MK7 RWD - Front disc replacement - Don’t fear the hype

[Firenza73]

I have just replaced the front discs on my 07 plate RWD 2.4 transit with 99k on the clock. I had heard that the front discs were a nightmare to get off as the bearings seize in place. I had a look on the forum and on youtube and found big burley men with sledge hammers knocking ten bells out of the suspension to drift them out from the back or a mash hammer to separate the hub and disc with a chisel. So filled with doubt I ordered a slide hammer and a Laser Brake Disc removal tool 204-345B.

The issues I came across were -
1. you need a long torx bit probably 100mm to reach through the holes in the hub to unbolt the disc before you can start the separation
2. My £40 Sealy Slide hammer would not budge the hub/disc
3.The Laser tool is designed to replace the wheel spindle from the rear but has a greater depth of back plate. You remove the bolts holding the disc to the hub(as above). Then screw them back in on the back of the hub through the laser tool to same holes which presses the tool against the bearing and drives it out.
The main problem with this was the holes on the rear of the hub are normally open to the elements and were corroded to the point where I could not get any of the bolts to go in. So a change of plan was required I used the Laser tool as a £50 drift!! and with a couple of sharp bangs with a mash hammer the disc was off
4 What no one ever said is that once the disc and bearing are free and cleaned up it all goes back together easily. There is no need to press anything back on.

Bottom line is you may not need anything more complicated or expensive than a home made drift (that needs a cut out for the ABS sensor) rather than the Laser tool I used and a couple of sharp taps.

Good luck

[Brains_transit]

I've mentioned before how easy is slides back in and thats because the rust is what makes it harder to remove in the first place

[Wadey]

Iv done loads they can be easy they can be a right nightmare too if A it's been apart before and someones cleaned it up and copper slipped it B who ever put it together before you did it properly and not buggered the bolts up I actualltdof one once where some idiot before me had snapped the torx bit off and then jammed it sideways in the head of the bolt!

[aln101tf]

It is a really stupid design, isn't it.
I twisted the long torx bits, but was lucky the bolts all came out.
As to getting the bearing itself out. The suggested methods don't work very well as you discovered. There is an easier way.
The bearing housing is a close fit in the hub, but not tight. Its the build up of rust scale in the tiny gap which jams it.
Remove the bearing bolts.
Do NOT remove the disc bolts. If you already have, put a couple back in and tighten them.
Get a friend to sit facing the hub etc, and grip the disc with both hands at opposite sides.
While they pull evenly, use a slim drift (long screwdriver or socket extension for example) in the gap between the disc and hub, against one of the "casting bumps" to ROTATE the bearing housing slightly.
Continue rotating the bearing housing back and forth slightly by tapping on alternate sides of a "bump".
The housing will gradually edge out under the steady pull on the disk.
Make sure your friend is prepared for the bundle coming free
Alan

[Firenza73]

Cheers for all the additional info. I still can't get over watching the guy with the van on a ramp knocking hell out of the hub with the sledge hammer. Dread to think what it is doing to the other suspension components.
Thanks for all the advice. I will ask before I start my next job.

[KevofCov]

I removed my hub for free, no tools required, no bashing the hub, just used a bit of lateral thinking.

After stripping down to the point that the hub is ready to seperate from the strut, all I did was put the road wheel back on but backwards. I have a bold old spare wheel and bashed/levered away at the wheel and tyre.

The mass of the wheel and tyre helped the hub gave up quite easily – just be careful when swinging your choosen weapon.....

[ossie cossie]

I take it this is for the 6 bolt wheels? another question is are the actual discs the same as the 5 stud ones just a different outer piece. Just like the pic

[knobby1]

When l did mine, they just fell out, no bashing etc... but we don't get the horrible rust in Aus you guys get in the UK.

Lord Knobrot