I know I've seen threads on this recently but can't find them.
Can I replace a hub without removing the trailing arm or ruining the bearing?
Or is this wishful thinking?
Mike

My first question would be: what happened to the hub and could it have damaged the bearing anyway?

Best answer is to find a press that would fit on the trailing arm without removing it.
There are some accessories that go with port-a-power tools that might work (know any firemen?)

Then you need to be able to press the new hub in.
Maybe there's a way to use the threads in the hub and some 14mm all-thread to push the hub out without pounding?

I have all of the parts laying on my bench right now, so if you needed any pictures or dimensions I could get them for you.

Wishful thinking, beating, pressing all will destroy the grease seal. Just get a new bearing.

I guess it's wishful thinking. Just thought it would be nice not to have to remove the arm and replace the bearing.
Mike

You don't need to remove the arm to remove the bearing. You can drive the hub out from the engine side with a socket reversed on an extension. It needs to be sized so its just smaller than the bearing ID. Then remove the retainer and drive the bearing out with a socket just smaller than the bearing OD. When you reassemble use allthread, sockets, washers whatever it takes to pull the bearing into the arm pulling only on the OD. Pull the hub into the bearing by pulling only against the id of the bearing on the engine side. HTH

I see what you are saying. It might be easier to remove the arm instead of removing the starter and drive shaft!! I had a hell of a fight with that side not too long ago.
Mike

I just don't understand why one would want to replace a hub and bearing with the arm on the car. It is possible to remove the arm w/o disconnecting the driveshaft from the trans.

Pounding on the arm on the car cannot be good for any parts on the car that absorb the impact. Replacing the bearing and hub with the arm off the car is so easy and convenient that I would never consider doing the work with the arm still attached. Just my opinion. YMMV.

I was thinking it would be nice to maintain the alignment as well.
Thanks.

They make bearing and hub puller kits for doing this job- I bought a kit from Lisle a long time ago. I don't have access to it now due to my present condition but I think it can be configured to pull it out of the arm without removing the arm. But a new bearing is essential - it's something you would want to replace anyway.

It is probably wishful thinking to get the hubs out, without damaging the bearings
BUT I have done it.

I used a large slide hammer with a hub adapter.
The adapter bolts to the hub with 3 wheel lugs and the slide hammer screws into the adapter. Both hubs came out easily and I drove on the same bearings for about 6 years before the engine died.

When I set out to do this I was not trying or expecting the bearings to survive, I just needed to swap out my 4 lug hubs for the 5 lug hubs. I only planned to push the car around the lot at the shop until I had time to replace the bearings.
But since the old hubs came out without pulling the inner bearing races, I reassembled with the new hubs and about 2 weeks latter I had a chance to drive and everything felt and sounded fine. For the next 6 years it was my auto-x car and daily driver with no problem.

If I had been planning to replace the bearings I would have pulled the complete arms and used the press.

Jim

With the proper tool, which isn't terribly expensive by the way, you don't have to bang on anything. Jack the car up, remove the shock, pull the trailing arm down and extract the bearing. It can be pulled out and installed with the same tool.

I have pressed out a hub and saved an OE bearing that is 40+ years old. I wouldn't want to re-deal with that a little later in order to save a couple bucks.

If you check the build thread link in my signature, I demonstrate replacing the bearing with the trailing arm still attached. Really is quite easy. However, the bearing should be considered trash anytime you pull it out.