HOW TO: do a wheel bearing

[LordDurock]

a few of you guys out there were talking about a how to threads. so to night while i was doing random Buick prep work i regreased my wheel bearings....something i found need ot be done on cars that have sat for a long while.

a few of you ask how this can be done on a unitized hub bearing. the answer this assembly isn't really a unitized hut it just a a flange with a bearing pressed into it and a hub though the bearing (in which the hub makes the front bearing race). the flange makes its so i cant be bolted to the knuckle

the assembly
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/a%20body%20nte%20stuff/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild001.jpg

the bearing and flange (not the dryec grease bearing would have soon failed)
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/a%20body%20nte%20stuff/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild001.jpg

the hub
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/a%20body%20nte%20stuff/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild001.jpg

regreased
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/a%20body%20nte%20stuff/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild004.jpg

TOOlS:
3/4" socket to remove wheel nuts and to remove wheel bearing form knuckle
breaker bar or 1/2 drive ratchet and cheater pipe
13mm wrench or socket
6mm alen wrench or socket ( i use a brake alen socket set from auto-zone it makes brake jobs easy having the most used sizes on hand)
wire/ bucket ect ot hang or place brake caliper on
30mm axle nut socket

Steps
1)with car on ground use impact wrench or beaker bar and axle nut socket to remove axle nut.
2) raise car and remove wheel
3) undo 13mm bolt on strut holding brake line
4)undo top and botom brake slides (bolts) using 6mm
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/a%20body%20nte%20stuff/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild010.jpg

5)remove and hang/ support caliper so there is no tension on the line ends
6) remove rotor
7) use hammer to free drive shaft from bearing hub (all it needs to do it slide back and forth)
8) remove 3 3/4" bolts holding wheel bearing Assembly by lining up the slot or hole (pict shows slot type)
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/a%20body%20nte%20stuff/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild009.jpg

9) slide off bearing.

to install do in reverse with new part. tighten 3 bearing retaining bolts to 62 ft-lbs

[Century7667]

Wow. I didn't know it was even serviceable. I thought for some reason it was a sealed bearing like the rear....

Ken T.

[LordDurock]

Wow. I didn't know it was even serviceable. I thought for some reason it was a sealed bearing like the rear....

Ken T.

you cant replace the bearing but you can prolong it life with new grease.

[86euro]

I'm not following how you actually took the bearing apart? Did you press that little ring off the back (CV side)?

[LordDurock]

I'm not following how you actually took the bearing apart? Did you press that little ring off the back (CV side)?

lest say it better this time i used a press to press out the hub by holding the bearing part.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/a%20body%20nte%20stuff/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild006.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb167/lorddurock/a%20body%20nte%20stuff/2010Olds43ltdieselrebuild003-1.jpg

i will say the only reason why i knew this is because 3 years back when i first pulled the motor form this car i rolled it out of the shop and used a car to drag it to a better place this caused the driver side wheel bearing to work apart