cavalier hub bearing

[joedoer]

hi all i need to know how to replace the front hub bearing on a 99 cavalier z24
what tools needed etc.......

[inafogg]

hi joe just your basic tools except axle nut socket 36mm/1 1/4 i think is the size. remove tire,brakes & caliper split upper/lower spindal joints & tie rod
remove spindal/hub assembly.hub bearing is pressed or bolted from backside
good luck

[Classicrocjunkie]

Originally Posted by inafogg

hi joe just your basic tools except axle nut socket 36mm/1 1/4 i think is the size. remove tire,brakes & caliper split upper/lower spindal joints & tie rod
remove spindal/hub assembly.hub bearing is pressed or bolted from backside
good luck

NO NO NO....

- 30mm CV shaft socket ( on package will say will fit GM J-car )
- T-55 torx bit
- punch
- Good Metric Socket set up 22mm. Strut bolts are big suckers. I don't remember the correct size off top of my head.
- 3/8th Allen socket
- PB Blaster
- high temp CV joint grease ( normally in tubs)
- Chisle
- Hammer ( Mini 3lb sledge is a good one for this job)

1) Chock rear tires and e-brake car. Jack one side only at a time because you have aluminum wheels you cannot do step 2 while car is on ground. . Remove front tires.
2) Use 30mm and break free the CV shaft spindle nut while one wheel of the car is on the ground ( Its should be on with 185ft/lbs, might need a breaker bar or use an impact wrench)
2a) Use the punch and tap end of cv shaft in dimple till it floats free.
3) Use 3/8th Allen and remove caliper and hang from coil spring with a wire, so it doesn't dangle.
4) Remove rotors and set aside away from grease. At this time, spray the 3 torx bolts with PB blaster as they are probably rusted and they are a pain in the ass to get out. The bolts are in front towards the rotor not the back like mentioned above. These are also NOT pressed in bearing. They are whole hub assembly's!
5) Remove the 2 nuts holding the strut to the steering knuckel. The bolts are splined so take your hammer and tap them out, then separate strut from spindle. ( Normally this will cause you to need an alignment when doing such a maneuver but on J-cars our front camber only changes less than a degree, toeing is the only thing that changes when you replace tie rods and since your not going to touch them don't worry about em. Trust me, i have torn apart plenty of J's and lowered many then went to get alignments on them. The previous camber was only off at most -.7 degrees. )
6) Maneuver the CV shaft out of the spindle. Notice no seal back there, thank GM for that one.
7) PB blast the torx bolts again, and go get something to drink and turn on your favorite stress releasing music. I prefer something hard core metal.
8) Get the 3 pain in the ass torx's bolts out through the hole in the hub which you can pass your wrench through.
9) Now your hub is probably rusted to your spindle, get the chisel out and start going around the perimeter and pry the damn thing free. Depending on how bad its rusted on there this might take a while. Keep adding PB blaster and letting it sit. You can also try hitting it from the back through the hole since your replacing them with new hubs it won't matter if you destroy the inner bearings.
10) Install new hub assembly.
11) Put grease in back of new hub but first clean it out by any means possible and install new seal in box if it came with one and then reinstall everthing in reverse order. I used TIMKIN bearings and they came with new seals.

Any other questions just ask, i can't count how many times i've done these damn things...

[joedoer]

just replaced both hubs yesterday,before reading second post.
i got seals with the hubs but didn't see where they went
guy at store said might be axle seals....oh well i didn't install them
didn't think i needed them.
thought they were sealed,didn't grease them either.
did i f 'up.???
real simple to replace -didn't need to remove strut bolts...
hubs came out with a whack from a bfh...
car drove ok and noise was gone afterward...
post back if i f' d up without greasing them.

[inafogg]

hey joe good to hear that all went well. i'm pretty sure bearings come greased but u should have grease them(oh well)unless u really feel like doing it again. as far as the seals I think it goes in the back after the bearing is installed but not to sure may be ''Mr. NO NO NO'' can help us!!!

[Classicrocjunkie]

Originally Posted by inafogg

hey joe good to hear that all went well. i'm pretty sure bearings come greased but u should have grease them(oh well)unless u really feel like doing it again. as far as the seals I think it goes in the back after the bearing is installed but not to sure may be ''Mr. NO NO NO'' can help us!!!

Always... I will see your pint of sarcasm, and raise you a pitcher of my own...























































Self explanatory.... I've torn these cars down from top to bottom and built em back up over and over again. If you guys feel like taking steps that just create more work or skips crucial steps thats your own doings. You didn't have to use that seal and grease, but if you have your car for another few years expect to be doing this over again.

[16th hippy]

both sarcastically and serious, what a kick ass set of instructions. i personally never bothered to remove strut bolts, but also always did them on a lift. when car is on ground might be a little easier that way. thanks for the tips!

[denisond3]

AGREED: Not only a superb set of 'how-to' instructions, but the best picture sequence you could imagine. And think of the extra work to get the right pictures, from the right angles with the right light, then add the text and get them uploaded.
You have given me a new goal - to work up a set of instructions/pix for the next auto tranny that I (successfully) rebuild.

[joedoer]

hey thanks for responding with such great instructions...
wish i had those at the beginning...
my main concern is that the bearings are not going to fail soon.
if in a few years ,then i;m ok with that, just don't feel like redoing them now...

why doesn't factory install them from the beginning,oh wait,i know that answer...

post back if i'm not safe to drive it this way....
again thanx

[Classicrocjunkie]

Your fine to drive your car. Its not going to harm anything if you didn't other than what happend to your originals.

I have quite a few write up actually.

[joedoer]

...thanks for your help.really appreciate it.
sets my mind at ease now knowing its ok and i didn't screw up.
daughter mainly drives the car and i wanted it to be safe.
thanks again
joe d.

[joedoer]

hey just wanted to add a follow up to the story.
at the same time i posted here,i emailed the bearing company...they emailed back ..the senior product analyst....
he stated and i quote...
"you are correct in not using the supplied seals that came with the new bearing assembly.over the years chevrolet has made a few changes to the cavalier platform,the service bearing kit contains the seals to service the older vehicles but is not required on the 1991 and newer j/n/l gm platform vehicles."
just wanted to pass this along....thanks again for the help..

joe d

[Classicrocjunkie]

He can say that all he wants. Think of it this way.. They supply a seal with the new bearing right? He states its for the older generation cavaliers correct? If we're using the SAME part number as the older cavaliers, then what has GM changed in the steering spindle design. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Bringing in N,L,W body GM cars has nothing to do with this. Its a whole different platform than a J. All it states is that the older the cars on the platforms were built correctly with seals in them and GM is being cheap bastards and not supplying them anymore. Thats all they changed. Oh look, we can save $4 and not put seal in where it should go. While the car will function normally for a few years, it leads to premature failure of the bearings. Making the average joe have to bring the car in for repairs at a dealership to make GM more money.

Guy at that bearing place can go bury his head in a book for all i care. He doesn't know what he's talking about. He probably pulled that out of his ass to buy their product.

But hey, do what ya want everyone.

[Classicrocjunkie]

... and another thing. Then why does the seal fit right in the damn hole where one should be? If it was changed the seal wouldn't fit.... just ppl piss me off who tell ppl incorrect material which effects their vehicles in the long run. If you don't know something for sure, don't tell someone something your unsure of.

end rant...

[joedoer]

hey crj
i'm with you all the way on that...what you say makes perfect sense.
definitely can see why you got pissed off..
your way makes much more sense....
i agree,if you don't install it,we can sell you more parts and increase our profits....and
if they don't install them at the factory,eventually you get tired of repairing and wil just purchase a new car....m-fer's
they wonder why they (american cars) have such a bad rep...
oh well...i think everybody here agrees with you also...you are on top of it for sure...my main concern for posting here and emailing them was to make sure car is safe....you assured me of that....

thanks again for your expertise

joe d.