Please help! Front wheel hub end cap removal

[jlong]

I am removing the front brake rotor but first need to remove off the front hub end cap - How do I get this thing off? Any technique would be appreciated, I've been at it for awhile and am considering cutting it off and replacing it but would rather not!

This is the cap that cover the wheel bearing lock nut.

(1987 911 Carrera)

Jim

[Joe Bob]

Channel locks, grip top and bottom, wiggle up and down....

[Targa Me]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Channel locks, grip top and bottom, wiggle up and down....

+1 Either Channel Locks or Vise Grips. If you get it to budge a little, then stick a flat blade screwdrive in the the gap and twist.

[70S Targa Guy]

I tried with large channel locks but my dust caps would not budge. I used this method which BTW just took me a full twenty seconds to find using the search button.
Removal of Dust Cap on Frt wheels bearings

[rtorres]

+1 on the muffler clamp method.

[porschenut]

+1 on searching first.

[bfunke]

+2 on the muffler clamp method. Pliers should only be used on items you want to damage.

[Joe Bob]

Originally Posted by bfunke

+2 on the muffler clamp method. Pliers should only be used on items you want to damage.

Make sure you put a lacey Doilie over it when you pound it back on with a mallet....

[jmh61]

Cold chisel and a BFH. Takes about ten seconds. No damage to the cap.

[NY65912]

Weld a nut to the center of the hub. Use a slap hammer w/ appropriate size bolt......viola!

But, that was before I learned of the muffler clamp method.

[john walker's workshop]

off in 10 seconds using a big blunt chisel and a hammer. chisel end in the rounded groove, angled into the rotor, hit with hammer, rotate rotor 180, repeat until it's off. no need for clamps, welding etc.

[jlong]

Tried the muffler clamp method: two issues
1. 2" muffler clamps of circa 2011 do not have long enough studs to place second half on top
2. 2-1/8" u-clamp using 2" end caps produced not movement and a stripped lug bolt (ugh!)

Now it needs to come off for sure!

Chisel method: I don't find enough room behind the rotor to hit the chisel. Could you let me know which kind/size chisel you used?

Weld nut method: i don't have the welding facility (or skills)

Channel locks/vise grips: it ain't budging, not working for me.

I appreciate all of the ideas but... are there any other ideas?

[Joe Bob]

Channel locks or vice grips, heat it up a bit with a torch, whack the wrench with a mallet.

[hcoles]

If you have a lathe handy you can make one of these.

The thin ring goes against the hub so it doesn't get scratched.
Clamp in the grove using the three radial screws push cap off using the other screws.

[70S Targa Guy]

Originally Posted by jlong

Tried the muffler clamp method: two issues
1. 2" muffler clamps of circa 2011 do not have long enough studs to place second half on top2. 2-1/8" u-clamp using 2" end caps produced not movement and a stripped lug bolt (ugh!)

Now it needs to come off for sure!

Chisel method: I don't find enough room behind the rotor to hit the chisel. Could you let me know which kind/size chisel you used?

Weld nut method: i don't have the welding facility (or skills)

Channel locks/vise grips: it ain't budging, not working for me.

I appreciate all of the ideas but... are there any other ideas?

Did you get the exact part number muffler clamps from NAPA? If not that may be your problem. If you did get those exact clamps then you must be doing something wrong with installing the muffler clamps. Check out the second picture in the link I posted above. Are you sure you have the top clamp turned upside down as pictured and also the nuts positioned on the clamps as pictured? You must also have the proper sized lug nut too. IIRC there isn't much room left on the top studs of the muffler clamp after you have it rigged up. The top clamp will want to fall off when you are turning the lug nut to apply pressure to extract the cap. Everything has to be set up just right or else the top clamp will fall off. Try again, be patient and just make the proper adjustments with the top clamp if necessary, that is maybe leaning the top clamp at a slight angle towards you as you are sitting facing the clamp .

I know the pros can remove this dust cap in 10 seconds like John Walker can but I sure as hell could not with a BF chisel and a BFH while the car was on jack stands. I am sure it is a lot easier and accessible with the car on the lift.

If the clamps don't work for you do as was suggested and put vice grips on it and whack away.

[richard003@wind]

Wet a rag or sock and put it in the freezer, When frozen , wrap around cap wait a few min. Then use the channel locks over the sock so it doesnt damage the cap... Done PS. cotton socks work best... LOL

[john walker's workshop]

jeeze, it ain't that hard. get a hammer and a big chisel, set the chisel tip in the rounded groove of the cap, angle the chisel back toward the rotor and hit it with a hammer. it will come out a bit. then hit the opposite side. it will come out a bit, repeat until it drops on the floor. the chisel needs to be long enough to reach past the edge of the rotor or you will have trouble hitting it. hell, you could do it with a big bolt instead of a chisel.

[70S Targa Guy]

Originally Posted by richard003@wind

Wet a rag or sock and put it in the freezer, When frozen , wrap around cap wait a few min. Then use the channel locks over the sock so it doesnt damage the cap... Done PS. cotton socks work best... LOL

This thread is starting to get humorous! A frozen sock? LOL! Hey, whatever works!

The only time I used the muffler clamp was the very first time I put new wheel bearings in the car. My dust cap wasn't removed for years prior to my removal and it was just stuck in place. Muffler clamp method took about 5 minutes per side after I spent a half hour with the hammer and chisel to no avail. However, after that first removal John's hammer and chisel method will get my caps off in about a minute.

Here is a link to a 3 part video I had in my archives showing a guy remove the dust cap off a 944, not exact but very similar dust cap as our 911. Sometimes a visual is more helpful. Dust cap removal starts at 3:15 He is replacing the bearings and he also removed the caliper and rotor. This is how easily mine comes off now; hopefully yours will too. You might want to watch all three parts since you said you might have to replace the stud you Fuched up.

SIDENOTE: His method of adjusting the wheel bearing is simple but I found it to make mine a bit too tight so I went back to the moving the washer with the screwdriver method. He is tracking the car and changes his bearings often so I think that is why he tightens them as tight as he does.

YouTube - ‪How to change Porsche 944 front wheel bearings - part 1‬‏

[Joe Bob]

I knew a guy that used to put his socks in the microwave....but for a different reason....