Negative.

 

I think Scuba's right. There is a risk of dimpling the races. I wouldn't use a sledge, if a regular hammer doesn't work, I just drill the heads off.

 

Sure if you hit it with a sledge hammer but come on...Use a plastic deadblow and be sensible. The impact driver transmits very little of the blow to the bearings; it converts much of it to rotational force to turn the screws. If it doesn't budge with reasonable force then shoot some liquid wrench on it and try again.

 

 

On previous car's I've owned, I have used a 20 oz hammer with liquid wrench. The screws come right out.

I agree with cthree about the amount of energy that is transmitted from the hub to the bearing, very little. If the bearing can survive ten's of thousands of miles supporting a 2,800 lb car, over sometimes less than desirable road conditions, a few blows to an impact driver with a 20 oz hammer will not have an adverse effect on the wheel bearings.

 

Wow, a 3lb hammer and a $10 impact driver did the trick.

That was the best $10 tool I ever bought, it worked like a champ! One or two solid wacks did the trick on every rotor screw. Thanks for the info in the original thread, I never used an impact driver (or owned one) until I read this article.

It beats my original approach of drilling and grinding, in EVERY WAY! (Quicker, easier, cleaner, just plain better way to go)

 

[QUOTE=Scuba Driver,Oct 20 2006, 10:29 AM] Wow, a 3lb hammer and a $10 impact driver did the