Stuck wheel bearing

It depends...

I live in the "lower rust belt", I often see bolt in wheel bearing assemblies that laugh at most removal procedures (and I have tried most all of them). I have the "hub tamer", the "bolt on and hit it with a hammer" tool, a 5 lb BFH (or the 10lb sledge), a CP717 air hammer (.498" large shank), various jack screw devices, etc, etc. None have worked consistently, and several leave my hands tingling and sore after several minutes.

Now I use the Wallmek hydraulic puller system. Very pricey, but for a moderate to high volume shop- it's SO worth it. Very fast and no more nerve damage.

 

That looks like it might occasionally leave you looking at the inner parts of the hub while the outer parts stay behind in the knuckle, as sometimes happens here to people using other methods....

 

You leave the axle shaft in place. The outer CV joint and nut hold the bearing assembly together.

Most of the cars I use it on have enough room to pull the CV joint through the opening in the knuckle.

Others (like the Gen2 Prius) do not, so I can only pull a little before I have to remove the axle nut (and possibly the complete shaft). Usually by then the bearing will come out since the rust- bond is broken.

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