I tore down my 2002 Montero. Soaked everything with PB Blaster and it has been soaking the last couple days. Removed the driver side steering knuckle and tried to press the hub/bearing assembly out with a three ton arbor press using a cheater bar (actually bent the arbor press handle in the process)but it did not budge. I heated the knuckle up on one side enough to smoke the penetrant and I still couldn't press out the bearing.

Should I be heating it up more and/or do I really need to use a larger press?

I only heated up one side of the knuckle because the ABS sensor is seized in the knuckle and I did not want to melt it and have to buy a new one for $45.

Any ideas from anyone who has done this with a PITA to remove bearing?

Thank-you for any ideas and suggestions

 

You are doing everything right. It should come out. It may just be bound up too much with rust and grime. Try pressing it out again. Do the On/Off switching few times. Press - release - reposition slightly - press again, etc. I remember mine would not come out at first and then it sounded like a freaking gun went off in the shop and the bearing just popped out in one motion.

 

Based on the description of how far the bearing was gone, it probably got very hot and resulted in those parts seizing together pretty badly. You can heat the knuckle all around the bearing to make metal expand and hopefully break the bond between the parts. Try to get the speed sensor out so you can put some good heat on there and not worry about melting anything.
If you still not able to get the bearing pressed out on your own, you can take it to a machine shop or a welding shop where they may have bigger press and can get it out for you. Unfortunately that would mean you will not have the bearing replacement finished in time for Monday

 

Thank-you again for your replies as it helps very much

the abs sensor got damaged when I tried to dislodge it. found a replacement for $25 thankfully but it wont be here till mid week.

One other question if possible. assuming I get the bearing out by really heating the knuckle up this time, will the vehicle still be driveable if I dont have the abs sensor hooked up? I assume it will throw a code but am unsure about driveability.

Thank you again

 

It will be drivable, but I'm sure the ABS light and possibly the orange Center Differential lights will be flashing but that will not have any affect on drivability. Those systems are designed to signal to the driver that there is an error and if needed to go into a backup operating mode that will account for a loss of a sensor.

 

You were right, needed a press, bigger than I was using.. I heated the knuckle up to just over 600 degrees but the 3 ton arbor press I was using didn't get the job done. A 10 ton hydraulic press did,,, and when it did =BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again HunterD

 

First time I heard that BANG - I jumped