Hub Clutch Bearing replacement

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
I just got done having the rear wheel bearings replaced on my 2014 S10 (drive side was okay, but the non-drive side was really notchy). I was checking the bearing in the clutch hub and it was good, but I noticed that the part numbered "12" in the photo (the parts diagram calls it a wheel collar) was firmly stuck inside the inner race of the bearing, almost like an interference fit. I didn't mess with it too much because the bearing doesn't need changed right now, but at some point it'll have to be, so I'm trying to figure out in advance how it has to be done. Is that wheel collar supposed to be easily removed from inside the inner race of the bearing? Obviously you have to be able to remove it from the bearing, since my replacement bearing didn't come with one, so do I drive the wheel collar out of the inner race with something like a drift?

How have you guys removed that bearing? There's no way that I can see to drive it out of the hub; if you flip the hub over and look at the bearing from the opposite side, there's no way to access the outer race so you could drive it out; all you can see is the inner race and dust seal on the bearing. Did you use some type of bearing puller that pulls it out using the inner race?Hub Clutch Bearing.JPG
 

Don in Lodi

Well-Known Member
Founding Member
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
5,780
Location
Lodi Kalifornia
Almost looks like collar12 could be a press fit into bearing 11. Eric knows the name of the blind bearing driver that works real well. I bought one for my front bearings.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Thanks Don. I looked in the service manual and can't find any reference to the removal of this bearing, or anything that pertains to that collar and how it should fit. I have a Pit Posse bearing driver ( I think that's the kind Eric has, I remember buying one at someone's recommendation from this forum); I'd just be hesitant to try driving the bearing out by fitting the Pit Posse into bearing with that collar still attached until I heard from someone else that had some experience with this particular bearing. Somebody out there must have changed one of these things.
 

scott123007

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2012
Messages
1,462
Location
Jupiter, Florida
It is not an interference fit, per se, but it can be a little sticky sometimes. Try putting your axle in there and wiggling it as you pull it back out and it should release.
 

EricV

Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
8,227
Location
Tupelo, MS
Last time I had the wheel apart on my '12 that collar was not stuck, at least as I remember. It's been a few years now. The Pit Posse might work if you had the correct size end for the collar. My Gen II FSM doesn't mention it at all either. I think once you pull the dust seal off the bearing should come out with a puller. The FSM shows a more compact bearing puller style like a gear puller.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Eric, I think I'm going to have to get the collar out first; I don't think I have a fitting in the Pit Posse kit that'll fit inside the collar.

It's odd that the service manual doesn't seem to mention this bearing at all, other than it shows up in the exploded diagram.

I didn't even get a chance to use the Pit Posse this time. I took the wheel off to change the tire, and checked the bearings when I was doing it. One was good, one felt a little weird but I wasn't sure if it was bad or not. I took it to the shop to ask them if it was bad, and they said it was. I told them if they could change it right then that I'd have them do it, but otherwise I'd take it home and do it myself. Since I already had the bearings, they just did it while I waited. I did ask for the old bearings back, and the weird feeling one felt a lot more notchy once it was out of the hub, so at least now I know what a bad bearing feels like. When I check the front ones at the next tire change, I'll do those myself if needed and can find out how well the Pit Posse works.

I've always read not to put force on the inner race when you install one, as it can damage the bearing. When you use a puller (or a Pit Posse driver), that's pretty much where you're pulling or driving. Has anyone ever seen a bearing come apart during this process? It would suck to pull the inner race out of a bearing and leave the outer race behind in the hub; I have no idea how you'd get that out.
 

EricV

Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
8,227
Location
Tupelo, MS
I agree, it's odd that they don't mention it in the FSM. It's not like it's sold as an assembly.

I have seen bearings come apart during the pulling. BTDT and it wasn't fun. Dremel tool with a cut off wheel to score the outer race down until I could use a small chisel to snap it. At that point I was able to get the rest of the bearing out. Messy and time consuming.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Yikes, Eric. That definitely falls into the "good information to know but I hope it happens to the other guy" category.
 

Checkswrecks

Ungenear to broked stuff
Staff member
Global Moderator
2011 Site Supporter
Joined
Mar 7, 2011
Messages
11,489
Location
Damascus, MD
#12 is a spacer intended to prevent loading the balls in the bearings and it should be a sliding fit. Not having it slide could be a part of why a bearing failed. It ought to be lubed before re-installing the axle and without grease or anti-corrosive can seize, which is what you describe.

At this point you've had actual cause to replace one bearing and I'd replace the second. Therefore, you could drive out the #12 spacer without regard to the damage being done to the second bearing. Polish and lube #12 well before re-installation.

Replacing trailer wheel bearings it is not uncommon to have the bearing come apart and leave the outer race. You can usually find a huge socket that will fit for tapping it out. Keep tapping around the circle to keep it from getting cocked. The really stuck ones sometimes need some low torch heat to the hub and then an ice cube held to the race. It's real easy to do damage to the finish and aluminum with a torch so try hard to avoid this if you've not done it before.
 
Last edited:

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Thanks Checkswrecks. In the case of the hub clutch, there doesn't seem to be any place to drive the bearing out from the opposite side; the outer race sits on a lip that conceals the whole race. All I can see from that side is the seal and inner race.

I actually replaced both bearings in the wheel; the one I didn't change was in the hub clutch because it was okay. The non-drive side wheel bearing was the one that was bad.

I think I'll go out and take off the rear wheel again and see if I can free up that spacer in the hub clutch.
 

EricV

Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
8,227
Location
Tupelo, MS
<snip> The really stuck ones sometimes need some low torch heat to the hub and then an ice cube held to the race. It's real easy to do damage to the finish and aluminum with a torch so try hard to avoid this if you've not done it before.
No Sh**! A propane torch will do the job, it just takes longer to get things hot enough to have benefit. Less chance of toasting the wheel than with OxyActelene. Still a bit nerve wracking the first few times. At least it was for me. I really didn't want to screw up the wife's stupidly expensive BMW wheel. :eek:
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
Mission accomplished. I took the wheel back off and removed the hub clutch. That collar was definitely stuck in there. With some very conservative taps on it with a drift, I was able to drive it out of the bearing. Once it was out I gave the neck a light sanding and cleaned it up really good, then put a light coat of Belray waterproof grease on it. It went back in with just hand pressure. It's definitely a tight fit.

Thanks everyone for your help!
 
Top