How do I get the wheel bearing grease caps off????

[kilodawg]

Okay, I thought I'd tackle a relatively simple task on the new '84 944. I've already rebuilt the power steering pump, replaced the rear hatch, installed a new clock, refinished the wheels and added stripes to the car etc.

So I have been busy with a lot and figured that tightening up the front wheel bearings would be a quick task for today. Well the easy ones are never easy. I can't get the grease caps off. In all the posts I searched on wheel bearings this wasn't even mentioned as an issue. I spent an hour with a hammer and chisel, screwdrivers, tire irons the works and not so much as a budge. I sprayed PB on them too and no joy. Is there a trick? some special tool?

I need to reseal the front end and do a complete belt R&R but if I can't even get the grease caps off the front wheels I might just have to re-evaluate my capabilities.

Poor gratuitous pic included.

[Techno Duck]

I have always used a hammer and a chisel inbetween the hub and the cap, taking care not to damage the hub (its aluminum). If its really bad, a slide hammer with a right angle hook will work, you just need to find one small enough to fit in the provided cutout.

[legion]

I bought some really wide pry bars. I used a mallet and kept tapping the pry bar into the gap and rotating the hub until I found a place that it would bit. When I finally started to create a gap, I twisted the pry bar sideways to get some leverage to increase the gap. (This is the part where having something wide comes in handy.) I kept working around it until it was off.

[kilodawg]

Thanks for the replies. The slide hammer sounds like an interesting approach but the one they have to lend at Autozone has no attachment that will work. When it comes to pry bars I can't even begin to get any motion whatsoever by using a rubber mallet and a chisel in the cutout where there is at least some chance for asn inital bit. Any possibility that heating the aluminum hub with a heat gun could give me some relief?

[DSPTurtle]

You just have to get tougher Tom!!! (Reference to his look in the picture above)
You really need a regular hammer and a medium sized flathead screwdriver. Yup, you will mar the aluminum outer hub a tad, but nothing that a little 400 grit won't clean up. The first time I did it was a bear... now I smear a little synthetic grease around the sealing lip and they pop right off!!!
Check out my new thread on the brake system restoration that I am in the middle of :O Could use a little help too...

[2Tight]

I have always used old screwdrivers that I slowly tap around the circumference until it starts to move. Even if you don't get it off that is the nicest early car I've seen. I loved my 83 and it was nice, but damn, yours is unbelievable.

[Dark Skies]

I just tap around the end of the cap in an outwards motion with a neoprene hammer and that's always done it for me (you're aiming to 'walk' it out) - and you can get some real welly to it without damaging it. On the left hand side ... don't forget to remove the central circlip from the end of the speedo drive cable before removing the cap - it'll be hidden under a blob of sealant.

[TexasBlake]

I was looking at mine and it seems like you could use one of those strap wrenches on them and twist them off. This would keep them from being damaged.


Anyone think that will work? I haven't done mine, but just trying to offer another possible solution.

[aj951]

I use a claw hammer and a block of wood. Place the block of wood against the hub between the lugs. Then place the top of the hammer on the block of wood and use the claw part to pry on the back of the cap. Slowly work your way around the cap moving the block of wood and it will pop off.

A.J.

[kilodawg]

Thanks for all the replies guys very helpful. I will try the claw hammer route then brute force later this week when I get some time. Unfortunately I have bigger problems now. So stay tuned for my next post!!!!!!