Help me understand.

The inner race is not supposed to spin on the spindle. The old inner race did spin (most likely due to the bearing failing) and roughed up the spindle. On other applications, if the spindle wasn't misshapen too badly I've used a punch on the spindle to create some ridges for the new inner race to grip. This allowed the new bearing assembly to be installed and operate successfully.

Is this not possible in this application and if not why?

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You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.

Is the Spindle soft enough to Punch?

I have seen Shafts punched like that before but cannot remember what it was done on.

I had also taken apart something in the past that had been rebuilt somewhere and the Shaft had been Knurled on a Lathe to increase the size where the Bearing went.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Yes.
The spindle can be punched with a good quality tool.

.

Thanks.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

With that being the case, why does the consensus appear to be to replace the spindle?

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You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.

this is the first I've heard of such a method, and is probably beyond my shade tree mechanic pay grade.

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1995 E300 diesel

Clearly a good used Spindle is a better fix. But, then you end up with a lot of work because you have to pull the damaged Spindle and then go to the Junk yard and Pull another Spindle there.
If your Junk Yard Charges for the Hub and you don't want that you will pay for that also or do the extra work to remove the Hub.
Despite the fact that the Double Hammer Method is supposed to work I think at least at the Junk Yard you are going to want an absolutely reliable Method of separating the Spindle from the Control Arms. That means at the least a Pickle Fork or another type of Seperator.


After you have your Junk Yard Spindle you might find you need to replace the Ball Joint.

So Punching the Spindle seems to be a faster and easier way out.

But, I don't know if I Punch the Spindle or not. I have Punched Shafts at work but only after the Guy I worked for said it was OK.
I have also seen things come into the Shop that had been previously Punched. So it appears to work.
I have not had to think about that sort of repair issues since around 1991.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Safety + a good used is cheap from the PNP..


.

so... you changed your bearings, but not the ball joints eh?

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I have great respect for your knowledge on all things MB, but what is unsafe about scoring the existing spindle enough to properly "grip" the new inner race of the replacement bearing set?

The replace spindle with used from junk yard option is way more expensive and time consuming.

Not questioning your authority on the matter, simply attempting to understand the logic.

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You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.

I get to play Devils Advocate:

If after punching the Shaft the Bearing does not center neither Bearing will be seated properly and your Hub End Play reading will be wrong because one bearing is cocked and the Bearing is not going to wear correctly.
The Brake Rotor attaches to the Hub and that would also not be running true.

So the safety issue would be what ever the Rotor not running true would cause and of course what ever issue/s a Bearing Failure would cause.

The effect/s would be dependent on how much misalignment there was.

Since the Bearings Slide onto the Shaft the Hope is that the Bearing on the end that is not punched has enough play to also cock itself to match the other Bearing.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I did not realize it was bad, and I had it aligned 7/3/12 and they did not bring it to my attention either, they will be getting a call on Monday because they obviously did not do a proper alignment

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1995 E300 diesel

If your Upper and Lower Control Arm Bushings are not new; there has been several people who have had Front End Alinements done only to have an issue with the Bushings several months later.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel