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Spitfire Spitfire Half shafts

JKB1957

Jedi Hopeful
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I am in the process of rebuilding a 1966 Mk 2 Spitfire and need some feedback. I have the half shafts and trunions on my work bench. To rebuild them the manual says I should remove the outer hub and then pull the half shaft. The hub is a bear to get off. Now my question, should I pull the hub off as the manual states, or can I just pull the hub and half shaft out through the trunion, replace the bearings, and then refit? What do you think?
 
Unfortunately, the wheel hub comes off, then the bearing carrier (or whatever you want to call that piece) comes off. There's essentially no way to pull the axle shaft through in the same direction (outward).

No question that hub is a bear to remove; to do so, you really need the proper puller. Most "conventional" pullers will simply bend the hub and render it useless. At that point, you'll likely spend as much or more for replacement parts as for having gotten hold of a puller. :cryin: So either buy a proper puller from someone such as Canley Classics in the UK, borrow one, or find a shop that has one and let them do the job.
 
The axle will not 'pull through' the trunnion because the axle shaft is tapered at the end. The axle shaft diameter increases as you move along it.

Here's a good thread to check out:

https://www.britishcarforum.com/bcforum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/260284/

Also here's a GT6 rear hub rebuild (Mike Ross) that will give you an idea of how to go about it. Slightly different for GT6, but much is the same. There's also a link on this page to Mike Ross's home made puller.

https://www.mikeross-dds.com/rrbrng.html

Another alternative since you have the axles out is to just take them in to your local LBC service shop if you have one available and have them pull the hubs. Some shops will do this for a very reasonable fee.
 
I kind of thought that pulling the hub was the only way to go, but I thought I would check first. Now I guess it's time for some brute force and ignorance to remove the hubs. Thanks
 
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