Wheel Bearning (hub assembly)

[Intrepidation]

Any of you guys had the pleasure of replacing a bearing/hub assembly?

It seems I'll be doing that for the first time soon. Recently the car has been making scraping noises coming from the front passenger wheel when turning left near full lock. I thought it might have been the dust shield making contact with the rotor but that's not the case. Had to drive the car 70 miles or so today, 10 of which on the highway and by the end it sounded much worse, especially coming off the highway. By then it would make noise wheel driving straight. The wheel on the side in question was much warmer, basically hit, compared to the other wheels or even the brake caliper. After sitting fr a little while I had to make the short trip home and it had quieted down, I guess because it cooled, but while I haven't lifted the car up to check for play, these symptoms lead me to believe it's the bearing.

On the bright side a National (Moog) assembly for my car isn't too expensive, especially compared to many other hub assemblies on other vehicles. It'll work out $72.42 which seems very reasonable for the good brand. Work also has a rental slide hammer which should help.

The job itself seems pretty straightforward:

• Remove wheel
  
• Remover caliper
  
• Remove rotor
  
• Remove axle retaining nut
  
• Remove 3 bolts holding the assembly to the knuckle
  
• Remove Axle (hopefully its not too hard to remove)
  
• Make sure axle is clean
  
• Grease new assembly
  
• Install 3 bolts, torque to spec
  
• Install new retaining nut, tighten but don't torque
  
• Install rotor
  
• Install caliper
  
• Install wheel
  
• Lower vehicle
  
• Hold brakes and tighten retaining nut to spec (120 ft-lbs in my case)
  

Anything I'm missing? Any tips?

[SAmadei]

Any of you guys had the pleasure of replacing a bearing/hub assembly?

It seems I'll be doing that for the first time soon. Recently the car has been making scraping noises coming from the front passenger wheel when turning left near full lock. I thought it might have been the dust shield making contact with the rotor but that's not the case. Had to drive the car 70 miles or so today, 10 of which on the highway and by the end it sounded much worse, especially coming off the highway. By then it would make noise wheel driving straight. The wheel on the side in question was much warmer, basically hit, compared to the other wheels or even the brake caliper. After sitting fr a little while I had to make the short trip home and it had quieted down, I guess because it cooled, but while I haven't lifted the car up to check for play, these symptoms lead me to believe it's the bearing.

On the bright side a National (Moog) assembly for my car isn't too expensive, especially compared to many other hub assemblies on other vehicles. It'll work out $72.42 which seems very reasonable for the good brand. Work also has a rental slide hammer which should help.

The job itself seems pretty straightforward:

• Remove wheel
• Remover caliper
• Remove rotor
• Remove axle retaining nut
• Remove 3 bolts holding the assembly to the knuckle
• Remove Axle (hopefully its not too hard to remove)
• Make sure axle is clean
• Grease new assembly
• Install 3 bolts, torque to spec
• Install new retaining nut, tighten but don't torque
• Install rotor
• Install caliper
• Install wheel
• Lower vehicle
• Hold brakes and tighten retaining nut to spec (120 ft-lbs in my case)

Anything I'm missing? Any tips?

No, you basically have the right plan. I've done about 4~5 hubs and I think I have a couple in my future. Of course, most of mine were GM, but it sounds like yours is installed the same way GM does it.

A few thoughts...

Generally, you won't need a slide hammer. If the hub doesn't come out, a few wacks with a chisel should get it started coming out. Make sure to get everything out, sometimes the old hub will have sealing rings or whatnot that will remain in the knuckle.

Knocking the axle out of the hub is usually pretty easy... loosen the bolt until it reached the end of the axle... then use a piece of wood and a BF Hammer to knock it out.

Some directions want you to undo the lower ball joint so the CV can be completely removed. I've never done that... I usually have enough room even if the axle threads are still partially in the hub hole.

I also would put the new hub in the freezer overnight. The hub does not need to be a press fit, and some are a bit loose, but why take the chance. After you clean out the rust and muck from the knuckle, you want the hub to slide in without issue, and freezing it may shrink it those couple thousandths that make the difference between easy peasy and tool throwing rage.

[ocnblu]

Do it ASAP, you're not safe right now.

[SAmadei]

I wish there was better ways to determine if hubs need replacement. You try to hear them, but either my hearing is questionable, or new cars are too damn quiet. I try to move the wheels for play, but when you give me 17+ inches of leverage, and I can make anything move. Once I remove the tire or the rotor, I can't seem to see any play in the bearings. Now the car is getting ABS failures, so I have to assume a bearing has affected the sensor... Jeez, GM, you couldn't give us a different ABS error for each of the four corners of the car?

[Intrepidation]

Actually I was taught a trick that may help.

before you go replacing the bearing,, do this, jack up the noisy wheel,, place one hand on the spring,, then spin the wheel,, if you feel a vibration in the spring while the wheel is spinning,, yep the bearing is toast,, if its all nice and smooth,, look elsewhere,, 99.6% right

Will try it tomorrow if I have time before work.

[SAmadei]

I've tried that. I've also tried a similar technique that can be done only if the FWD has an open diff... jacking one tire off the ground and running the car up to 25 or so... then doing it to the other tire.

I'd still like to see how that works for you. Being that so much noise was created, I imagine it will make quite a bit of vibration.

The car in question I'm trying to diagnose makes no noise or vibration... but still has some play... and probably dying ABS sensors. If the hubs weren't like $145 each, I'd just swap them and get it over with.

[Intrepidation]

Didn't get to check it today, though my main problem now is getting a new axle nut. Hopefully the dealer has it and won't cost me an arm and a leg if I end up needing to replace the hub.

[SAmadei]

Its a one-use nut? I've always reused the nuts without any trouble.

[Intrepidation]

From the FSM.

CAUTION: The hub and bearing assembly to stub shaft retaining nut (Fig. 30) is a prevailing torque nut and can not be re-used. A NEW retaining nut MUST be used when assembled.

[SAmadei]

Interesting. I wonder if its LH thing. Other Mopars had reusable nuts.

Since a lot of these kind of one-use nuts are used to make mass production easier, I wonder if the replacement nut is the same nut or a standard reusable nut. It would be nice if they had drilled things for a cotter pin.

[ocnblu]

We find that Chrysler products are more susceptible to hub failure after an accident if the car is hit on a certain wheel than a lot of other vehicles, but of course it can happen to anything. We don't put hub assemblies on an initial estimate though unless it's blatantly damaged, only on a supplement if it's noisy on a test drive. The sound can be described as a small plane flying overhead and can be amplified by driving next to a retaining wall for the echo effect. Sometimes customers have come back a week later with the noise and we've replaced the hub then, because the damage is so minute as to be undetectable until it gets miles on it. I would say damage is harder to check than wear with something like this, but driving where there is a clear echo is a way to narrow it down if you can't get any play.

[Intrepidation]

Well I can categorically say its not the wheel bearing and until further notice the car is off the road.

[SAmadei]

Did you replace them and its still making the noise?

Being that the noise was associated with turning the wheel, I'm thinking something CV-related. However, unless they dry out or get contaminated, CV joints usually last a LONG time. Did you check for a loose brake pad? I've had a few brake pads make crazy noises... one once somehow got a giant pebble stuck in one of the rivet holes... no idea how that happened.

[Intrepidation]

It's none of those, the hub is actually fine. Brakes make some noise but that's just because the rotors are slightly warped. New pads and turned rotors were in order, but it turns out the problem is quite worse actually. I think a visual aid is in order.

This is the driver's side:

and this is the passenger side (the one making the noise):

What we have here is the spring seat on the strut has rotted through and partially collapsed, the noise has been coming from the tire rubbing on it. I should count myself lucky it hasn't given out. Needless to say its going nowhere until I can get together the money for two front quick struts (might as well do both), OEM mounts and poly isolators (might as well do them right).

[balthazar]

One excellent way to track down a possible bearing noise; a solid wooden dowel pressing against the parts in question and your ear transmits sound very well. I was able to confirm bad alternator bearings on a running engine that way, where feeling around isn't overly advised (with a whirring fan) and the concert of noise makes it very difficult.

I have this antique 'ear scope' thing I found in my travels, German-made IIRC, has some interesting illustrated instructions, a multi-section chromed 'rod' you can add lengths to, with this trumpet earphone end.... wonky piece.

[SAmadei]

Ouch, that's ugly.

I suppose if you were really needed to use the car, you could compress the spring slightly and put a couple big muffler clamps on the strut to hold the spring seat off the tire. You know, emergency stuff.

While you are replacing things, you probably want to also change the strut bushings on top of the struts, assuming Mopars have them or something similar. People seem to overlook those, and well, they wear out and cause all kinds of shaking.

[Intrepidation]

Well what I'm going to do is get a Quick Strut.

This is the entire unit, ready to install. However, I'm going to disassemble it and swap out the strut mount for an OEM one, because there's been a lot of issues with aftermarket mounts. Then I'll install it, and probably do the sway bar bushings and links (tie rods look ok). I want to do this for both sides. I just need to save up money...