2009 Kia Sedona - Front Wheel-bearing Replacement

[Number_35]

If you're really bored, you can look up the predecessor to this thread, posted by me May 2, 2018. (Where do the years go?)

Before removing the front driver's-side wheel to address a slow leak, I found there was quite a bit of play in the wheel. I confirmed it was not the ball joint or tie-rod end. That left the wheel bearing.

Kia, in its designers' wisdom, makes it such that you have to remove the knuckle/hub assembly to get at one of the three bolts which pass through the knuckle from the back to hold the hub to the knuckle.

I was having a really hard time removing the hub (unlike most of the YouTube mechanics, who typically pop it off with ease).

What worked was an Eric O trick, though beefed up.

I knocked all six studs out of the hub, and inserted three slightly smaller bolts with spacers and a nut on the knuckle side.

Cranked on those with the old impact wrench, flipped the assembly over, supported on wooden blocks, and pounded on the back side of the bearing with a 4# hammer.

Cranked down the three bolts again, and so on, and repeated the process until the bearing and hub popped out. It's basically a low-budget press.

Parts are due in Tuesday.

Question - I was sort of freaked out by the sloppiness of the bearing - if it wears badly enough, can it separate resulting in the wheel coming off?

It definitely needed to be done, but did I avert a disaster rather than some inconvenience?

 

[Kestas]

Yes. The design is such, that if the orbital roll form should ever fracture and pop off, you have a wheel-off situation. It sometimes happens.

 

[D60]

Dude the 20T HF press is only $250.

 

[levi]

If you're really bored, you can look up the predecessor to this thread, posted by me May 2, 2018. (Where do the years go?)

Before removing the front driver's-side wheel to address a slow leak, I found there was quite a bit of play in the wheel. I confirmed it was not the ball joint or tie-rod end. That left the wheel bearing.

Kia, in its designers' wisdom, makes it such that you have to remove the knuckle/hub assembly to get at one of the three bolts which pass through the knuckle from the back to hold the hub to the knuckle.

I was having a really hard time removing the hub (unlike most of the YouTube mechanics, who typically pop it off with ease).

What worked was an Eric O trick, though beefed up.

I knocked all six studs out of the hub, and inserted three slightly smaller bolts with spacers and a nut on the knuckle side.

Cranked on those with the old impact wrench, flipped the assembly over, supported on wooden blocks, and pounded on the back side of the bearing with a 4# hammer.

Cranked down the three bolts again, and so on, and repeated the process until the bearing and hub popped out. It's basically a low-budget press.

View attachment 278474
View attachment 278475
Parts are due in Tuesday.

Question - I was sort of freaked out by the sloppiness of the bearing - if it wears badly enough, can it separate resulting in the wheel coming off?

It definitely needed to be done, but did I avert a disaster rather than some inconvenience?

You are much more motivated than I am. Kudos.

 

[Number_35]

Dude the 20T HF press is only $250.

Here's the weird thing - I have Princess Auto (sort of a Canadian equivalent to HF, but more eclectic with weird surplus stuff) press, but was afraid of breaking the irregularly shaped and rare knuckle. (Rock Auto lists a variety of hub-and-knuckle assemblies for may vehicles, but not the 2nd-gen Sedona.)

This method gave me more control, I thought.

If it hadn't worked, I was going to take my chances with the press.

I do plan to use the press to install the new hub. I'll put the hub in the freezer first.

 

[Number_35]

You are much more motivated than I am. Kudos.

Thanks - I get very motivated thinking of my grandchildren riding in that van.

 

[Number_35]

I ordered parts from Rock Auto Thursday, May 8th. I paid extra to have them delivered today by UPS (Tuesday, May 13th) rather than tomorrow (Wednesday, May 14th) by FedEx.

The parts were not delivered today.

RA considers them shipped, and has billed my CC.

Per the tracking number, UPS says they have not received the package yet.

UPS has an AI chat thing that was not helpful.

I emailed RA (after giving up on getting help via their website) and received a unhelpful referral to their website.

I don't know if this was caused by RA or UPS, but have never had a problem when choosing FedEx as the carrier.

Very frustrated ...

 

[D60]

I ordered parts from Rock Auto Thursday, May 8th. I paid extra to have them delivered today by UPS (Tuesday, May 13th) rather than tomorrow (Wednesday, May 14th) by FedEx.

The parts were not delivered today.

RA considers them shipped, and has billed my CC.

Per the tracking number, UPS says they have not received the package yet.

UPS has an AI chat thing that was not helpful.

I emailed RA (after giving up on getting help via their website) and received a unhelpful referral to their website.

I don't know if this was caused by RA or UPS, but have never had a problem when choosing FedEx as the carrier.

Very frustrated ...

I just had the same thing with USPS. I wasn't surprised it was late, but USPS' tracking -- which I know can be quite bad -- showed they were still awaiting the package with only "label created".

I also emailed them on the day of originally stated delivery just in hopes of making sure the package hadn't been kicked to the corner of a warehouse and got the same unhelpful email. I emailed a second time explaining their online "tools" weren't helpful and I just needed to know if the product was backordered or the package was completely lost.

They assured me it had been shipped and I "just had to be patient." Indeed, it showed up that day (originally stated delivery) despite no other scans along the way. I do know this is possible with USPS but usually there's one other "in transit" or something along the way.

NOW, your situation with UPS is more concerning because IME their tracking tends to be better AND your package is now officially late. I'd email again and explain your concerns. In my case I started a completely separate email rather than replying. I know a "reply" almost surely doesn't go to the same rep, but I was just hoping to eventually get one that would provide a real response rather than the canned response of "don't bother us, use the online tools."

The lack of real personal contact is a drawback of RA. I still place several orders a week but I understand I'm basically dealing with The Borg.

 

[Number_35]

I went through UPS's AI chat program, and was able to talk with a real person at a call centre. Her English was a bit hard to understand, but the gist of it is that UPS claims they have not been able to pick up the parcel yet due to it (the parcel) being held up in security. They (UPS) claim that this is Rock Auto's issue, and must be resolved by RA before UPS can proceed.

I emailed RA again with this information, and got an AI response basically saying that UPS's tracking tended to lag, and that I would have to wait until the 19th to make a claim. They have closed out the "ticket", apparently feeling they have resolved the issue.

Arg! I've long been a happy RA customer, but this is really putting me off them.

 

[D60]

I went through UPS's AI chat program, and was able to talk with a real person at a call centre. Her English was a bit hard to understand, but the gist of it is that UPS claims they have not been able to pick up the parcel yet due to it (the parcel) being held up in security. They (UPS) claim that this is Rock Auto's issue, and must be resolved by RA before UPS can proceed.

I emailed RA again with this information, and got an AI response basically saying that UPS's tracking tended to lag, and that I would have to wait until the 19th to make a claim. They have closed out the "ticket", apparently feeling they have resolved the issue.

Arg! I've long been a happy RA customer, but this is really putting me off them.

NOT standing up for RA but UPS' story sounds a little fishy. What does UPS know about RA's "security?"

Either way it sucks for you but I feel most "customer service" reps will say whatever they need to to get you off the phone.

And yeah, increasingly RA is just automated. Most of the time things go smoothly but when they don't there is minimal discretion, common sense or human intervention. Like I said, The Borg. Questions are irrelevant. Shipping times are irrelevant. Resistance is futile.

 

[researcher]

I went through UPS's AI chat program, and was able to talk with a real person at a call centre. Her English was a bit hard to understand, but the gist of it is that UPS claims they have not been able to pick up the parcel yet due to it (the parcel) being held up in security. They (UPS) claim that this is Rock Auto's issue, and must be resolved by RA before UPS can proceed.

I emailed RA again with this information, and got an AI response basically saying that UPS's tracking tended to lag, and that I would have to wait until the 19th to make a claim. They have closed out the "ticket", apparently feeling they have resolved the issue.

Arg! I've long been a happy RA customer, but this is really putting me off them.

Simple solution.. Talk to your credit card company, tell them, let them issue a refund. Then watch RockAuto contact you when they don't have their money anymore. RA wants to screw around with giving you useless scripted AI type responses, take your money back. That's my advice.

I'm betting that you make this move RA's going to be contacting you quickly.. My opinion and experience the place is going from bad to worse lately.. Not worth dealing with them anymore, just my $0.02.

 

[Number_35]

I waited until the 19th (yesterday) in accordance with an email discussion with RA's customer service, and then reported through RA's website that the parts had not been delivered.

This time things seemed to have worked - per UPS's tracking, the parts are to be delivered tomorrow.

 

[researcher]

I waited until the 19th (yesterday) in accordance with an email discussion with RA's customer service, and then reported through RA's website that the parts had not been delivered.

This time things seemed to have worked - per UPS's tracking, the parts are to be delivered tomorrow.

did RA re-ship them or that same lost shipment is on its way to be delivered tomorrow?

 

[Number_35]

did RA re-ship them or that same lost shipment is on its way to be delivered tomorrow?

Good question - I wondered the same.

 

[Number_35]

Yay - I received the order a few minutes ago. To compensate me for the botched original order, RA included a plump cat.

 

[Number_35]

Reassembly goes well - but my bride and I are cycling out for a meal, so that's it for now.

No, I'm not reusing the old hub nut. I installed the it finger-loose just to make sure the splined axle shaft didn't pop out of the knuckle whilst I was fighting with the ball joint and strut.

 

[researcher]

thanks for the update..