I'm ALMOST through with my S4 brake upgrade...the backs are on - the fronts are off. Had to order new boots for the A-Arm ball joint...dangit - it's kinda like that L-A-S-T bolt...the little things that hold you up!

ANYWAY - as many of you know - for my '85 - I have to change to the OB spindles...One of the ones I bought has a busted lug bolt...is there an (even SEMI) easy way to get the front bearing caps off??

The manuals show a special sliding hammer tool (I found one at PepBoys - $100!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> ).
Surely there's an easier way...

Anyone?...Buehler?

 

You can try to make one as one of our members did; it looks very similar to the Porsche unit.

But doing that is beyond me, I'd end up borrowing or buying one.

 

Mark,

If you mean the dust or grease cap, tap grease cap at various angles, or use channel locks and hammer, or use a c-clamp to remove. It is just a light friction fit.

See Tony's pictorial procedure, number 19:
<a href="http://members.rennlist.com/v1uhoh/underww.htm" target="_blank">http://members.rennlist.com/v1uhoh/underww.htm</a>
<img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

 

Mark,

I use a 6 inch piece of 2X2 wood. Put one end on the lip of the bearing cap like a chisel, tap the other end with a hammer. Work your way around the bearing cap. It will only move a little at a time. The caps sit in the spindle kinda deep. The wood method has not caused any damage to my caps the few times I've had them off.

Greg

 

I got this piece of galvanized chain-link fence post hardware at Home Depot.
<img src="http://www.flash.net/~ego/fncthng.jpg" alt=" - " />
When clamped onto the grease cap, it provides a lip to get a large screwdriver underneath. Work your way around and pry it off. Works fine and doesn't dent or chew up your grease cap. Cheap, too - about $2.

 

I found an EASY way to do this...Using 2 hammers.

With a claw hammer - place the claw on the indentation on the dust cap as if it were a nail you were pulling. Rest the top of the hammer head against the hub or the head of one of the lug bolts, and tap the hammer striking surface gently with the other hamer (while exerting light 'nail-pulling' pressure)...rotate around about 1/4 turn and repeat, etc...They'll come off without damage in short order!

 

Hitting one hardened hammer surface with another hardened hammer surface is certain to generate tiny high-velocity shrapnel. Wear safety glasses!!

 

Thanks Wally - but it is gentle taps....