1964-1974 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
When I pulled my front hubs so I could replace the brake rotors, they were REALLY on tight! Chip at West of Sweden has had the original SAAB hub puller tool reproduced, and I bought one; expensive ($130, I think) but I don't see how I could have done the job without it. Even with the puller, it took a huge amount of force to pop the hub loose.
This pulller takes the form of a ring with holes matching the lug holes in the hub. There's a pyramid built up in the center of the ring, and a heavy threaded rod runs into this. The way you use the puller is bolt it to the hub with the lug bolts, then turn the threaded rod so its tip presses against the spindle. Eventually it develops enough tension to pop the hub loose from its splines (to which it often is rusted.) Obviously you remove the castle nut first, but even with the nut off the hub stays quite tight to the splines.
I've got a big regular three-jaw gear puller, but I couldn't see any way to make it grab onto this hub. Guess that's why SAAB designed their special tool.
I have heard there are various ways you might tackle it without the special puller. For example, you might apply heat -- although I'd be worried about cooking all the grease out of the CV joint, and/or damaging the rubber parts around there. Another trick I've heard about is to remove the castle nut, then put the wheels back on and drive the car in figure-8s a few times; supposedly this will loosen the hubs up on the splines so you can pull them off. The trick here would be not to drive in TOO many figure-8s and have the hub fall off while you're driving!
The rear drums are much easier. Normally, all you have to do is turn the brake adjuster all the way out, make sure the parking brake is off, remove the castle nut, and pull the drum off by hand. Sometimes it needs a light bump with a soft mallet to get it started, but usually you can just yank it free.
If you're working on a car that's been sitting for years with the parking brake on, the drums may have become seized onto the brake shoes, and THEN you'll probably need the special puller.
There are some pictures of the front rotor job on my website; go to the main page via the link below, and then click the 'Brake Rotor Replacement' link in the menu down the left side. Drat, I just had the rear drums off today but didn't bother to take any pictures!
posted by 68.227.170...
Click here for link to my website
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
