Ok, I have a 2005 V50 Wagon 2.4i FWD. It needed Frt Whl Bearings, Real Loud Road Noise is what it sounded like. I read a bunch of forums, Ordered the bearings. Took it apart so I could take the spindles to get bearings pressed out / In. This was in Colonial Bch Virginia, the local places only had a 12 ton press. I called and found a Truck ($180 to do) place that does big bearings and had a 30 Ton press. They tried to press out and gave up. They sent me to a Volvo Dealer, they called to say they couldn't either. I went to get the spindles and spoke to the Service Mechanic. They are stuck, you need new spindles. He wait if I were you with this car at 86,000 miles. I would go online and buy 2 used Low Mileage spindles, They come with the bearing although they do not guarantee the bearing but they are good normally. So I found 2 for $100, I put them on and the car runs great, no noise. No bearings to buy or press in & out, The cost to just press the bearings out & in at Volvo is $360, the bearings are like $50 or $60 plus all the hassle. UPS dropped off the used spindles, I took off the old and put on the used and never had to rent a puller or drive the spindle anywhere and deal with the pressing. Plus I saved at least $300

 

I'm confused. I have a Harbor Freight 12 ton press, and it was EASILY able to do the front wheel bearings in my V50. I even made a video.


I'm not sure why you had trouble finding someone, and why a 30 ton press (!!!) couldn't press out the bearings.

And FWIW, I tried a full knuckle replacement on my current grocery getter (a BMW 530xi) and got a used one that had LOTS of problems (a laughably loose bearing, mashed ball joint mounting surface, etc.). In the end, I just dealt with my old knuckle (with its good bearing), which ended up being a lot easier solution.

 

Volvo recommends a 25 ton press. In the end it is a solution that is inexpensive $100, can be delivered to your door if you only have 1 car. Depending where your Volvo has lived the bearings can easy or hard to press in and out. This car came from the Northeast Oceanside and thus had rusted bolts etc.

 

My spindles were all rusted up, not shiny like that one you got. If someone would have said you can all the pressing and taking places and it costs $200 or more vs. you can sit at home and wait for 2 spindles with 40k on it for $100 or less delivered. I would have gone that route immediately. Hey it's got 85K or so and if I get another 40 or 50K from the used spindles. Do it again or sell it. Just another solution to choose from. That's why I posted as I never found it in my reading.

 

Recently, my Indy car repair place said I needed a new CV joint on my '04 XC70. In the process of replacing it, they had to replace the wheel bearing. Took a couple days due to a corroded interface between the bearing and the spindle(?). He said it was very labor intensive to remove the bearing. He said that the road salt in recent years has caused great trouble in replacing wheel bearings due to a special form of corrosion he believes is caused by new types of municipal road salt.

 

My guess is that the corrosion was between the axle and the hub. It's a splined interface, and road salt can get it REALLY locked up solid.

My 2006 BMW 530xi (touring) spent its first couple years in the frozen north, and I didn't see any signs of consequences... until I tried to get the rear hubs off. If you like to see other suffer, you might enjoy the video I made on the process.

Spoiler - it took a 10 ton hydraulic puller, two torches AND an air hammer.

 

I've had good luck with this style on other cars. I noticed that in some cases (not the V50) they offer the spindle assembly already put together new, so that tells you that people are having trouble getting the bearing out. There are 3 stages to that, as described, the CV joint has to come out (that's not an interference fit) and then the hub out of the bearing and the bearing out of the spindle/steering knuckle, whatever you want to call it.