86 300E - Best way to remove drive flange w/o special tool?
 

I'm trying to remove the rear axle drive flanges from the wheel bearings. I was able to persuade them to move about 10mm so far with a large dirft and 2 lb sledge, but then they stopped cold.

Is there a way to remove them so I can replace the bearings without resorting to the MB special tool?

Has anyone had any luck with a 3-point flange puller and a slide hammer like the one shown in the picture below?

Any particular reason for them both to hang up at about the same spot?

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Gary

Maybe rust or buildup in the spline. Use a good penetrant like PB blaster and drive one 1/2 way BACK. Then see if there was a ridge of crud in there. Scrape with a thin tool/razor. put some never sieze in there, dilute with PB blaster, heat it, try again.

Actually, it's not the splined part giving me the problem. It's the smooth-ground outer surface which is an interference fit in the rear wheel bearing inner race. The interference fit should pretty much preclude any significant rust invasion, hopefully. Besides, it's now probably making only about 90% of the interference contact that it was before I started whangin' on it, so I would think it would drive out a little easier the further I got it out. Not so?

Gary

Not so. The fit to a race is typically closely controlled. Typically the rotating race is a press fit and the stationary ring a push, or transition fit. Even small amounts of corrosion or fretting can make things pretty tight. If material is plowed up from the surface, the fit can get much tighter in a hurry. I really don't know the details of the mechanism you have in front of you, but maybe you'll need to sacrifice the bearing to get things apart. Good luck!

Well, I plan on replacing the bearings, but I cant' get at the large circlip that secures them in the carrier until I remove the drive flange that covers it. I may just end up making a support plate for the carrier and remove the drive flange and the bearing with a hydraulic press. I'm just trying to avoid all the extra work, if possible.

Gary