need some help/advice with axle bearings

so while out at the lightning kill-tacular session in ennis i had an "issue" that i noticed....

the axle moved in and out the rearend housing when we tried to put the tires back on... broke the c-clip easy fix.... and need an outer seal on the right wheel

well while im in there i figure i might as well go ahead and change out the outer axle bearings when i do the seal.... only 1 problem... that damn thing WILL NOT BUDGE!!!

anyone know how to remove that thing?? i was gonna do both seals and both bearings, but hell if its gonna be this hard i might as well just swap in a 12 bolt (at this point even THAT seems like it would be easier)

so any advice, tips, tricks, tools, sarcasm that you can lend me would help out greatly

Slide hammer?

There's a special tool that folds, slides into the housing past the bearing, then spreads out to capture the back side. It attaches to a slide hammer that is used to pull the bearing and seal at once. Eat your wheaties first. The tool is available from any of the tool trucks.

It will still be slow.

i had a slide hammer with 2 little ears that came out and hooked to the back of the bearing... thats why i especially dont want to re-use that bearing now... i dont want the chance of damaging a part and then re-using it...

where can i find that tool your talkin about nathan... anywhere other than a snap on or matco guy??


and thank you moze for your sarcasm... it was noted

Yeah, slide hammer Alan. Nathan did a good job describing it...but you will need to whack the junk out of that thing. I am sure you can do it--just use your gut to hit it. :dancenana:

That's the tool you need but there is a difference between the ones that are made for the 8.5" axle bearings and the 8.6" axle bearing like you have. It will destroy the bearing but you're replacing them anyway. It takes a different tool to install the new ones. MAC, Matco, Snap-on, Cornwell should all have what you need but I would try to borrow 'cause they're not cheap.

anyone have one i can borrow :D

Wish you could drive the truck up here it would be a lot easier. I might be able to loan one but you'd have to come get it.

Doesn't o'reileys have that tool borrowing program? Just put a deposit down?