88 Front Hub Assembly. The results are in. An Autopsy.
Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 1:46 am
My old one? A broken piece of crap. Got the new one from Rodney Dickman today, and I hope it lasts,
as the word here seems to be that they fail. I drove with it on, and my car runs quieter than I had even imagined it would.
No vibrations, loud noises, or other things that go bump in the night. It took me all of 20 minutes to install it.
Here's a pic of the old hub in the vise:
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3751.jpg)
The back end is just a cap. I clamped it too hard in the vise as you will see.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3753.jpg)
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3754.jpg)
Okay, so the next thing that has to come off after the cap is this sleeve or collar or whatever you want to call it.
It has bits of it pressed into a groove cut into the spindle to keep it from slipping off.
The bottom part of the thing is flanged and holds two halves of thing that I guess press down on a steel ring.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3756.jpg)
I use a hacksaw to cut the top half off:
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3757.jpg)
After more filing and prying, I got the bottom half of the collar thing off. See flange.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3759.jpg)
See one half of the thingy things:
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3760.jpg)
Twenty minutes and a lot of hammering later, I have everything apart, except for the metal ring that holds it all together,
the top race ring, I have no idea what this is called, but the bitch never came off all the way.
I got carried away with the hammer and squashed the end of the spindle, but
I have a solution for those of you who want to deal with this crap later and not mess it up.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3763.jpg)
Can you now see why my bearings made so much damn noise?
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3762.jpg)
The ball bearings and plastic holder things. They're broken because I broke them getting them out.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3764.jpg)
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3765.jpg)
Both ends of the outer race look fine. Any marks are from my noggling it up with a screwdriver or hammer.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3767.jpg)
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3768.jpg)
Another shot of the chewed up spindle. There are about 5 such marks, spaced the same as where the ball bearings were. I have no clue how it got like this.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3770.jpg)
HOW TO GET IT APART THE RIGHT WAY:
USE A HARMONIC BALANCER PULLER!!!!!!.
The end of the spindle has a divot for it, and you will be able to pull the big steel ring off after you cut off the top half of the other thing. I suppose you would have to have a machine shop resurface the spindle and/or outer race if they're disfigured like mine. Good luck finding new seals.
as the word here seems to be that they fail. I drove with it on, and my car runs quieter than I had even imagined it would.
No vibrations, loud noises, or other things that go bump in the night. It took me all of 20 minutes to install it.
Here's a pic of the old hub in the vise:
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3751.jpg)
The back end is just a cap. I clamped it too hard in the vise as you will see.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3753.jpg)
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3754.jpg)
Okay, so the next thing that has to come off after the cap is this sleeve or collar or whatever you want to call it.
It has bits of it pressed into a groove cut into the spindle to keep it from slipping off.
The bottom part of the thing is flanged and holds two halves of thing that I guess press down on a steel ring.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3756.jpg)
I use a hacksaw to cut the top half off:
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3757.jpg)
After more filing and prying, I got the bottom half of the collar thing off. See flange.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3759.jpg)
See one half of the thingy things:
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3760.jpg)
Twenty minutes and a lot of hammering later, I have everything apart, except for the metal ring that holds it all together,
the top race ring, I have no idea what this is called, but the bitch never came off all the way.
I got carried away with the hammer and squashed the end of the spindle, but
I have a solution for those of you who want to deal with this crap later and not mess it up.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3763.jpg)
Can you now see why my bearings made so much damn noise?
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3762.jpg)
The ball bearings and plastic holder things. They're broken because I broke them getting them out.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3764.jpg)
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3765.jpg)
Both ends of the outer race look fine. Any marks are from my noggling it up with a screwdriver or hammer.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3767.jpg)
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3768.jpg)
Another shot of the chewed up spindle. There are about 5 such marks, spaced the same as where the ball bearings were. I have no clue how it got like this.
![Image](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b336/starlite528/Fiero/88%20Front%20Hub/IMG_3770.jpg)
HOW TO GET IT APART THE RIGHT WAY:
USE A HARMONIC BALANCER PULLER!!!!!!.
The end of the spindle has a divot for it, and you will be able to pull the big steel ring off after you cut off the top half of the other thing. I suppose you would have to have a machine shop resurface the spindle and/or outer race if they're disfigured like mine. Good luck finding new seals.