Removing Wheel Hub w/out SIRS tool

[zappbranigan]

I have a DIY tool for removing the wheel bearings from my 2001 Boxster, but seem to have ran into a bit of problem....

I need to remove the wheel hub. My DIY tool doesn't allow me to do that. Anybody got any ideas that will remove the hub without causing any damage?

[jjanari]

I hope someone chimes in because I have a similar question posted on another forum. In searching this forum, I seem to recall someone mentioning that they were able to remove the hub w/o any special tool, but using a hammer??? or some type of force. the rationale was that since you are replacing the bearing anyway, it doesn't matter if its damaged in the process. that doesn't sound too comforting to me, though :P

[phillipj]

This may help. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...ing+replacement

[jjanari]

This may help. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...ing+replacement

I actually contacted those guys and they do rent them out. However, when I called them earlier this week, there was a waiting list of 2 weeks. They could not confirm that the tool actually works on the boxster, but stated it had been rented by "several porsche guys" w/o any complaints, so the inference is that it does.

[phillipj]

This may help. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...ing+replacement

I actually contacted those guys and they do rent them out. However, when I called them earlier this week, there was a waiting list of 2 weeks. They could not confirm that the tool actually works on the boxster, but stated it had been rented by "several porsche guys" w/o any complaints, so the inference is that it does.

There is also a DIY on this site on removing your hubs. I couldn't find it but if you go to that link and contact the member who is refferred to there I'm sure he can help you

[jjanari]

This may help. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...ing+replacement

I actually contacted those guys and they do rent them out. However, when I called them earlier this week, there was a waiting list of 2 weeks. They could not confirm that the tool actually works on the boxster, but stated it had been rented by "several porsche guys" w/o any complaints, so the inference is that it does.

There is also a DIY on this site on removing your hubs. I couldn't find it but if you go to that link and contact the member who is refferred to there I'm sure he can help you

thanks, phillip, but I couldn't find the link either after searching w/various key words. are you sure it's on this site?

any luck Zappbranigan? I assume you found some solution :)

[seafeye]

This may help. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...ing+replacement

I actually contacted those guys and they do rent them out. However, when I called them earlier this week, there was a waiting list of 2 weeks. They could not confirm that the tool actually works on the boxster, but stated it had been rented by "several porsche guys" w/o any complaints, so the inference is that it does.

There is also a DIY on this site on removing your hubs. I couldn't find it but if you go to that link and contact the member who is refferred to there I'm sure he can help you

thanks, phillip, but I couldn't find the link either after searching w/various key words. are you sure it's on this site?

any luck Zappbranigan? I assume you found some solution :)

Where are you located?

PM me if you want to rent mine.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=16729

Cheers

[zappbranigan]

Sorry for the absence after starting this post. I was out of town and quite busy. And to all those looking to rent the puller, jjanari is right. I called weeks ago and had to settle for a puller that is designed for a VW I believe. So it was a gamble...and they did not have it on sight. I was put on a waiting list and I'm still waiting!

jjanari: No I did not find a "solution" that allowed me to complete the wheel bearing job MYSELF. After speaking with some real gear-heads I know, I decided to follow up on another posting's suggestion that a machine shop might do the whole job for pennies on the dollar.

After calling numerous local machine shops (just Yahoo'd my zip code with the keywords "machine shop" under the Yellow Pages link on Yahoo) I got no where. Everyone was either not familiar with my request or just didn't handle that small of a job.

SO HERE'S WHERE MY EFFORTS PAID OFF. More idle conversation at work about my problem and someone walked into the office and told me he had the same wheel bearing work done at an auto parts store down the road from where I live. I drove down the road that night and wallah! For $40, Jefferson County Auto Parts pulled the hub, and replaced the bearing in about 10 minutes. That was just one bearing, but well worth it. Hell, I'd already spent $30 in various screws, bolts, and couplings trying to build a DIY bearing puller. Don't waste your time. Just read below.

My advice here is to call LOCAL auto parts stores near you. Ones that have more than just inventory in the back of the store like NAPA, or other chain stores. I haven't called, but would assume NAPA, Advanced Auto, etc won't have the tools necessary to do what this LOCAL auto parts store did. (And they probably have a policy about working on luxury cars like Porsche. I've ran into that issue several times.)

This local auto parts store had a large shop in back of their inventory shelves and the guys working there were more knowledgeable than the typical teenager selling oil filters.

My headache is over. I saved hundreds of bucks. And I'm on to painting my calipers before reassembling! Good luck to those who are in the same boat!

Edited March 16, 2009 by zappbranigan