Love hokey solutions to keep from buying expensive specialty tools? Me too.
I grabbed a full M3 rear suspension to throw on my 325is track car. Before they go anywhere near the car they get new bushings and bearings.
Problem: The proper tools to pull the hub and bearing out are pricey. I know, I know. Buy the right tools and you'll be glad you had them later. But late-night beer-fed Ed does not agree. After watching a couple sketchy videos of people Macgyvering their own bearings out, I walked around my apartment collecting weapons to use in the fight.
I managed to do it all for the price of six bolts and a PVC coupler.
First, press the hub off with three bolts the same size as the lug bolts. My jack stands had tops with curves that perfectly fit under the hub and worked great to press against. Half a bearing splitter spread out the force on the other side.
Voila.
Next, the rest of that wheel bearing has to come out. I used half the bearing splitter again with a rod threaded into it at 90 degrees. A 4-inch PVC coupler from Lowes was cut to hold that half-splitter in the perfect spot so the rod was centered and there was still room to pull the bearing at least part of the way out. On the back side a 1 7/8-inch socket would press on the back of the bearing. It happened to be the same size as the bearing race on the back. Then add a sacrificial washer and a nut to crank on.
Added some super refined spacers once the bearing touched the half splitter.
It's a bouncing baby bearing.
