Re: Quick Question (porterave)
The inner race of the wheel bearing is split, and the outer CV joint spined section and nut holds the bearing together. If you roll the car around without the axle bolted through the hub, the bearing will probably separate a little bit. This shouldn't hurt anything. Just be gentle with it. When you pick the car back up to put it back together, you'll notice that the wheel bearings will be very very loose. Don't worry about it....put the axle back in, when you crank the nut down it will pull the hub and wheel bearing back together where it needs to be. In extreme cases, I've seen hubs completely come out of the inner race and fall off. If this happens, the bearing needed to be replaced anyway. If you don't want to chance it, Go to home depot or wherever and get a big long bolt that you can put through the hub and bearing, get some washers and put a nut on it. This will simulate the axle being in place and will hold the bearing together.
