Has anyone one the board tried to remove their rear axle flange (i.e, the hub that the wheel bolts to)? I have an SLK32 but I know our drivetrains/suspensions are identical. I'm trying to install Brembos on the rear with larger discs, but the backing plate is an issue. I cut the first one off without removing the flange, because I was confident I could cut back the offending portions that conflicted with the rotor and caliper and bolt it back in two pieces. And indeed, I was able to do this, but on the first side that I performed surgery on, one of the parking brake shoes relied on a portion that I unfortunately removed (didn't realize this obv as it's not at all evident or I would have cut it differently). I decided to go ahead and replace both backing plates at that point with SLK55 plates and removed the axle nut from the other side...yeah and to make a long story short, the flange is SERIOUSLY pressed on. I did a quick check beforehand in the SRT-6 service manual knowing that the components were identical, and it didn't say anything about having to use a special puller or anything. After I couldn't get the flange off, even using a puller that I already had, I went to the MB Star disk, which for the most part is worthless, but it did clearly indicate that a special puller was required, and that if you can't get it removed on the car with the hydraulic puller, then you have to remove the entire wheel carrier (i.e., the "knuckle") and have the flange manually pressed off ($&%!!#$).

Sooo, has anyone been successfully removing this part? Any special tricks? Yes, I've searched this and the MB forums but couldn't finad a thing... Any help most appreciated, thx. /C

 

try asking hooleyboy on mbworld in the c32 section. he is pretty knowledgeable

 

Thx 32k...if I don't get help here I'll post over there. Just didn't want to saturate forums with an identical question. Hooleyboy def seems to know what's up but I wasn't sure that our suspensions were the same. I thought about emailing Jake at Eurocharged, too. I did search that forum but found zilch.

 

maybe ask woody aka waldig on here. he has torn his car apart from front to back it seems

 

I had to take the knuckle off to replace the cv boot over a year ago and don't remember anything being to difficult beside getting the cv boot off the shaft.

 

That's interesting...I can't make the flange budge. I went by the MB stearlership after work today and asked the service manager what they would charge me to pull the flanges and swap the backing plates, and with me providing the parts, he told me...wait for it...$968 in labor (8 hours) PLUS they would have to replace the bearings and seals for an additional $414 because he said they would get destroyed. 1400 bucks LOL. I just rolled my eyes and walked away...it's at most a two hour jub and there's no way the bearings and seals need replacing unless they don't know what they're doing. The technician he conferred with must have had a bad experience with one once or something...

 

do u mean the nut flang, if so use a punch and hammer seperate the part that locks the nut down.

see section shaft, rear axle figure 3-410 in the crossfire document section
2006 -crossfire-parts-manual.pdf

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ollection.html



also here
http://homepage.mac.com/gregmeach/XFire/

 

The knuckle can be removed from the car with the half-axle and flange as an assembly no problem. The problem is separating the flange (hub) from the knuckle in order to remove and replace the backing plate...

 

Thanks but no, not the flange nut...that was easy to remove after prying up the locked edge. I am referring to the part that's held onto the axle by the nut, which is the flange, also known as the wheel hub. It is apparently pressed onto the bearing assembly between it and the wheel carrier (also known as the "knuckle")...