The correct tool to remove front wheel bearing & hub assembly?

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Tony_1992

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Hey guys. This week, after a long journey from Atlanta to Orlando, I started to find that the my LS 04 has a a loud noise coming from the front part of my car. It is louder when the speed is over 50 miles. And I can feel abnormal vibration on the throttle pedal.

At first I thought it was the engine problem and did worried a lot about it. But today I took it to a mechanist, and he told me that it probably from the worn out wheel bearing, though he can't tell which side is it. He pushed the engine speed to 3000 rpm and no such noise and vibration.

I searched the wheel bearing hub assembly on eBay. They are relatively cheap, 2 for under $100. I can imaging the process of replacing it. Remove the wheel, the brake pad and caliper. Then loosen the bolts that secure the hub. But in my experience, the hub assembly were usually extremely tight, as the metal parts contact is rusty.

I saw some videos on youtube about using a puller but most of them require turning a bolt against the axial which doesn't exist in this case since this is front wheel hub. The hub is solid in the center, no through hole. So in this case, what kind of tools should I use to get the hub out, if it's really rusty?

Thank you a lot!

WX20180117-205313@2x.png
 
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Tony_1992 said:
... it probably from the worn out wheel bearing, though he can't tell which side is it. ...
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I wasn't sure about which side either. I guessed that it was the right side (60/40 chance). When I took the caliper and disc off, it was very clear by the feel of turning the hub that it was that side. It felt kind of crunchy. You couldn't tell with the wheel and brakes on, but it was easy to tell with them off.
 
joegr said:
I wasn't sure about which side either. I guessed that it was the right side (60/40 chance). When I took the caliper and disc off, it was very clear by the feel of turning the hub that it was that side. It felt kind of crunchy. You couldn't tell with the wheel and brakes on, but it was easy to tell with them off.
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What(in the car) did you feel about the worn out wheel bearing, before you decided to replace it? Vibration? Noise?
 
Tony_1992 said:
What(in the car) did you feel about the worn out wheel bearing, before you decided to replace it? Vibration? Noise?
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Just a loud droning noise above some minimum speed. There was no shake or vibration that I could tell. You couldn't hear it outside the car as it passed by, but it was very annoying inside the car. I thought it was coming from the back, but fortunately it was the front.
 
I replaced my left front a month ago or so. Same thing, drone at upper speeds. Being a NJ vehicle I was expecting the story of a corrosion between the hub and aluminum knuckle doing an issue after 15 years, but the hub dropped right out.
 
joegr said:
Just a loud droning noise above some minimum speed. There was no shake or vibration that I could tell. You couldn't hear it outside the car as it passed by, but it was very annoying inside the car. I thought it was coming from the back, but fortunately it was the front.
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TooManyToys said:
I replaced my left front a month ago or so. Same thing, drone at upper speeds. Being a NJ vehicle I was expecting the story of a corrosion between the hub and aluminum knuckle doing an issue after 15 years, but the hub dropped right out.
Click to expand...

I remove the driver side front wheel bearing hub this afternoon. Took about 1 hour to diagnose and 1 hour to replace. As you said, fall out very easily. Though I should replace both side, Autozone only had one in stock. However, the feeling of my car now is smooth as milk.

Thank you guys:)
 
Just lost what im very sure is my front driver side bearing.. any preference on brand? Otherwise to autozone it is. Last time for my accord they had timken.
 
Precision Brand is good... and made in the USA last time I bought them. Found at O'Reilly's and Advance. They even took the torch heat well when I had to remove them to replace ball joints. 125K since installed and so far all is well.

I would stay away from Ebay stuff,,, unless it's a well known brand name. Even then,,, if the seller is not an actual parts store,,, if warranty replacement is needed... it could be a headache and a bunch of down time,,, as opposed to going to a local parts store.
 
joegr said:
For the record, mine fell out when I took the four bolts out. Anyway, here's a way to do it if it is stuck...
front hub and bearing replacement
Click to expand...

TooManyToys said:
I replaced my left front a month ago or so. Same thing, drone at upper speeds. Being a NJ vehicle I was expecting the story of a corrosion between the hub and aluminum knuckle doing an issue after 15 years, but the hub dropped right out.
Click to expand...

Man you guys are lucky. I literally had to give it all that I had while laying on my side with a 5 pound mini sledge and it took at least 10- 5 minute rounds. And the first 9 it whooped me.
 
My Moog bearing has already failed. Hopefully it comes out MUCH easier then the OEM. I guess the quality has really dipped. You can get one for under $100 on ebay now.
 
nghtshd88 said:
My Moog bearing has already failed. Hopefully it comes out MUCH easier then the OEM. I guess the quality has really dipped. You can get one for under $100 on ebay now.
Click to expand...

My Moog ball joint failed (loud creaking on low speed turns) so I bit the bullet and just got a Ford replacement that has the entire knuckle assembly. After taking out the old knuckle the ball joint was noticeably gritty with random play.

For the hubs. I bought Timken and found they were made in China and much different style from Oem so I bought SKF (also China) but warrantied and more OEM. The SKF bearing actually had play in both wheels after a month where I could rock the wheel at the 12 and 6 position.

I ended up getting Ford wheel bearings as well for $106 a piece on Rock auto. Rides much better.

It seems aftermarket is really becoming just that instead of a competitive replacement item. Both cases I had major components that were aftermarket and failed.

I just had my first born this summer and his life is not worth the $200 in savings. Best to go with OEM on these components (ie anything that holds your wheels on). At the minimum, definitely stay away from eBay.
 
Broseph said:
My Moog ball joint failed (loud creaking on low speed turns) so I bit the bullet and just got a Ford replacement that has the entire knuckle assembly. After taking out the old knuckle the ball joint was noticeably gritty with random play.

For the hubs. I bought Timken and found they were made in China and much different style from Oem so I bought SKF (also China) but warrantied and more OEM. The SKF bearing actually had play in both wheels after a month where I could rock the wheel at the 12 and 6 position.

I ended up getting Ford wheel bearings as well for $106 a piece on Rock auto. Rides much better.

It seems aftermarket is really becoming just that instead of a competitive replacement item. Both cases I had major components that were aftermarket and failed.

I just had my first born this summer and his life is not worth the $200 in savings. Best to go with OEM on these components (ie anything that holds your wheels on). At the minimum, definitely stay away from eBay.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I got the Ford bearing for $106 off Amazon but the sensor was cracked off and they were back ordered until January. Rock auto I think is $127 which is only $15 more according to above posts than the Moogs.
 
westcoast90 said:
Man you guys are lucky. I literally had to give it all that I had while laying on my side with a 5 pound mini sledge and it took at least 10- 5 minute rounds. And the first 9 it whooped me.
Click to expand...

^This is exactly what you’re NOT supposed to do (in case someone reads through these posts for help). The service manual specifically states to not hit the bearing with a hammer or else you can damage the knuckle which would be a costly and time consuming mistake.

Follow the link Joegr posted to the DIY bolt pushing method if it won’t come out.
 
Tony_1992 said:
Hey guys. This week, after a long journey from Atlanta to Orlando, I started to find that the my LS 04 has a a loud noise coming from the front part of my car. It is louder when the speed is over 50 miles. And I can feel abnormal vibration on the throttle pedal.

At first I thought it was the engine problem and did worried a lot about it. But today I took it to a mechanist, and he told me that it probably from the worn out wheel bearing, though he can't tell which side is it. He pushed the engine speed to 3000 rpm and no such noise and vibration.

I searched the wheel bearing hub assembly on eBay. They are relatively cheap, 2 for under $100. I can imaging the process of replacing it. Remove the wheel, the brake pad and caliper. Then loosen the bolts that secure the hub. But in my experience, the hub assembly were usually extremely tight, as the metal parts contact is rusty.

I saw some videos on youtube about using a puller but most of them require turning a bolt against the axial which doesn't exist in this case since this is front wheel hub. The hub is solid in the center, no through hole. So in this case, what kind of tools should I use to get the hub out, if it's really rusty?

Thank you a lot!

View attachment 828568452
Click to expand...
You can find out which side is bad by turning left or right like going around a circle. If it goes away when making a long left then it's the left bearing, long right n it goes away it's right bearing. This happens because it relieves some of the weight n stress on the bearing. You can use a tool like a steering wheel ouller and a slide hammer to remove if it's stuck, also some liquid wrench. Also youydont have to replace axle nut, if u have to hit it w a mallet make sure nut is flush wwend of axle thread so u don't damage either. I'm sure you can reuse axle nut n save the $15-$20 for new one. Also get hub w sensor already in it, removing them can be a pain. BTW I'd suggest doing both sides while you're at it and it's easier to replace the hub assembly then it is to get bearing pressed iut n new one in. Front hub pair w sensor about $60 from Detroit axle. I have a 2000 ls 3.9 w 207k miles on it n have done all repairs myself except for trans, $1600.00 but FYI a friend at a speed shop said the manual from an LS 6 cyl could be made to work in a 3.9 and I'm sure they'll be plenty of negative comments about that on here, but I'm not sure myself if it will. I've done timing chain tensioners, coil packs, alternator which was a real bitch lol, water pump, ac compressor, brakes calipers, clockspring, both primary n secondary fuel pumps n some other things. It's still one of the best balanced and one of the most enjoyable cars I've owned, n I've owned everything. As long as ur handy, have YouTube, decent set of tools, and love these cars they're great. BTW, still can't get the heat n ac to work after replacing dccv so I put valve in big hose near firewall to shut off antifreeze to heater core in summer for ac lol. Any help on that would be appreciated. Hope this helps.
 
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BTW, I've stayed away from this forum because there's alot of negativity and sarcasm at times. When you're working on a car, asking for help, or have an idea that's the last thing you wanna hear but for some reason some people feel the need to do that and usually have bad advice or their answer is wrong. This forum should be to help others if we can and share our love for our cars in a positive way. Im more than happy to give out an email I set up for anyone that needs help with a 2000 ls and is trying to do any repairs that I did already and listed them in my response to Tony_1992 w his issue w wheel hubs and or bearings which I'm in the process of doing. I check my email every couple days. I hope no one takes any offense to this, I only want to share what I've done and learned. zeusbluenose1@gmail.com
 
Zeus said:
You can find out which side is bad by turning left or right like going around a circle. If it goes away when making a long left then it's the left bearing, long right n it goes away it's right bearing. This happens because it relieves some of the weight n stress on the bearing. You can use a tool like a steering wheel ouller and a slide hammer to remove if it's stuck, also some liquid wrench. Also youydont have to replace axle nut, if u have to hit it w a mallet make sure nut is flush wwend of axle thread so u don't damage either. I'm sure you can reuse axle nut n save the $15-$20 for new one. Also get hub w sensor already in it, removing them can be a pain. BTW I'd suggest doing both sides while you're at it and it's easier to replace the hub assembly then it is to get bearing pressed iut n new one in. Front hub pair w sensor about $60 from Detroit axle. I have a 2000 ls 3.9 w 207k miles on it n have done all repairs myself except for trans, $1600.00 but FYI a friend at a speed shop said the manual from an LS 6 cyl could be made to work in a 3.9 and I'm sure they'll be plenty of negative comments about that on here, but I'm not sure myself if it will. I've done timing chain tensioners, coil packs, alternator which was a real bitch lol, water pump, ac compressor, brakes calipers, clockspring, both primary n secondary fuel pumps n some other things. It's still one of the best balanced and one of the most enjoyable cars I've owned, n I've owned everything. As long as ur handy, have YouTube, decent set of tools, and love these cars they're great. BTW, still can't get the heat n ac to work after replacing dccv so I put valve in big hose near firewall to shut off antifreeze to heater core in summer for ac lol. Any help on that would be appreciated. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
What was the DCCV brand you used to replace the original one with? I want to say tank you very much for your honesty about rerouting hose for the coolant...I know for a fact that ppl on this forum went aftermarket with th DCCV and payed dearly for it ....from what I gather off the threads I saw it’s MotorCraft or just bend over now...:)
 
Zeus said:
You can find out which side is bad by turning left or right like going around a circle. If it goes away when making a long left then it's the left bearing, long right n it goes away it's right bearing. This happens because it relieves some of the weight n stress on the bearing. You can use a tool like a steering wheel ouller and a slide hammer to remove if it's stuck, also some liquid wrench. Also youydont have to replace axle nut, if u have to hit it w a mallet make sure nut is flush wwend of axle thread so u don't damage either. I'm sure you can reuse axle nut n save the $15-$20 for new one. Also get hub w sensor already in it, removing them can be a pain. BTW I'd suggest doing both sides while you're at it and it's easier to replace the hub assembly then it is to get bearing pressed iut n new one in. Front hub pair w sensor about $60 from Detroit axle. I have a 2000 ls 3.9 w 207k miles on it n have done all repairs myself except for trans, $1600.00 but FYI a friend at a speed shop said the manual from an LS 6 cyl could be made to work in a 3.9 and I'm sure they'll be plenty of negative comments about that on here, but I'm not sure myself if it will. I've done timing chain tensioners, coil packs, alternator which was a real bitch lol, water pump, ac compressor, brakes calipers, clockspring, both primary n secondary fuel pumps n some other things. It's still one of the best balanced and one of the most enjoyable cars I've owned, n I've owned everything. As long as ur handy, have YouTube, decent set of tools, and love these cars they're great. BTW, still can't get the heat n ac to work after replacing dccv so I put valve in big hose near firewall to shut off antifreeze to heater core in summer for ac lol. Any help on that would be appreciated. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
I forgot to say I just replaced mine with MotorCraft brand $149.00 Amazon and it’s running great ....I’m not insulting your intelligence by any means when I ask/say this but are you positive you routed the two top hoses properly And did you change the auxiliary coolant pump when replacing DCCV?
 
AmsterDutch said:
I forgot to say I just replaced mine with MotorCraft brand $149.00 Amazon and it’s running great ....I’m not insulting your intelligence by any means when I ask/say this but are you positive you routed the two top hoses properly And did you change the auxiliary coolant pump when replacing DCCV?
Click to expand...

I believe the auxiliary coolant pump is for idling/low speed heat and has zero effect at speed, I could be wrong there and it may play a part in his issue but I think the DCCV is more likely the culprit
 
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