Front wheel bearing removal

[bruscreen]

I'm doing a brake job, and my front wheel bearings came apart when I pulled the rotors. I knew this was coming based on previous threads, and have new bearings already pressed into the rotors and ready to go.

What I wasn't expecting was that the race that stayed on the shaft would be so stubborn. I've spent half an hour banging on it already. Any tips for getting it off the shaft?

[DMCMW Dave]

What I wasn't expecting was that the race that stayed on the shaft would be so stubborn. I've spent half an hour banging on it already. Any tips for getting it off the shaft?

Heat it up a bit;

if that doesn't work:

Notch it with a dremel grinder as far as you can without hitting the spindle, then crack it with a chisel.

[bruscreen]

I'm not too comfortable with applying heat, especially since I've already applied flammable lubricants. Sounds like a great opportunity to break out my Dremel. Something to look forward to after work this week.

[Tillsy]

I'm not too comfortable with applying heat, especially since I've already applied flammable lubricants. Sounds like a great opportunity to break out my Dremel. Something to look forward to after work this week.

You sure the lubricants themselves are flammable, rather than the propellant?

I tried all end of lubricants on my transmission plugs but then took a blow torch to it and got them unstuck - cans said highly flammable but it was the gas not liquid. Kept the extinguisher within reach but no fire.

[David T]

Wipe it off and keep a wet rag handy, once you see a little flame it will all be burnt off. Heat is great for getting things apart. Grinding and chiseling is a lot of work and you take the chance of damaging the spindle.
David Teitelbaum

[bruscreen]

Fire and I don't get along well. I know my limits. I got some new blades for the dremel and cut the rest of the bearings off. One had to crack all the way before it let loose, the other started turning once it was notched enough to get a bite with the chisel. New bearings, turned rotors, and rebuilt calipers are in place on the front and hooked up via new hoses.

I also picked up some brake fluid today. Does anybody know why the Delorean calls for DOT 4? The clerk at Napa asked if I was sure it was the right type, and what kind of car it was, but he dismissed it as just Deloreans being weird.

[AirmanPika]

DOT 4 should be fine as far as I know. I'm using a DOT 3/4 certified fluid myself for my own brake job. I also made sure to order front bearings for when I hit the front brakes/rotors next week

[jawn101]

It has been recommended by a lot of VERY trustworthy people here on the forum that you not screw around with brake fluid and seek out the Castrol GT/LMA. I have heard horror stories from plenty of places with standard/cheap DOT 4 fluid interacting badly with the natural rubber seals in the brake system. The GT/LMA doesn't command much of a premium price and in my opinion is worth the few dollar investment in what is arguably the most important safety system in the car. Brakes need to work. Everything else can be fixed.

GT/LMA is available on Amazon, or I got mine locally at Orchard Supply Hardware.

[AirmanPika]

Or one would convert to DOT 5...but that's by no means an easy feat with all the purging and replacement of rubber parts you have to do before even thinking about it. I'm kinda tempted to do it at some point having seen the advantages of the stuff (like cars that have used it for 30 years and simply needed topped off over the years if even that). Of course there are some disadvantages too. Dunno if there are any delorean specific issues that would prevent DOT5.

[Morpheus]

I used DOT 3/4 Synthetic in all of my cars, D included. It's great stuff.

As long as you are methodical about changing it every 2 years, you can probably go with either option.