MB CLK320 Front Wheel Bearings

[threeputtpar]

Hello All - Here is what I'm currently dealing with for a friend: Unfortunately, the outer wheel bearing's inner race and rollers are fused to the spindle. I beat on it with a 2lb hammer for a while but it didn't budge. I'm open to any tips or suggestions that anyone may have on how to deal with this one. I have a MAPP torch and will borrow a hub puller/press from the local FLAPS, but if that doesn't cut it I don't know what more I can do. One thought is to remove the bearing carrier/upright and take it somewhere with a shop press. I don't have any experience with MB, so can I remove the upper and lower ball joints without having to mess with compressing the spring? It looks like I can, but don't want to catch a spring in the chest if I'm wrong. It's a MY 2000 convertible, if that makes any difference. It's not 4 Matic, so this set up is very similar to what a early 80s rear wheel drive GM product would have. Thanks.

 

[danthaman1980]

Originally Posted By: threeputtpar

Unfortunately, the outer wheel bearing's inner race and rollers are fused to the spindle.

If that is the case, it may not be worth pulling the hub off of the spindle, since the spindle could be damaged beyond repair - so your friend might be stuck paying for a new spindle and hub.

 

[Trav]

This is common on this car, its been a while but i remember it. A slide hammer puller bolted to the hub with the wheel bolts is the normal tool but a large 3 arm can be used. Forget the hammer you cant get a straight shot, you will just hit it cockeyed, it needs to come straight out. Don't bother with the torch you cant get heat where you would need it anyway. What are you doing to it? Edit: It probably isn't fused on the spindle, its just a tight fit.

 

[threeputtpar]

Thanks Trav, I was hoping you'd chime in. I'm replacing the wheel bearings for him on both front wheels and freshening up the brakes and fluid. I'll probably pick up the hub press for FWD cars that is intended to press out the CV axle and the slide hammer as it can be fashioned up to the press and be used for pulling also. I just thought that heating the spindle and then quickly cooling it may break the bond via shock force. Hopefully, he got the car to me before too much damage was done to the spindle. If I need to remove the spindle, do I have to worry about the spring? It looks like it sit on the lower control arm and if the lower ball joint is removed it might release the spring.

 

[Trav]

You can disconnect the ball joint. Heating and cooling the spindle probably wont help.

 

[actionstan]

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-three-jaw-gear-puller-69224.html I borrowed something similar to that from o'reilly auto parts to pull off a fused drum brake from my 15 year old saturn. (which i assume sat outside its entire life, and also assume the drum had never been removed) It took some time, but pulled it right off finally, I believe this is was Trav is referring to with the "large 3 arm". I have always just called them hub/gear pullers. Just my but I think that will do the trick.

 

[Kestas]

If you dan't care to salvage the hub, you may consider abrasive cutting (tangentially) to remove the inner ring.

 

[threeputtpar]

I definitely want to save the hub as they are pretty expensive. Thank you, though.

 

[threeputtpar]

Well, attacked it this weekend with a hub puller and slide hammer and torch. No success. The wheel bearing has been gone for so long that it really did weld itself to the spindle. Scored one at the local yard for $45 and I'll be back in business this week. Probably should have gone this route from the beginning. Oh, and this side's bearing were apparently "fixed" a year or two ago by a small shop in the middle of nowhere when my friend got stuck away from home. From what I can tell, they probably just popped the dust cap and shot a bunch of grease in there and sealed it back up so the noise went away and then charged him $650 because it's a Mercedes. He won't be happy when I tell him this.

 

[Trav]

Thats not good. Oh well you tried, plan B in place. Its rare for them weld themselves to the spindle.