliding the knuckle off the ball joints

 

I had luck with a bearing puller to remove Hub bearing. I knock out two wheel studs using brass drift then install puller. Used plenty of heat riser valve penetrant, remove nut from axle shaft and four bolts holding hub bearing to knuckle. Works everytime except once it did separate the bearing halfs and I had to replace bearing. I used the puller on the left worked really well. Puller 938 I think it is a Miller tool number. Good Luck

 

To remove the knuckle and press the hub out you would have to cut the ball joints. Just unscrew the nuts on the ball joints, and strike the knuckle on the top with a heavy brass hammer, when it seperates, cut the ball joints between the knuckle and the axle. With both ball joints cut, it should pull right out.

 

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...s-t217250.html

 

Hey thanks guys for all the info. I ended up not messing with it today but Im going to take it to my buddy shop at his house and work on it, hes hot more goodies to make life easier. Thanks again for all the great info guys.

 

I used an air hammer on mine. Got it to turn abount an inch each direction and then it popped right out.

 

I know this seems impossible but if you leave the big nut tight when using a puller it will pop the bearing off without separating the bearing halves.

 

No.... because you are pushing against the axle shaft. The axle shaft will not move since it is bottom against the diff housing tube. Like I said I have remove this way several times and had only one bearing come a part on me.

 

Did they start using different steel in the later years. I had no trouble what so ever on the older trucks it just seems like the newer they got the harder they got to pull. my buddys 04 darn near blew a 30k press before it popped out.

 

I feel your pain, before I started using a heavy duty puller it took me two days to get the darn thing off. Now I can have them off in one hour or less. I bet you jumped when it finally let go.

 

I think dodge should give us a bottle of champaign to spray around like we won the race when they let loose hahahaha!!!!

 

At this point in time I would settle for a pat on the back.
Our dealership is down to 16 new cars, at one time we had over two hundred.