Wheel bearing He11, 1/2 over

[Kevin]

Just completed the front right wheel bearing on my 2000 LS.

Was alot easier than the left side, we used an air chisel for that. This time I got smart and used a propane torch to heat up the aluminum piece that the bearing sits in, to expand it away from the metal bearing.

After beating on it a bit, to turn it in it's hole, I managed to get the slightest bit of gap in there, which I managed to get a small flat screwdriver into. A series of larger and larger screwdrivers at the bolt holes to pry it out of the hole, and it eventually popped out.

Total job time, about 2 hours, including time to curse and swear at it, drink a beer, give up, go to bed, get up and go again.

Recommend letting it sit overnight with WD40 or other penetrating agent.

It's a bugger, but it's doable.

 

[northstar11]

This is something that I would love to have a tech article on. I need to do that soon here, and if someone would write one, us not-so-smart kids would love it.

 

[Kevin]

Eh, I'm one of those not so smart kids myself, but got tired of worrying about how the job would go - and just did it.

Simple tech article follows:

Take off wheel and brake caliper and pads, and bracket for caliper, and rotor - and remove bolts holding in wheel bearing.

SOAK with a penetrating oil.

Let sit (overnight?), drink a beer, play with wife/gf, go for a walk, watch TV, surf internet, sleep, whatever.

Return to car, heat aluminium support with a torch.

Pound the crap out of the hub and/or flange around the bearing.

Repeat using the torch for as long as necessary to loosen the bearing.

Swear at it a bit, it helps.

Get enough play to insert chisel/flat screwdriver. Put as many of those tools in the ever widening gap as you can, and it falls out.

Put in new one, and reassemble.


It's really not a hard job, just dealing with the corroded metal of the bearing is frustrating.

My car drives alot straighter now, needing little correction going down the road, and my ABS/Advance Trac lights have now gone out on the gauge panel.

 

[northstar11]

Well that sounds easy enuf, might give it a try. My rear bearing also needs replacing, would enyone have simple instructions on that one?