I am trying to remove a rear wheel hub on my Mk IV. Centre axel nut/pin removed ok, but I just can’t get it off like all others I’ve worked on. I’m using a 5 ton hydraulic puller (which I’ve set to a lower 2 ton pressure) but concerned not to over do it at the moment. This wheel side and brake drum is well rusted, and may not have been worked on for 25 years!! The usual penetrating oils applied for serveral days.
Anyone any experience of stubborn hubs and how they have managed to get them off successfully without shattering the hub itself? Any comment as to the maximum pulling force to exert?
Hi David,
Although not the same as the MkIV I managed to get the hub off the half shaft on one side of my SS but not the other. I was aware of a friend who had had similar problems with a MkIV and had taken his half shaft to the local Jaguar dealer and they removed it for him.
Thus advised I turned up at the same dealer’s showroom reception and I walked across the immaculate floor to the desk where a gentleman in immaculate white shirt and tie sat. When I explained he replied that was not a problem and happily accepted my far from immaculate “mace” from me. I returned later in the day to receive the now separate parts and a fairly nominal bill.
Peter
Can you remember what Jaguar dealer it was Peter, my local one has only modern Jaguar experience when I’ve tried with other car problems. Not sure what your guys used - maybe a hydraulic puller and a heat gun at the same time (a bit risky for me at the moment working under the petrol tank!!). I would like to try something without removing the half shaft if I can. Thanks.
The official pullers thread onto the knock on thread on the hub and have a large male threaded piece in the centre which is wound in to push up hard against the end of the ha;f s… with the nut loosened but left on to protect the thread. With tension setup, the puller is hit hard with a LARGE hammer. And after standing well back and not in line, it should pop off with a loud bang.
Yes, it was Rossleigh-Jaguar, Edinburgh
But it appears to have turned into a Volvo agency.
Here is the hub pulling tool I used on my Mark V.
I rented it from a tool rental place.
The big nut is first removed and put on backwards to catch the hub when it pops loose, leaving it out a couple of threads from the end of the axle, so the force is transmitted through the threads but the axle end does not get damaged.
There is also a sacrificial block of steel between the nut and the end of the tool.
The end of the threaded shaft on the tool has a point so I drilled a hole in the steel block to keep it centered.
Then I put some torque on the wrench and tapped the hub on the side and it popped loose.
The rental was for 3 hours and I did both sides and had the tool back to the shop in 2 hrs 50 minutes.
This is the hydraulic puller I have - which has worked successfully on other hubs, etc. and loads up to 5 tons.
It hooks behind the flange of the hub and the large threaded centre screws in to meet the end of the axle before applying the hydraulic pressure. Being hydraulic you can’t really hit the end of it with a hammer (unless I take the handle off and hit the hydraulic shaft). I’m also concerned that if I hit the hub itself or apply too much pressure on the puller it could shatter the hub.
Perhaps I’m treating the old lady too gently - as Rob looks to have a large sledge hammer on the job !! I would feel happier if I knew what pressure I could safely apply on the puller, or how much of a hit I can give the old hub.
Peter - the Jaguar distributorship you mention has changed hands (now Volvo garage as you say). I suspect the new one that has taken over is like ours near me, which is fine on servicing my XJL and can cope if they can plug a computer into it, but haven’t got a clue on for my e Type or the MK IV. Sadly the old mechanics and engineers seem to be a lost era.
Thanks
Hi David,
Where are you located?
I can’t remember how the half shafts are retained in the MkIV but if you can extract the half shaft without removing the hub then you could take it to a Jaguar restorer.
Peter
pictured is the correct Churchill tool JD1C, and can be borrowed from JNCA and JEC I believe.
We have one in our Jag Club
It exerts so much force the hub can be distorted if a regular 3-legged puller is used
Peter
The Salisbury ear ends are different to the ENV . To remove the half shaft involves removing the backing plate and that won’t come off over the hub.
Yes, I need to get the hub off first. As the Mk IV has wire wheels I think it would be the other Churchill puller and not the JD1C (ie: the JD7) I would need to obtain if my hydraulic puller is not suitable.
Hi David,
It looks like it’s the offside rear. I’d be inclined to apply heat to the hub. Tape over the petrol tank vent pipe that protrudes through the wheel arch and give the hub the fastest application of heat that you have so that there is less time for it to pass to the half shaft. Oxy-acetylene would be best but failing that use a big propane torch with maximum flame.
Peter
Hi David, be careful not to exert too much pressure with that 3 leg puller. I had exactly the same problem with my Mk IV. One side came off easily enough with a puller and a not-so-subtle whack with a mallet.
The other side flatly refused to come off. But I wound up the pressure on the puller too much and ended up bending the flange on the back of the hub.
So the disaster of the broken half-shaft instantly turned into an even bigger disaster!
I wasn’t going to say anything but I found the same thing, that my chinese 3 jaw gear puller was bending the flange of the hub, so I stopped and rented the hub puller. It applies the force nearer to the center axis so there is less chance of bending the flange.
If you can’t find one to rent you can buy it from auto parts stores and online but as I recall the price was $175.
And yes I did use the big whangee in the picture but it didn’t require a huge whack.
Yes - I’m being careful with the flange, and have tried it higher up the hub shaft with slightly more pressure(again no success).
Been trying all day to find or borrow a JD7 type tool with no joy as yet. I can find one over in USA at $400 plus all the Postage and Duty costs!! Any information Rob as to what stores sell them at the $175 cost?
Does anyone know if any other tool fits from other car companies?
I think the JD7 tool is for 2½ and 3½ litre hubs. The 1½ litre has smaller hubs but looking at the drawing it’s not obvious that it caters for both sizes unless the barrel has different threads in the two ends.
Peter
The hub puller I used is sold as OTC #7394 for $163.99 at O’Reilly Auto Parts. (perhaps a distant relation but they haven’t offered me any of the profits 
)
Advance Auto Parts has it for $188.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/otc-universal-hub-puller-otc7394/17632239-P?searchTerm=hub+puller
Looks like Amazon has it for $125.
Can anyone confirm please if the 1 1/2 litre MK IV rear hubs are different sizes to the larger engine cars - and if the Jaguar tool JD7 will definitely fit? I don’t want to see if I can hire/borrow one or buy one if it will not fit on my hub.
Thanks Rob for the links. I can in fact get similar ones in the UK, but I didn’t know if pulling on the flange bolts would be any better than my hydraulic tool pulling on the flange edges or as in my second attempt being higher up on the recess rim (which I guess will not bend and nearer to the centre of the axle) - the big advantage would be that I could hit the end screw with a hammer on the puller type you mention, whereas you can’t hit it with my hydraulic tool. The tool I found for $400 is claimed to be actually a re-make of the JD7 original, but at that price plus shipping it’s very expensive for what might be a one off use.
Peter - I have drained and taken the petrol tank out of the car this afternoon, but I’m still not confident of “lighting up the flame thrower” on the hub. There is lots of grease, etc on and in the hub/bearing and I can’t really see it being totally de-greased as to not set something on fire!! Have you or anyone else tried this technique successfully on the rear hub safely when it’s on the car in a confined garage and it popped the hub off without the fire brigade coming out? I guess I am weighing up the “risk against success” odds and looking at all the options first.
Hi David,
I can’t tell you anything about the JD7 but I can tell you that your hubs are definitely smaller than those in the 6 cylinder cars and later Jaguars.
Personally I wouldn’t be too worried about using a torch around the hub even allowing for some grease. I have on other cars burnt oil from brake lining whilst in situ. I think you can be fairly sure that nothing will flare up although you might get some very local flame that is easily extinguished if it doesn’t go out when you take the torch away.
Peter
Just found a reference in the back of my Service Manual for the 1 1/2 litre and it says under the Special Tools section that “the hub puller for the 1 1/2 litre is different to the 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 litre car - refer to your Jaguar Dealer”. Whether the end thread is the same and the JD7 tool is universal for all models of Mk IV is yet to be confirmed.
I will try more options for getting the hub off mechanically before I try the heat treatment option.