Wheel hub replacment trouble

[johnb232323]

I have a 98' grande prix gtp. I am replacing the passenger front wheel hub. After having trouble removing the rotor now I am having trouble removing the wheel hub. I removed the three bolts in the back of the hub and removed the axle nut. I purchased a three arm puller. I used the center of the axle head for the tool and as I tighten down on it its pushing the axle inward. The directions show this is the way it should be done but it doesnt seem right to me. Can someone please give me some advice...

[3echo9]

Originally Posted by johnb232323

I have a 98' grande prix gtp. I am replacing the passenger front wheel hub. After having trouble removing the rotor now I am having trouble removing the wheel hub. I removed the three bolts in the back of the hub and removed the axle nut. I purchased a three arm puller. I used the center of the axle head for the tool and as I tighten down on it its pushing the axle inward. The directions show this is the way it should be done but it doesnt seem right to me. Can someone please give me some advice...

Sorry, I don't have any advise but I am curious as to what symptoms your GP exhibited to warrant changing the hub?

I have used the three arm puller on the harmonic balancer which took some effort but it eventually came off. Sometimes a knock with a mallet to break any rust loose might help...just be carefull.

[maxwedge]

Originally Posted by johnb232323

I have a 98' grande prix gtp. I am replacing the passenger front wheel hub. After having trouble removing the rotor now I am having trouble removing the wheel hub. I removed the three bolts in the back of the hub and removed the axle nut. I purchased a three arm puller. I used the center of the axle head for the tool and as I tighten down on it its pushing the axle inward. The directions show this is the way it should be done but it doesnt seem right to me. Can someone please give me some advice...

I may be way off base here but isn't the hub a 4 bolt unit? Anyway sometimes you have to use a chisel wedged between the hub flange and the knuckle and work your way around to pry it out, what you did releases the axle from the bearing without using a hammer, this as you see does not pull the bearing out.

[Langning]

http://www.autozone.com/images/in_ou...sal/27078L.jpg

I loaned this from Autozone when I replaced my front hub 2 weeks ago. With all 3 hub bolts still on, the 36mm center axle nut off and ABS clip disconnected. I first sprayed PB Blaster into the hub spline/axle area. I greased the center screws of the universal 3-jar puller with some lubricant gel (or whatever you can find). I adjusted the 3 jars to latch onto the hub ring with center screw on the center of axle. With a 13mm closed-end wrench, I tighten the center screw. The axle just separated and was pushed back but it didn't go all the way out. With the puller still on the hub, I removed the 3 13mm hub bolts. At the point, the old hub just fell off (of course I had my other hand catching it before the last bolt was removed).

My advise is to spray PB Blaster into the spine/axle and be sure the hub puller is aligned centerly on axle. With the 2-5 ton force of the hub puller, it will separate. When you reassemble, be sure to clean the axle spine with brush and rotor cleaner; then apply some wheel hub grease ($3 a huge can) on the axle spline/hub spline.

[Langning]

Originally Posted by 3echo9

Sorry, I don't have any advise but I am curious as to what symptoms your GP exhibited to warrant changing the hub?

In my case on my 2001 GT with 73K, I was driving on interstate to work at 70mph and was just before getting off the highway, I heard "humming" noise coming from my front engine bay (very much like a high-speed Japanses motorcycle cruising at 80mpg). At first I though it is from the SUV in front my car. I turned off my radio and slowed down a little and the noise was still there.

The following weekend, the noise was there 80% of time when the car moving unrelated to RPM but did change pitch/intensity with speed. Noise became quieter with windows opened. I was suspecting coming from engine/tranny because of the noise is coming from the front engine and resonated thru-out the whole dash...

I did a search on this forum and find out that most humming noise is a result of bad wheel hub and my front driver-side wheel did have a little play. I just wanted to try replaced the wheel hub myself first and then take my car to the dealer if wheel hub wasn't the problem. And the problem was my hub and noise is gone after I put in a new hub...

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by maxwedge

I may be way off base here but isn't the hub a 4 bolt unit? Anyway sometimes you have to use a chisel wedged between the hub flange and the knuckle and work your way around to pry it out, what you did releases the axle from the bearing without using a hammer, this as you see does not pull the bearing out.

Max, the front are three, rear four.



I use and have a hub puller that looks like this. An aftermarket version of the GM Hub Puller for FWD cars. The ones at AZ are useable but technically incorrect. See pic below:


GM Front Hub Spindle Remover (J-28733-A)

[maxwedge]

Originally Posted by bnaylor

Max, the front are three, rear four.



I use and have a hub puller that looks like this. An aftermarket version of the GM Hub Puller for FWD cars. The ones at AZ are useable but technically incorrect. See pic below:


GM Front Hub Spindle Remover (J-28733-A)

I thought so, but my 98 LTZ has a 4 bolt hub, interesting that the W bodies here are different.

[johnb232323]

Thanks to everyone who offered some advice. Being my first time replacing a wheel hub I just wanted to make sure to use common sense and not to make any errors. I was able to finally get the hub off after letting it sit for an hour or so with some blaster on it. I took a pry bar and sleg hammer and worked my way around the casing of the hub and was able to finally get it to slide off. Rather easy job once you get the stuck parts moving. Thanks again to everyone...