Need help removing rear wheel bearing

[clarkjw24]

Whats the best/easiest way to remove a rear wheel bearing. I've got a dodge van thats had a roar at the pass rear wheel and I'm trying to change the outer wheel bearing. I've got the axle shaft out but can't get the bearing out to the axle tube. And yes I've removed the seal. Thanks guys.

 

[Bad Karma]

I used a slide hammer on my 12-bolt axle bearings, which succeeded in pulling the inner race and rollers out, but leaving the outer race in the tube, not to mention killing my hand. I used a grinding drum in a Dremel tool and cut a slot in the outer race and it popped right out. Didn't take very long...

 

[clarkjw24]

Hey thats the exact point I'm at. Used a slide hammer destroyed the outer and rollers. Started grinding with a stone on the drill but got aggrivated and scared.

 

[diesel4me]

torch or welder...

If you have torches,you can cut out the shell easily--it will burn faster than the axle tube..or you can lay a bead of weld in 3 spots on the inside of the shell,and after it cools,it will pop right out..I watched an old time tractor trailer mechanic remove pinion bearing outer races that way--I thought he was nuts when I saw him fire up his arc welder!..but now that I know his trick,I've used it many times myself..

If you lach torches or a welder,a last resort is to chisel the bearing shell until it cracks..I tried freezing one with freon once,and I got it out with a pry bar after that..there is a special puller to remove them,but they are hard to get and expensive,or you can make one..I got one out with my gear puller by reversing the jaws and putting a peice of flat 3/4" bar stock across the axle tube so the puller's screw had something to push against..needed 3 hands to do it though..

 

[BadBob]

I've had good luck pulling the other axle and cross shaft, then running a 1/2" pipe all the way through and pounding it out from the opposite side of the axle