How To Change A Hub Bearing Assembly

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Wheel bearings are a vital part of a vehicle'south suspension. Normally located in the wheel's hub, rotor, or brake drum, bearings help the wheel rotate smoothly when the vehicle moves. If you discover a humming or whirring noise while yous are driving or your ABS lite turns on, it may be time to change your bearings. You can save money past changing your own wheel bearings rather than going to a mechanic, but if you practise so, use caution — the bearings may be small, but they're very important.

Steps

i
Park your vehicle on a apartment surface. As with almost types of auto maintenance, you'll want to take all necessary precautions when changing your vehicle's wheel bearings to ensure your rubber. The worst thing that tin can happen when changing your wheel bearings is for your vehicle to suddenly shift or roll away. Before you lot begin, park your vehicle on a level surface. Put the vehicle in park (or, for manuals, 1st, contrary, or neutral) and be certain to put the parking brake upwards.^[1]
- Annotation: Every vehicle is different. The instructions below are intended as a full general set up of guidelines and thus volition not perfectly fit every vehicle. If you encounter problems while attempting to alter your wheel begetting or accept doubts after y'all stop, it's very wise to enlist the help of a professional person mechanic. Doing so can relieve time, forestall future headaches, and save coin in the long run.
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Use wheel chocks to secure wheels whose bearings y'all aren't replacing. For added stability, it can be smart to employ sturdy chocks to agree your vehicle'south wheels in place. Patently, you lot'll desire to employ chocks on the wheels you don't programme on modifying, as the wheels you lot do modify will exist elevated off the ground. For example, y'all would identify wheel chocks backside the rear tires if you lot are fixing a front end wheel bearing and behind the front tires if you are working on a rear cycle.^[2]

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3
Loosen the lug nuts and lift the wheel using a jack. For proper admission to the internal components of the wheel whose bearings you lot're replacing, you'll need to elevate the wheel. Luckily, well-nigh vehicles come with a jack for just this purpose. Earlier you lot elevator the bike, however, you lot may want to slightly loosen the lug nuts with a tire fe, as breaking their initial resistance is harder without the footing property the wheel steady. After this, carefully lift your wheel.^[iii] If your vehicle doesn't come with a jack, you may demand to buy a suitable jack at an auto supply store. See wikiHow's guide on how to change a tire for help elevating your vehicle's cycle.
- To prevent unsafe slippage, make sure that the vehicle is securely seated on the jack and that the jack is affluent with the basis before attempting to lift the cycle. Information technology'due south besides important to make sure the jack touches the vehicle on a sturdy, metal piece of the undercarriage, rather than on fragile plastic molding, equally the weight of the vehicle tin impairment the latter.
- Most vehicles have jack points where the frame has actress support to lift the vehicle. It's all-time to check the owners manual to learn the best place to position your jack.
- It is also extremely wise to use a safety jack stand up for added support in the event the floor or scissor jack fails.
four
Unscrew the lug nuts and remove the bicycle. The lug nuts, which y'all should have already loosened, should come off easily. Remove these and put them in a safe place where you won't lose them. Adjacent, remove the bicycle itself. Information technology should come freely.^[4]
- Some similar to keep runway of the lugnuts past removing the hubcap, turning it over, and using it as a sort of "plate" to contain them.
v
Remove the brake caliper. Using a socket and a ratchet, remove the caliper's bolts. Then, remove the caliper itself using a screwdriver.^[5]
- When removing the caliper, be careful not to let it dangle freely, every bit this tin impairment the brake hose. Instead, claw it on a secure part of the undercarriage or apply a brusque length of string to tie it in identify. A bungee string or a bent wire hanger are 2 additional ways to secure the caliper.^[six]
half-dozen
Remove the dust cover, cotter pin, and castle nut. ^[7] In the center of the vehicle's exposed rotor should be a small metal or plastic cap called the dust cover which protects the components holding the rotor in place. Since you'll need to remove the rotor, the cap and the components information technology protects volition take to go. Usually, the dust cover can be removed by gripping it with calipers and borer the calipers with a hammer. Within, you'll observe the castle nut, ordinarily secured with a cotter pivot. Remove the cotter pin with pliers or wire cutters, then unscrew the castle nut and remove information technology (and its washer).
- Be sure to go on these small-scale simply important parts somewhere that they won't be lost!
7
Remove the rotor. Place your thumb securely on the peg in the middle of the rotor assembly. Firmly (merely somewhat gently) crash-land the rotor itself with the palm of your other hand. The wheel's outer bearing should loosen or autumn out. Remove the outer bearing. Finally, remove the rotor itself.
- If the rotor gets stuck, you lot tin can apply a rubber mallet to hit it loose. This can, yet, damage the rotor, so it's all-time to apply a mallet merely if you are not planning on reusing the same rotor.
8
Unscrew the hub bolts and remove the sometime hub. The wheel bearing is inside the hub, which is usually held in identify with several bolts that screw in from behind. These bolts tin exist tricky to achieve because they're tucked away in the undercarriage, and so you may want to utilise a skinny socket wrench and/or a breaker bar to loosen and remove them. When you've removed the bolts, take the hub off of the beam.
- Notation that if you've purchased a new hub assembly, at this point, y'all can install the new hub and put the wheel dorsum together and you'll be finished. To install a new set of bearings inside the hub, read on.
9

Detach the hub associates. To gain admission to the bearings, you'll need to take autonomously the hub. You lot'll probably need to utilise a wrench (and/or a hammer) to remove the end of the hub and any anti-lock brake bicycle that may be part of your hub. Then, you may need to employ a specialized "puller" tool to remove the central bolt. The bearing associates should come apart easily.
ten
Remove races and make clean the knuckle. Removing the bearing associates's races usually means physically breaking them with a grinder or hammer and chisel. Because of this, you'll want to have replacement races ready. Later on removing the races, it's a proficient idea to clean the inside of the bearing assembly around the knuckle.
- There'due south usually lots of grease and grime here, so have enough of rags handy.
xi
Install new races and new wheel bearings. Set new races in place in the bearing assembly with a few taps from a hammer. Finally, grease a new inner bearing and install information technology in the assembly. Ensure the bearings are properly aligned, that they're pushed in every bit far every bit they can go, and that any sealing rings are flush with the exterior of the assembly.^[8]
- Use lots of grease for your bearings. You can apply the grease by hand or with a special "begetting packer" tool.^[9] Rub enough of actress grease effectually the outsides of your bearings and whatever sealing rings.
12
Supercede all parts in reverse order. Now that you've inverse the bearings, basically all that's left to do is to re-build your vehicle's cycle. Don't forget, however, that this means installing a new outer begetting after the rotor is in identify. Put the hub assembly back together and install it on the axle shaft. Put the rotor back on and secure it in place with its bolts. Install a new, well-greased outer bearing at this bespeak. Lightly tighten the castle nut and secure it in place with a new cotter pivot. Supplant the grit cap. Put the caliper and brake pads back in place and secure them with the appropriate bolts. Finally, put the tire dorsum in place and secure it with lug basics.
- When you're all washed, carefully lower the car back down to the ground with your jack. Congratulations - yous've just changed your wheel bearings.
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Add New Question

Question

Subsequently changing the bearings I hear a knocking sound when applying the brakes. What could have gone wrong?

Austinisgreat

Community Answer

They may not be aligned in the proper places. It too depends on the kind of bearings you got in the start identify.
Question

Do I demand to torque the castle nut to preload the bearings?

This is certainly the example on some vehicles, although information technology may not employ to every automobile. If you have a workshop manual handy, bank check it for torque specs. Otherwise, check online forums to see if someone else has shared the information for your specific auto.
Question

What'southward the cost of replacement?

Costs will vary greatly depending on brand and model. The bearings themselves may cost between $xl and $100. The labor to install them may too vary vehicle to vehicle, so mechanics' quotes may vary.
Question

What will happen if I don't change bad wheel bearings?

Logic Johnson Lafontaine

Top Answerer

Your bike(s) will eventually seize up while you're driving, you lot volition probably lose steering, and, at the right speed, you could easily end up dead.
Question

How is the hub attached?

Logic Johnson Lafontaine

Top Answerer

The hub is bolted to the steering knuckle from the within, normally with 3 bolts.
Question

What tools do I need to supplant a wheel bearing?

Needle-nose pliers, a ratchet wrench with various sized sockets, flat-head screwdriver, jack and a star wrench for loosening nuts on the wheel.
Question

Is a wheel alignment necessary after a cycle bearing replacement?

It's merely necessary if you remove the bolts that hold the strut. If y'all don't touch those bolts, then a wheel alignment won't be necessary.
Question

What should I exercise if the hub is stuck and I tin't get the bike off?

Logic Johnson Lafontaine

Summit Answerer

If the rim/tire won't come off, only get your lug nuts halfway on, jack the car back down, and permit it roll for a few feet. The weight of the car on the wheel should suspension it loose. If the rotor is stuck to the hub, you're probably going to need a torch and a rubber mallet; heat, hammer, and echo. If the hub is seized to the knuckle/axle, you tin endeavor breaking them apart by sledgehammering the axle. (Brand sure you spin the axle nut onto the terminate of it so you don't mushroom the threads with your sledge, and put it on backwards then you're banging on the flat side, not damaging the castellated side.)
Question

Can I change only one side of my wheel bearings?

Yes, merely it's a adept idea to both. If i side is worn down, the other probably is likewise.
Question

Why doesn't my speedometer move after changing the wheel bearings on both sides?

Logic Johnson Lafontaine

Top Answerer

My guess is that something happened to your wheel speed sensors. Y'all may have damaged them during the replacement, or you may have forgotten to reconnect them. While y'all're at it, bank check the ABS sensors.

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Things Y'all'll Need

Bicycle bearing associates
Breaker bar
Jack
Socket set
Ratchet
Screwdriver
Rubber mallet
Sandpaper

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Article Summary X

To modify bicycle bearings, beginning by lifting the bike upward on a jack, unscrewing the lug nuts, and taking the wheel off. Then, remove the brake caliper, the dust encompass over the rotor, and the cotter pin and castle nut behind the dust cover. Side by side, pull the rotor off, remove the old hub, and take apart the hub associates to admission the bike bearings. In one case you've done that, break and remove the old races, and install new races and wheel bearings. Finally, reassemble the wheel. To learn how to safely jack upward your vehicle, keep reading!

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