aspire hub woes!!!!!!!!!!

[Hot_Wheels]

so i have been trying to strip my aspire hubs apart so i can clean and rebuild them. well let me tell you these hubs are putting up a fight and winning!! first i tried to get the rotors off i used a impact screw driver to get the philips screws out of the hub so the rotors would come off, well of course the screws where seized so i had to drill them, once i drilled them they where still a pain in the butt and i had to use a 3 jaw puller to seperate the rotors from the hubs. so i finally got the rotors off. Today i spent all morning calling around to try and find someone with a press who could take them apart i got quotes for about $45 a hub!! i then contiplated on just buying a press for 70 bucks from harbor freight, but then i tried a friend who has a small press so i go there and this press was to small i was affriad i was going to break the press, so i went to a few mechanic shops by him i find a guy who repairs junnkyard cars all day he scratches his head and then says he can do it, well he got them apart but he handed me them in pieces and when i asked him about the shims he looked clueless and proceded to tell me what a dumb desighn they where. so now im left with the hubs seperated but i only have one shim and i dont know which hub goes to what spindle what do i do??? i was thinking of maybe taking them to a ford dealer but every time i ask someone they want to do it with all there parts and rape me on the parts...heres some pictures

this is the one and only shim i found

the bearings are still stuck on the hub i tryed to pry them off with a flat head but no luck


by the way i still have to get the races out should i use a hammer and screw driver?

[FB71]

wow.... ok, you've never done pressed bearings before, obviously. No problem. The bearings that are still on the hubs need to be pressed of. You will NEVER get them off with a screwdriver or prybar. There's a tool for removing those bearings, used in conjunction with a press, commonly called a 'clamshell', or bearing press plate. It's two halves connected by heavy bolts. Each half has a semicircle cutout to go around and under the bearing.

It doesn't matter which knuckle the hubs came from. They're interchangable at this point, since you only have one shim. The shims are still available from a Kia dealer because the Rio used this type of hub up thru at least 2002. Additionally, a Kia dealer should be able to rebuild the hubs for you for a reasonable charge.

[bravekozak]

Make sure you use a a high quality milled lithium stearate EP-2 grease when you put everything back together. I recommend Esso Unirex EP-2.
You may pack them yourself by shoving the grease in from the large side and making sure it comes out the top (small side). I used to work for Pennwalt in a greases & lubricants/chemical specialties lab. I think I may have tested almost every grease on the market. The goal is to get a grease that is suitable for the coldest temperatures you will normally turn at, yet not have the oil which is used to soften the soap base bleed out, or have the grease fly out into the grease cup at high loads and heat.
To determine if the grease is milled sufficiently, simply rub a little between your thumb and forefinger. If it feels smooth and not gritty, then it has been milled. We normally check the grind in the lab, with a special gauge. Good luck getting everything back together.

[FB71]

great info about grease, thanks!!!

[Hot_Wheels]

thanks fb i will go buy a kia dealer tomarow i think i know what your talking abotu the 2 piece bearing puller always wodered how it works now it makes sense! as far as grease i was going to use mobil1 synthetic is that ok? ive used on my mustang and never has issues. i dont know its chemical make up though.

[Hot_Wheels]

when i go to kia should i tell them its for a rio? what diffrences was the rio hub compared to a aspire? i know there where bigger rotors and calipers but was the spindle and hub the same? same spline count?

[Safety Guy]

Thanks for going through this HotWheels! I'm hoping to have my own "front hub adventure" soon. I need to get an extra set of Aspire knuckles or check out the early Rio knuckles to see if they would work (my preference because they'd be newer).

I have the 12 ton press from HF (got it on sale with a coupon for $99!) and now I'll need the bearing separator.

I may also go the "take them to the Kia dealer" route if it becomes too difficult to put back together.

I'd just tell them it's for an Aspire. Still a Kia and the same design, if not the same parts. I wouldn't worry about it. They'll probably charge you the same.

Karl

[Pu241]

I have the 12 ton press from HF (got it on sale with a coupon for $99!) and now I'll need the bearing separator.

Karl,
Have you used the press yet?
If so would you recommend it?

[Hot_Wheels]

the harbor freight press i used was a 12 ton as well at my buddies shop its seemed ok i shimmed the hub with some metal blocks he had and i used a big socket ontob of the bearing i put alot of force and nothing was budging i was afraid the spindle would brake or the socket shattering so i took it to that shop. well i found f3bz article on the kia rio hubs i learned alot, and i think i read the article long ago i just must have forgotten. i was looking hard and low for clean front brake shields to bad i didnt rember that article because you could probably order new kia rio which are identical to the aspire. i was also asking jim if we could use the studed rio hub for those who want to convert from lug bolt to stud. well i think i will clean these hubs sand blast and paint them and then i will take them to kia to have them hopefully finish them. ill post pictures as progress goes on

[Hot_Wheels]

is this the "clam shell" tool

[FB71]

that's it!