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My wheel speed sensor has been giving me a "Check VSC" warning for the past year and now that the weather's warmed up, I thought I'd replace it.
The wheel speed sensor is friction fit into the back of the hub and, since the sensor was $200 dollars and the whole hub and sensor assembly was $270, I thought I'd just buy a new hub.
All went well until I tried to get the hub off. Man that sucker's on real tight. There are only 4 bolts holding it on, and after that the central hub is friction fit into the spindle. In my case it's probably a one piece assembly now thanks to our eastern winters.
I tried the following methods of removal:
1) Soak hub in PB Blaster several times. Pound the front of the hub with a sledgehammer.
2) Reinstall bolts partially and beat on them with a mini-sledgehammer. Only thing it did was mushroom the bolts.
3) Tried to use a punch and hammer to tap it out from behind. Punched holes in the wheel speed sensor instead.
4) Purchased a 10lb slide hammer. Beat on it for 45 minutes with the towel trick (wrap a long shop towel around it for extra leverage).
5) Tried threaded rod and nuts to push it out, just made marks in the aluminum spindle.
Honesty I am at my wits end. Can anyone help me out? I'm thinking that I may have to remove the spindle and press it out at a garage, but would like to avoid that if possible. The spindle is aluminum as well and is easy to damage.
If I do have to remove the whole spindle - is this easy as it looks? I see a few ball joints and a sway bar link. Is that it?
Also, the existing hub is now damaged and the bearings are shot thanks to my hammering.
Please note that the top picture shows the four bolts installed. In reality I took them all out.
Get a propane torch, and heat up the perimeter. The good thing about aluminum is that it can take some heat.
And if you have an air compressor, get an air hammer/chisel. Those can really do some work.
This looks like quite the sticky wicket, good luck!
Will a small plumbing torch work okay? Am I going to melt the aluminum at all?
Unfortunately I've been meaning to pick a compressor up, but haven't yet. I saw a video where the guy uses a regular chisel and think I might try that tomorrow.
Yes every car thing I do seems to go the hard way. Never look forward to suspension or drivetrain repair as it's mostly corroded as hell here with the salt and the cold.
2) Reinstall bolts partially and beat on them with a mini-sledgehammer. Only thing it did was mushroom the bolts.
The second method you used is probably still the best way to get the hub off. If the original bolts "mushroomed", you may try to find replacement "hardened" bolts with the same dimensions and try again. Be sure to back the bolts (circled in red below) off by 1/4" before striking.
The second method you used is probably still the best way to get the hub off. If the original bolts "mushroomed", you may try to find replacement "hardened" bolts with the same dimensions and try again. Be sure to back the bolts (circled in red below) off by 1/4" before striking.
I'll can pick up some different bolts from home depot and try it again as you suggest. I mushroomed about 3 of the stock bolts - they are not so badly deformed that I can't loosen and tighten them, but I didn't want to keep beating on them and get to that point.
Some else suggested using a chisel to pound between the hub and knuckle - to wedge it out. Think I'll try that as well. Hopefully the PB blaster has had a chance to do its magic over night.
This is a real PITA job. Removing all the brake components took like 15 minutes. The hub cost me the whole day yesterday. My whole body is sore today.
The second method you used is probably still the best way to get the hub off. If the original bolts "mushroomed", you may try to find replacement "hardened" bolts with the same dimensions and try again. Be sure to back the bolts (circled in red below) off by 1/4" before striking.
Okay I tried chiseling and still nothing. I think I'm going to remove the knuckle and get a shop to press it out.
I found the instructions for removing the knuckle. My only concern is the SST they mention.
Do I absolutely need this tool for the upper ball joint? If I do are there any cheap substitutes I can use?
The knuckle doesn't seem to be under load from the spring, is this true?
Okay I tried chiseling and still nothing. I think I'm going to remove the knuckle and get a shop to press it out.
I found the instructions for removing the knuckle. My only concern is the SST they mention.
Do I absolutely need this tool for the upper ball joint? If I do are there any cheap substitutes I can use?
The knuckle doesn't seem to be under load from the spring, is this true?
yeah that tool would work, i have a pitman arm remover and it works also.
i have to swap out a bad bearing on my rear axle and i have this same problem. will see what solution u come up with.
Okay I removed the knuckle. I don't think this thing is going to come out without a lot of force.
So I'm going to take it to a shop.
Knuckle is really easy to remove. Remove the cotter pin in the upper ball joint. Remove the castle nut with a socket / breaker bar. Then put a 2-jaw puller like this:
upside down with the claws on the top of the control arm and the threaded rod of the puller on the threaded shaft of the ball joint. Then tighten - the ball joint should break free.
Remove the two hex bolts on the lower part of the knuckle and yank it out.
Now off to a shop to press it out. Unfortunately, in Quebec no one's open on the weekend
Heating, PB Blaster and a 5 lb. sledge hammer is what Lexus recommended and it worked for me without removing steering knuckle. Suggestion: With the knuckle off, can you make a an expansion bolt with threaded nut to expand as you turn the nut between the steering knuckle and wheel hub to press the hub off? One on each side between the hub and knuckle? Or can you remove the speed sensor and use your jaws around the knuckle and turn the center bolt to press out the hub?
Heating, PB Blaster and a 5 lb. sledge hammer is what Lexus recommended and it worked for me without removing steering knuckle. Suggestion: With the knuckle off, can you make a an expansion bolt with threaded nut to expand as you turn the nut between the steering knuckle and wheel hub to press the hub off? One on each side between the hub and knuckle? Or can you remove the speed sensor and use your jaws around the knuckle and turn the center bolt to press out the hub?
Thanks for the suggestion, but I finally got the thing off. Went to Canadian Tire and they pressed that sucker out. I can see a generous amount of galvanic corrosion (aluminum knuckle and steel hub) in the hub location, that's what's probably holding it in there so tight.
For this front hub, the difficulty is that there is only a very small through hole. I tried buying threaded rods, but couldn't find a small enough one to go through. If it's small then there is the possibility of it snapping. I guess you could drill out the hole, but then that's gonna take more time.
Maybe you could draw me a diagram of what you are proposing above? There is chance this may happen again with our corrosive winters. Thanks for the help!
Now that you have the hub off, use rust remover (liquid like CLR works) around the center hole, and lightly brush with a small steel brush to remove the build-up. After fully cleaning, then use anti-seize liberally around the hole where the hub joins to the knuckle before installing new wheel hub.
You should try putting the hub in the freezer and putting the knuckle in the oven (at like 250 degrees) and then use thermal contraction/expansion to your advantage.
05-15-15, 06:35 PM
2003 Lexus LS430 - Wheel Hub Stuck to Spindle
