DIY: How to replace Front Wheel Bearing?
Recently when i was driving the beat, i noticed a humming noise from the front driver side wheel and that humming noise is increasing when the speed increases. So i am pretty damn sure that culprit was the wheel bearing. But for a confirmation, i jacked up the front and tried to shake the wheel and noticed that the wheel has a little bit of play and also the wheel is not rotating smoothly.It confirms that the wheel bearing is worn out. When i visit CASS for the wheel bearing,they told me that the front wheel bearing costs approx. 2700 Rs! (For one side only
![[shock]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Shock.gif "Shock [shock]")
). After hearing that,i cancelled my plan and told good bye to them and ran to my friendly aftermarket spare parts shop. He shows me SKF Bearings that costs only 900 for one side!
SKF bearings are medium quality bearings and it may lasts almost same as GM's genuine bearings. So i decided to change both sides and purchased two SKF bearings. Costs around 1800 Rs.
Okay so thats enough blaw blaw blw, lets jump into the DIY!
![[evil]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Evil.gif "Evil [evil]")
Tools Required
Ring Spanners
Flat Head Screw Driver
Philips Head Screw Driver
Sockets Handles and Extensions
Rubber Mallet
Thread locker
Jack
Jack Stands
Metal Wire Brush
Procedure
Step 1: Jack up the car and safely support it on jack stands
Step 2: Loosen up the axle nut and remove the wheels
Before removing the axle nut, straighten up the indentation in the axle nut. (This indentation in the axle nut act as a lock that prevents from loosening up the nut.)
Use a flat head screw driver to straighten up the indentation and then, remove the nut.
Step 3: Remove the Brake caliper assembly
Remove the break hose from the guide
Remove caliper mounting bracket bolts and keep the caliper caliper assembly aside
Step 4: Remove Disc Rotor
Remove the screw marked in the picture and remove the rotor
Step 5: Remove Stabilizer Link (Optional)
Loosen up the nut of the stabilizer link and remove the stabilizer link from the strut. (This step is optional, by removing the stabilizer link, you will get more room to work)
Step 6: Remove Tie rod end
If the tie rod end is stuck in steering knuckle, insert the nut back and hit it with a hammer.(Be careful, do not damage the nut and ball joint)
Step 7: Remove the bolts that connect the steering knuckle and strut, and then separate the knuckle from strut
Remove the nuts and bolts holding the strut and steering knuckle
Step 8: Remove the CV Axle from the steering knuckle
Step 9: Remove the lower ball joint from the knuckle
The lower ball joint is bolted using a pinch bolt, remove the bolt and seperate the arm holding the ball joint with the help of a screwdriver
After steering knuckle removed!
Step 10: Replace the Bearing
This is the most easiest step in this DIY. You don't need to do anything.
Just take the steering knuckle to your nearest lathe workshop that has a hydraulic press and press the old bearing out and install the new bearing in. It costs only apporx.150 Rs for one side.
(If you have a bearing press tool, you can use that to replace the bearing. But i know many of us (including many garages) don't have a specialized bearing press tool, thats why i am explaining this method)
Steering knuckle
Steering knuckle with new bearing
Steering Knuckle after replacing bearing (I painted the knuckle to prevent future rusting).
Old damaged bearing.
Step 11: Install everything back in reverse order
Before installing the bolts back, clean the threads with a metal wire brush.
Apply a little bit of grease to the splines of the axle and hub to prevent rust welding (If you have an anti seize, use anti seize).
Installing CV axle
Inserting lower ball joint into the knuckle
Apply little bit of thread locker to the threads of every bolts and tighten them.
The steering knuckle is looking brand new!
Insert the brake hose back into its guide
Install the stabilizer link
Apply a little bit of thread locker to the threads and install the axle nut. Do not forget to bend the tip of the axle nut into the lock. (Install the wheels and lower the car down before tightening the axle nut and lug nuts, otherwise the wheel may spin and you can't tighten the nuts)
Kudos! Job Completed...
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) helped me to click these pictures while working.
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