Wheel bearing retention ring is frozen

The ring is not budging. It is not rusted at all. Never though i’d wish for rust, however it would at least give me something to chip away at.
I have tried pressing the bearing back in. Liquid wrench. Acetone & atf. Heat. I have tapped on it. I have cut notched in it. I have cut pieces of the race off that are right behind the beginning ends (sounds funny) of the ring. I do not have an air chisel hammer, however I did use a chisel & hammer to hit around the edges of i iit.
I am thinking of using the cutoff wheel to cut along the inner & outer edges of the ring, trying to stay as flush to it as I can.
Any recommendations?

 

@Taco critter

 

This is after Snap Ring Pliers have failed??

The only way that is going to come out is working it out of the grove .

Sometimes you can get lucky and a small pin punch in one ear and a flat screw driver and work it out.

Is part of the Hub Mushroomed over the Snap Ring Holding it in??

 

The only way that is going to come out is working it out of the grove .

Sometimes you can get lucky and a small pin punch in one ear and a flat screw driver and work it out.

Is part of the Hub Mushroomed over the Snap Ring Holding it in??[/QUOTE]

I tried the pliers & that was a no go. Then the ears broke off when i tried to pry them out.

& yes. I would say the hub is mushroomed over in spots. Where the ears are or were, seems to be particularly bad. Dawned on me that cutting notches was futile since these ends are frozen. There are other spots as well where it looks mushroomed over.

I was thinking a smell grinding wheel? Just work my way around the groove?[/QUOTE]


Your the person with this in front of you.

Try not to ruin the Steering knuckle .

As long as when this is done enough grove is left to hold the ring in place .

I am hoping new Snap Rings are on hand or order.

Good Luck

 

There are no ears. They both broke off when I tried to pry them out after attempting the pliers.

 

If you are using a small grinding wheel, only grind on the ring. Cut a few small slots in the ring. Do not grind the ring out of the groove. You will mess up the groove.

Rings are typically hardened steel and tend to be brittle. After you have some small slots cut in the ring, try to use a pick or punch to get between the ring and the bottom of the groove. Pry the ring out. Don't worry if the ring breaks. Just keep digging the ring out of the groove.

Once out, clean the groove of all debris and rust. On assembly, smear a dab of grease on the ring and in the groove. This will help keep rust at bay and potentially ease removal next time.

 

pics?

 

There is absolutely no "wiggle room" at the ends of the ring. Only way I can see that I am getting a pick under either is to drill a small hole up & behind, if I even can. However even i I could, as @Wyoming09 put it, they are "mushroomed over". I went around the edge of the him with a diamond hole cutter bit, however that does not fine clean the groove edge. Would it be bad to try & clean up right at the edge of the ring? See if I can make some kind of separation to at least get some oil &/or a pick in? I understand now that a cutting wheel along the ring edge is a big fat no, however I have some fine pointed dremel diamond bits I used on the UBJ snap ring. That one was rusted though. Easier to work away at. May work here though. Slower going & I'll probably burn through them, but at this point....

 

I will post some when I get back. Someone is "patiently" waiting to kindly give me a ride to harbor freight or some such.

 

post a picture of the situation.

 

Finally back. Having a hard time getting pics that show the mushrooming. Soooo, the end with where the ear is supposed to be I cannot get any tool behind/under it. I tried grabbing it with some vice grips & whilst pulling straight out, wiggling it a little. No luck. I even managed to cut a piece of the race out right next to it. Didn't help.
I cannot fit any pick next to where the notch is.

 

For what it's worth....

 

We have super heavy duty snap ring pliers for these.. a hammer and screwdriver/chisel usually will break it free

 

Next one get the snap ring broke free before trying to get it out

First move is getting the Snap Ring broke loose .

If the eyes snapped off even the best snap ring pliers would have been no help

I have some concerns about the bore of the steering knuckle .

I am so sorry my luck seems to have rubbed off on you

 

You might need to get creative without damaging the groove.

Try tapping a 16d or 8d nail under the ring and groove bottom. You may be able to wedge the nail under the ring. Then pry up, wedge with a 2nd nail........maybe get enough up to slip a screwdriver under it. Don't be afraid of breaking the ring. You need to dig it out of there.

 

What are your concerns about the bore?

& i’m sure it could be worse. I’ll re-remind you, just so you know you’re not alone, of my three week two broken bolt LBJ.

 

I will never forget the ball joint adventure !!!!

What the snap ring grove will be like after beating the ring out and any collateral damage in the process.

 

Do you have oxy/acetylene? If so make the flame really tight. That hardened ring will instantly glow, quick burst on the trigger will blow it out without harming the casting. Just a quick PSSST. Don’t confuse this with actually attempting to cut it out. Quick little burst. I do it all the time on heavy equipment

 

No. Just propane.