Frozen wheel hub 2002 Grand Prix

[fasted58]

Replacing front wheel bearings at 75K miles and cannot separate the hub from the axle. Tried hammering the stub axle end, no good. Shot splines w/ Kroil overnight. Tried 3-jaw puller, then added oxy/ acetylene heat to hub, no good. Cranked on the puller to pre-load the pull and added more heat, nfg. Got pissed and cranked down the puller, broke it....it was cheap n e way. This is entirely unusual as everybody says these usually seperate easily. I have a better rental puller now n don't want to screw it up but it still won't budge. Seems my next option is removing the axle, hub carrier, strut, rod ends, ball joint etc. and putting the in unit the shop press to press the hub from the axle. The axle nut removed very easily....maybe 40 lbs. torque on it. Any help would be appreciated, Thanks

[tblake]

5lb hammer? Mine were rusted on pretty bad also, but I built up some muscles pounding on them to get them off.

Put the axel nut on a few turns, and smack it straight inwards with a large hammer. Once it breaks free, it will move in slightly. Then it will just be a matter of seperating the hub from the spindle. I've even had to use a large chisel on some occasions to get the to seperate.

Dont forget to put some antisieze on the hub mating surfaces to make it come off eaiser next time.

[fasted58]

Tried the heat n beat method w/ a BFH but it was way above my comfort level....worried about wasting the ball joint. Scrounged thru the shop, made a weld-on puller w/ stuff layin' around. 2-1/2" exhaust tubing, .080" thick fit the hub center ring, welded piece of 1/4" plate w/ clearance hole cut for 3/4" bolt to end of tubing. Weld tubing to hub center. Ground taper on 3/4" bolt end to fit into the center of axle stub recess, centered the bolt w/ nut screwed on to correct depth and welded 3/4 nut in place to 1/4" end plate. Greased bolt taper and threads, crank real frickin hard w/ breaker bar n 2 foot cheater.....Ka-rackkkk. I had my doubts at first but no way a puller or hammer would have worked, lotta rust in the splines.....it was that baddd. Welding heat prolly helped break the hub loose too. Total fab time 'bout 30 min. , lotta beer breaks in between, but I know it works for sure now.