Front Hub Carnage. Need help on replacing parts.

MT894runner · Dec 21, 2008

Front Hub Carnage(pics). Need help on replacing parts.

So Yesterday I was headed out of town for some snow wheeling and forgot one of my font hubs was locked and the other wasnt. So by the time i got up to the trail that locked hub was so HOT it burned the crap outta my finger the second I touched it. So i threw some snow on it and the snow almost instantly evaporated. I tried to unlock it and it was hard as hell to turn and felt like all the grease had burned up and was all sticky and fugged up. I tried locking the other hub to see if the four wheel drive still worked and NO!

Then I started to drive back home slow with both the hubs unlocked . Half way back I felt the front tire scraping and making noises. When I got out the front wheel bearing had gavin out and the tire was all crooked. So i parked it and got a dolly today and got it in my garage now.

I need help on dissasembling my front hub and replacing a few parts. Is there a write up on how to do front hub work?

Thanks

TreeClimber · Dec 21, 2008

The hub failed NOT because it was locked or unlocked, but rather because the wheel bearings first failed, and took out the hub. Most likely, it's destroyed the hub, bearings, spindle, and wheel hub (due to spun races). IF you're lucky, the inner stub shaft will be OK.

So to answer your question, just use a lot of force. Odds are everything will be jammed, welded into unusual postions. Unbolt everything you can, then don't be afraid of the Big Fawkin' Hammer.

For re-assembly time (if you're not familiar), use the other side as a templet. It's inevitably due for maintainance anyway.

If you have never packed bearings before, then beg/borrow/pay a buddy to come over and show you for the first time.

Goodluck

MT894runner · Dec 28, 2008

So i pulled my hub apart and HOLY COW pretty much everything was broken. So heres some crappy cell phone pics of the carnage:

Driving back from the trail slowly and the wheel bearing gave out.

After pulling the hub off, all these bits and pieces of bearing and washers needed to be cleaned out. And there was a lot!

Then I had to wrench on this glob of welded outer bearing and lock washer.

Then after cleaning off the spindle I could see that even IT got messed up. DOH!!

So i went to the junkyard and found an old solid axle yota. Got the entire hub and spindle for $95. Installing it today.