Wheel bearing R&R step-by-step needed!

  • Thread starter Thread starter shad0704
  • Start date Start date
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shad0704

2000 SL1 FWD:
1.remove hubcap
2.crack drive shaft nut using 21mm socket w/ breaker bar
and lug nuts w/ ground contact and brakes applied (so as to not stress CV joint)
3.jack car, remove lug nuts-tire, brake caliper-housing, rotor
4.????
 
and lug nuts w/ ground contact and brakes applied (so as to not stress CV
joint)

I don't think it is possible to stress the CV joint worse than the car does
when you accelerate moderately... Or especially if you have a manual
transmission and drive like I do. :)

Regards,
Joe - VROC #8013 - '86 VN750 - joe @ yunx .com - 973.571.1456 24/7

Ask me about "The Ride" on July 31, '04:
http://www.youthelate.com/the_ride.htm

4 bedroom house for sale in NJ: http://GoneHome.com/62236
 
A $10 Haynes or Chilton manual for your car from any auto parts store will
probably give you a bit more detail than people will provide here.


Remove drive shaft nut.
Remove castle nut from the ball joint on the lower control arm. Pry the arm
downward with a prybar or 2x4 while whacking the knuckle with a hammer to
break the joint loose from the knuckle.
Remove the nut from the outer tie rod end and use a puller to separate the
two (available for rental/free loan from most auto parts stores). A pickle
fork will work, but you may damage the dust boot.
Remove the two large strut to knuckle mounting bolts. Doing so kills your
alignment, so you'll have to get the car re-aligned. Separate the strut
from the knuckle.
Pull the knuckle and hub assembly off the axle shaft.
You'll need a press to separate the hub from the knuckle, remove the
bearings, install the new bearings, and put the pieces back together. It's
not something you would even want to try doing without a press. My Saturn
retailer's service department does it for me for a few bucks when I bring in
the parts and it's well worth it.
Re-assemble and get the car aligned. Axle nut needs to be super tight -
wail-on-it-with-an-impact sort of tight or the replacement wheel bearing
won't last very long. (see the suspension section on my website if you want
more detail). Also, I believe that axle nuts are specified to be once-only
use in the factory service manual. A set of new ones will run around $10
from your retailer's parts department.

This is off the top of my head from doing it 5 or 6 times and it may not
include all the detail and proper order. Don't ask me any more than what
I've written here - this is all I'm able to remember. Buy a manual! I
cannot stress that enough.

Lane [ l a n e @ p a i r . c o m ]
 
Remove the nut from the outer tie rod end and use a puller to separate the
two (available for rental/free loan from most auto parts stores).
Click to expand...

I have gotten away with threading the nut on so its flush with the end of the
threads, then smacking it out.......
Doing so kills your
alignment, so you'll have to get the car re-aligned. Separate the strut
from the knuckle.
Click to expand...

Does it really kill your alignment though? There is no camber/caster adjustment
on stock struts anyway. Only way to really adjust it is to slot the holes on
the top.......or aftermarket struts that are adjustable........
 
It's been my understanding that there is soom room for camber adjustment
with the stock struts, just not a lot. I've had several alignments back
when I had stock struts where they did change that setting by loosening the
lower bolts without elongating that lower hole to allow for more adjustment.

Lane [ l a n e @ p a i r . c o m ]
 
It's been my understanding that there is soom room for camber adjustment
with the stock struts, just not a lot. I've had several alignments back
when I had stock struts where they did change that setting by loosening the
lower bolts without elongating that lower hole to allow for more adjustment.
Click to expand...

I mean elongating the upper holes.........not sure if they really could
elongate the lower ones.

On an aftermarket set I had, the bolts were offset so as the bolt turned it
would change the camber.
 
Bandit and the orig. thread poster "shad704",
According to my Chiltons book for my older 93, camber
can be adjusted up to 3 degrees just by loosening the 2 big
bolts & "pushing or pulling the knuckle in the desired direction".

I just replaced both bearings and when I took it to be aligned,
the tech said camber was okay. He also said there is an after-
market kit that puts cam bolts in there to gain further adjustment.
He said most kits are needed after an accident. I did have to
have the tow adjusted as I had to replace a lower control arm
(due a bad lower ball joint) and a tie rod end.

Also while I have it up and to save from additional alignments, I
check all of the boots like on the CV, all ball joints/tie rods and
steering rack. Also to save another alignment (the orig. poster
was replacing a bearing), it would make sense to replace the
bearing on both sides as if one side goes, the 2nd will follow not
too long after.

chuck
 
It is the lower hole that you can grind to elongate to gain more camber
adjustability (and not the upper hole). The upper bolt/hole acts as the
fixed pivot point when putting that 'tilt' in the hub assembly and wheel.
Here's a pic of my Carrera coilover housings that are on my track car:
http://www57.pair.com/lane/photos92/nfhous2.jpg . You can see the bolt
holes in that picture.

Also, this free method doesn't require buying the special bolts that are
sold for the purpose of adding camber adjustability.

Lane [ l a n e @ p a i r . c o m ]
 
You can see the bolt
holes in that picture.

Also, this free method doesn't require buying the special bolts that are
sold for the purpose of adding camber adjustability.
Click to expand...

Yeah......I didn't really think about doing that freely like that.....

thanks for the info
 
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