Wheel Bearing Replacement

Its official, I need new wheel bearings. I had the right front wheel off today and yeah, it's bad. I intend to replace all 4 under the "when one goes the rest follow" theory. I tried to get the hub off un succesfully. I had the four bolts out but it wasn't going anywhere. Am I missing something? If the front is this difficult, how bad are the rear ones to replace? I got the tools and a hoist, sure would like to save the cash and do it myself.

Any help is appreciated in advance

Thanks, Dan

Check your e-mail, I sent you a couple of PDFs on the subject.

The front is not pressed in to the knuckle, you should just need to unplug the ABS wire (but not right at the hub), remove the 4 bolts and work the assembly out. It may be a bit corroded and not easily slide out along with the ABS sensor. The manual wards against trying to beat or press the bearing assembly out.

For the rear, the bearing and race is pressed in and the rivets for the heat shield need to be drilled out.

-Rod

Heh, just had the front wheel bearings replaced last week at 42K under warranty.
Sounded like a muted knoby tire noise.:uhoh:

Dan, did you have any luck with this? I just tried the same on my wife's 2002 and it must be corroded in the knuckle. I sprayed everything down with PB Blaster and alter Rust Eater. I tried starting the four bolts back into the bearing assembly, then beating on them but the bearing didn't budge. I tried mounting the wheel and tire back on and hitting the wheel with a rubber mallet, the hub didn't move at all. I tried a chisel between the hub and its mating surface, no luck. The service manual says when installing the hub, it should slide in by hand. If not, the knuckle needs to be thoroughly cleaned, so it shouldn't NEED to be pressed out.

I've put the whole thing back together and will let my wife drive it for a few days, then try it again. Maybe the penetrating oils will wick into the knuckle after a few days. :(

-Rod

I was brainstorming with a co-worker on my hub removal issue and he suggested, since the bore is round, trying to rotate the hub assembly in the knuckle with the bolts removed to loosen the corrosion. I think if I get some short bolts that I can feed in to the hub from the hub side, the use a big pry bar, I may be able to get this to rotate and eventually come free. Something to try next weekend anyway.

-Rod

I ended up ordering a new hub, new knuckle, and new outer tie rod end (due to a torn dust boot and slight looseness) because I was afraid if I ever did get the old hub loose to press out the ball joint, I'd have a higher medical bill or body shop repair bill than the cost of the new parts. I'm glad I did. It turns out there is a little lip on the knuckle that would prevent the hub from spinning if I had tried my short bolt theory. The new hub slid very easily into the new knuckle, it wasn't even a friction fit. I had to hold the hub in place to start the bolts otherwise it would have fallen out. I guess I'll get to play a bit rough with the old parts to see if I can get the hub apart and the old ball joint pressed out. I'll let you know what I learn.

With the new parts installed, the car is tight and quiet again.

-Rod

hey rod. its been awhile. well today i did it. i changed the pas side front wheel bearing. took just over an hour. i did come prepared though. i grabed my air chistle and my nice new bit set. i tried to chistle it first but it wouldnt move. then used the mallet and in a downward motion i gave it a good whack! still didnt move so i started whacking it from the front bottom you get the idea. and i notced a small gap. from there i just slowly worked it out with the air chistle. had to fix the bolt holes. now i need to get the missfire / sputtering problem fixed. later

Glad you were able to get yours out without replacing everything.

Before taking the parts from my wife's to the metal recycler, I got pretty aggressive with the parts. It became very obvious there was no way I was going to get that out without completely destroying it. Then, once I got it out, I realized I would not have been able to replace just the ball joint anyway. I suppose a well equipped machine shop could do it, but the c-clamp ball joint presses won't work and the adapters I have with my press won't work for it either. I guess I ended up going to correct route. It wasn't a bad job with all new parts, everything fit together easily.

-Rod

Rod,

Still have those PDF files? If so can you send them to my email address? I would like to review them. I have that muffled rattle happening on the front end. While getting a tire rotation (car was on a lift at about eye level) I was able to grab and shake the front wheel and its obvious that the wheel bearings are worn. Theres 120k miles on those bearings and from what I get from this post I'm concerned as to whether I can get the hub off without air tools. ...unless there is some fancy new trick that I don't know about.

Thanks.

Rod,

Still have those PDF files?

Yeah, but unfortunately my Internet at home is down and I can't find the photos on this phone. Have you sent me your e-mail address in the past?

-Rod

Assuming the e-mail address you provided back in 2007 is still active, the PDF should be in your inbox.

-Rod

oops! I sent you a message with the correct address.

Rod,

Still have those PDF files? If so can you send them to my email address? I would like to review them. I have that muffled rattle happening on the front end. While getting a tire rotation (car was on a lift at about eye level) I was able to grab and shake the front wheel and its obvious that the wheel bearings are worn. Theres 120k miles on those bearings and from what I get from this post I'm concerned as to whether I can get the hub off without air tools. ...unless there is some fancy new trick that I don't know about.

Thanks.Just went through this what i did was remove the knuckel put in vice and you can use the same bolts but you might wreck them like i did you just start the 4 bolts and use a air hammer and go around one each bolt in a x pattern and out it comes

Did it this weekend. It came apart and went back together very nicely.

Congratulations! Glad it worked for you and hopefully it fixed the issue.

-Rod

2002 LS V8 - It's better but I still have knocking noise. With the front wheels off, there is a bar (v shaped) that sits in the top of the wheel wells that I tightened (at the closed end of the v) and it significantly reduced the knocking. I was able to tighten the RF bolt about one full circle turn. The LF bolt took about 1/4 turn. The knocking is better but still there. I tightened up all the ends I could find. Most took a little tightening. Sorry I don't know what the parts are called but if it helps I had to use two wrenches to tighten them all. One to hold the stud and the other to tighten the bolt. They all had (decent looking) bushings on the other side of the bolt and stud. Maybe control arms and tie rod ends?

2002 LS V8 - It's better but I still have knocking noise. With the front wheels off, there is a bar (v shaped) that sits in the top of the wheel wells that I tightened (at the closed end of the v) and it significantly reduced the knocking. I was able to tighten the RF bolt about one full circle turn. The LF bolt took about 1/4 turn. The knocking is better but still there. I tightened up all the ends I could find. Most took a little tightening. Sorry I don't know what the parts are called but if it helps I had to use two wrenches to tighten them all. One to hold the stud and the other to tighten the bolt. They all had (decent looking) bushings on the other side of the bolt and stud. Maybe control arms and tie rod ends?

Anybody got suggestions or advice for me on this?

I would caution against over tightening the bolts and nuts. Eventually one of them might snap and put the car out of commission until the dealership can order one in for you (care to know how I know?).

Hopefully the new wheel bearings took care of the looseness that you were trying to solve. The rattle noise that you hear is likely a problem with the anti-sway bar end links or the sway bar bushings. The bushings aren't a lot of fun to replace so I'd suggest starting with the end links.

-Rod

Good, I didn't crank down on them, i just snug'd them up a little because one seemed so loose. The bearing replacements took some of the noise away but I still have the knocking sounds in the front while driving over not-so-smooth surfaces. I may need more information on changing out the bushings and/or the end links, got any .pdf file diagrams you care to share? The weather is perfect for Saturday the garage projects.

The files should be in your inbox.

-Rod

Check your e-mail, I sent you a couple of PDFs on the subject.

The front is not pressed in to the knuckle, you should just need to unplug the ABS wire (but not right at the hub), remove the 4 bolts and work the assembly out. It may be a bit corroded and not easily slide out along with the ABS sensor. The manual wards against trying to beat or press the bearing assembly out.

For the rear, the bearing and race is pressed in and the rivets for the heat shield need to be drilled out.

-Rod


Rod,

Can you email me this pdf.

Mark VanSant