Q. Front Hub bearing grease seal, removal method or destructo method
 

I'm in parts cleaning mode here awaiting the call from UPS that parts have arrived from our host to finish up a brake job I have on the go...

I'm looking at the front hubs, by the Bentley they are ready to go back on but the grease looks horribly chunky on one side vs the other, looks like two types of grease in there as well, bearings were fine before disassembly and there doesn't appear to be a need to replace the races.

Q. Is there any amount of effective cleaning/regreasing one can do to the hub internals w/o popping the grease seal or should it all be left alone unless new seals are on hand.

Go down to your local parts store and get new seals, they are cheap and a widely used size. They should have them in stock. Pull bearings, clean, inspect and repac. Doesn't take much time at all, especially if you use one of those $10 packing tools.

Cheers

How much beating required to get these seals out?
Not quite sure of the seal construction, ie a side profile...

A looped spring has popped out and I'm highly damaging whatever should be coming out with some prying...

The metal edge of the seal is warping quite a bit. Definately will be completely destroyed by the time it would be out. Any risk to the hub?


side view

hub| metal edge|seal|
|--------------
| <<---- applying force here, metal edge bending
|-------------- |seal|
|_______________
| bearing

Q. Is it safe to keep hammering/prying away in what looks a metal channel in the grease seal until it's out?

Thanks for the advise on seal source, turns out there is a Napa open tomorrow in my neighbourhood, I'll check it out for replacments.

Pull the outside bearing/washer and then reinstall the nut.....pull hard and fast on the rotor with a downward motion. It works like a slide hammer and pops off the inner bearing and race......

If you remove a seal for any reason by any method, replace it. So, tear 'em up and toss 'em.

I failed to mention the vehicle... it's an '86 Carrera
I'm attempting to remove the grease seal of the inner wheel bearing as per Bentley's method/image found on page 401-14

LakeCleElum, I'm intending to not mess with the races, but to just pop the seal out clean and repack bearings, it isn't necessary to pop the races out to get the grease seal off is it?

Zeke, definately they will be replaced. whole seal is out of round and not budging.

My screwdriver handle left two minor imprints on the hub from the force, reattaching the rotor didn't gain me much.

The method I describe will catch the inner race of the inner (larger) bearing and remove the bearing and race.....It won't touch the race on the hub and it won't damage the bearing....As said above, get a new seal at a bearing house on Monday.....I worked at garages in high school and college and have removed a lot of seals this way....

You can also try using a 1 inch wooden dowel to hammer down onto the inner bearing pushing it into the grease seal and pushing the whole thing out. Just don't beat on it too hard or you'll damage the bearing. If you damage the bearing it's not that hard to replace.

You can also try laying something accross the opening and prying against it to raise a corner of the seal.

Might be able to grab the metal lip of the seal with some vise grips and twist it into submission.

-Andy