4wd Hub/Bearing Assembly Replacement

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4wd Hub/Bearing Assembly Replacement

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4wd Hub/Bearing Assembly Replacement - 1/1/2007 1:02:54 PM

Hanr3

Wheels & Tire Moderator
Posts: 3479
Joined: 5/11/2005
Status: offline

I had to replace my hub assemble this weekend. Thought of you all and took a few pics. My wife thinks I am nuts for taking the pics, however I told her you guys would want to see them.

First stop, a quailty hub assemble. This unit is made by Timken. IMHO Timken makes the best bearings. This unit costs $182 at my local Autozone. They carry less costly units if your interested. This unit also has a new ABS sensor and a new ABS wire with harness.

Break the lug nuts loose, unless you have air tools.
Jack the truck up and place a jack stand under it.
To test the bearings, wobble the tire back and forth and up and down. rotate it too. If your reading this, no doubt someone has told you you need to replace the hub assemble. SO I will skip the rest of the diagnostics.

Jack stands in place?
Take the tire off.

You will have to take the brake caliper off. GM uses both torx bits and regular bolts to hold the caliper on, make sure you have the right tool for the job. Also take the brake caliper bracket off and disconnect the ABS sensor wireing. I had to turn my steering wheel to gain access to the top brake caliper bracket bolt.

Use a 36mm socket and take the cv axle nut off. I took my time here. I sprayed the threads with PB Blaster, unscrewed it some, sprayed and screwed it back on. Sprayed some more and unscrewed it some more. I would sparay on both sides of the nut to help clean all the rust off. You'll notice I still haven't removed the brakes yet.

Notice the washer behind the nut.

18mm wrench is what you need to remove the three bolts holding the hub asemble in place. I don't have a 18mm wrench so I used a socket with a wrench adapter. You could also use a 18mm wobble socket, however I dont have one of those either. Thought I did, but couldn't find it.

To gain extra leverage you can stack wrenches. Carefull, you can bust some knuckles if they slip. Notice the wire holding my brake caliper in the air. Never let your calipers hang by the brake hose. Also notice the ABS snesor wire laying on the ground. I had to remove three bolts to get it free, and there is a quick pin on the bottom of thw wiring harness that stubs into the frame to hold the connector in place behind the rubber splash shield.

Once the three bolts are out. Beat on the cv axle with a hammer to loosen it and drive it back some. PB Blaster sprayed on both sides helps break the rust bond between the hub and shaft. Now take a cold chisel and drive it between the hub assemble and the steering knuckle. It will pop the hub assemble out.

Hub assemble removed.

Mine has a rubber gasket around the hub assemble. I put it on the new unit, my thumb is on it in the pic. I fought with that thing and wish I would have left it off.

Installation is reverse of removeal. Dont forget the dust shield.
That pretty well covers it.
Post up thoise questions.

A couple of members made some recommendations.
Use anti-seize on the cv axle splines where it mates with the hub assemble.
Use anti-seize on the

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