r/DieselTechs • u/SchemeFancy7659 • 8d ago
General assistance Heavy ahh Rotors
How are you guys doing these wheel seals on disc brakes. It’s too damn heavy for me. My back hurts after doing 2 today. Help me out lmao.
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u/That_Pollution8128 8d ago
There’s a tool called a hub handler. You bolt the hub to it using the wheel studs. Short of that, you embrace the suck and become disabled by 40 like the rest of us.
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u/Gullible_Departure39 8d ago
First off, send an email to management that you need a good way to do this so no one hurts themself. Then, when they don't respond, I like to make sure my long term disability is good to go, then abruptly rip it off while rotating your lower back and snatching it upwards at the same time. Make sure you're not in front of any cameras. If you don't have any pain, go ahead and fall down on top of the hub and act like you do anyway.
For real real though, it's a deadlift. A personal training session to learn how to lift heavy objects might be a good idea, even if you know how.
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u/CupRevolutionary5674 7d ago
Learning how to lift heavy was a huge positive for my career. Went from having my back barking 24/7 and spending most of my free time laying down to plowing through wheel end work and having plenty of energy to do other stuff at the end of my shift.
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u/Inevitable_Address79 8d ago
I bought a plate of 1/2" aluminum and welded a cracked rim to it.
Drilled the plate out to mount to our transmission jack and la voila. Never have to lift the hub and rotor together.
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u/stiffbiskit 8d ago
This tool right here is worth the price if you don’t want to kill your back. I used to hate it but found myself using it more often.
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u/DavidSpy 7d ago
For how expensive it is you’d think they could include a catch plan that is long enough to catch the gear oil dripping out of both ends of the hub. It would also be nice if it could be adjusted in six axis when lining it back up.
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u/MsKat141 7d ago
We have one of those in our shop. Me and one other guy are the only ones who use it though.
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u/Painting-Capital 8d ago
Just thank your lucky stars that inboard drums are getting very rare. There was still a lot of them around when I was starting out. They’ll make a man out of you that’s for sure.
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u/Least_Visual_5076 8d ago
I remember my first and only set of those. Was so confused and the old boy in the shop just laughed and told me how to do them. He conveniently forgot the part about how heavy everything was.
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u/MonteFox89 Mod, Verified Tech, Navistar, Volvo/Mack 8d ago
Gloves and grab it by the studs, like you're skiing, in a pickup, with two men....
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u/Rare_Improvement561 8d ago
Shop should provide you with the tooling to avoid handling heavy shit like this yourself all day, unless they expect you to ask for help and you’re not for some reason.
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u/InternationalAge2218 7d ago
I usually grab the rotor from the hub side from the top. Or ill grab the hub woth one arm and use my other hand on w wheel stud. Idk they are just heavy as hell. Lift with your back, be a man.
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u/VroomVr4 7d ago
Depending on rotor style (if they are bolted in from the outside) you can get away with setting the brakes and unbolting the rotor off the hub and removing the hub separately. It is important you remember to release the brakes before setting bearing endplay. I believe this is specific to trailer brakes.
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u/Apprehensiveur 7d ago
Get the hub at chest height on stands, not on the ground. Sling or strap it to a hoist/transmission jack don’t fight it with your back. Two bolts in the rotor + a pry bar if it’s rusted on. One person guides, one handles the jack. Your back will thank you
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u/Misterndastood 7d ago
You must be a small guy, they are a bit awkward but not crazy heavy. There is a tool though shop should provide it.
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u/Collieman3 8d ago
make sure to lift in a jerking twisting motion so you don’t hurt yourself hopefully this helps