Front axel hubs

[swat]

I have seen quite a few posts about what a pain in the afterburner it is to pull rear hubs on an Dana 44 axel. I will soon be doing brakes and inspecting wheel bearings on the front Dana 25 axel on my M38. Is this the same ordeal for getting the hubs off? Am I facing a rite of passage?

[wesk]

The hub removal tasks has received a lot of undue bad publicity. I have been pulling these type hubs for 50 years and they are a simple job. The key is to use the right tool for the job. In virtually every single whiner case the whiner started with the wrong tool. If you don't have an air compressor, a 1/2" drive impact gun and a proper striker type hub puller then you shouldn't be fooling with the rear hubs on either your Dana/Spicer 41 or 44.
I mention the air compressor and the impact gun for the purpose of loosening the axle shaft nuts and the pinion shaft nuts.



This is the right tool. Snug her up by hand. Using an 8 oz ballpean hammer strike the striker a few times until it seems not to want to go any tighter. Then with a good healthy swing rap the tip of the puller shaft with the same hammer and you'll hear a loud crack and the hub and drum assy will pop loose against the axle nut that was only loosened and not completely removed so you wouldn't have to chase all the parts and tools across the shop. It's that simple.

But the small minded folks that figure they don't have to follow the rules of physics start by hammering the $&% out of the drum, then using a huge claw type puller they manage to permanently change the shape of the brake drum. Then they go wild with the torch and melt all the seals. Then they come to a web site and ask why the hub is so hard to remove. Most of us don't have the heart to show them how dumb they were. And it's a total waste of time to ask if they have the manual in front of them!

Now back to your question. The front model 25 hubs are retained by a locknut, special washer and plain nut. No puller is needed. You unscrew it all. It is all layed out in the manual. TM 9-8012 Fig 99 on page 255 shows the parts. You remove the little hub cap. Unbolt and remove the drive flange. Using the SPECIAL large socket type hub nut wrench unscrew the outer nut. Then with a bent pick and magnet pull out the washer with a tip bent over. Then with the special socket type wrench unscrew the inner nut. The with a pick and magnut remove the tabbed washer. The if necessary loosen the brake shoe adjustment and grasp the hub/drum with two hands and wiggle it off.

[swat]

Thanks WES. Your depth of knowledge and experience is priceless. I will shop the internet for the Hub socket. No immediate plans to do the back axle, but when I get ready, where is a good place to purchase a hub puller like the one in your response photo?

[wesk]

You'll find them GI surplus occasionally. Proto and OTC both make good ones. Figure anywhere from $75 to $250.

You can buy the front hub nut socket at Napa or your local auto parts store.

Just print these photos and take them to your ayto store.