FWD Front Wheel Bearing Replacement Question

[DBMaster]

I am planning to replace one of the front wheel bearings on my son's 2012 Hyundai Accent. One was replaced by the dealer before I bought the car last year. In the past I have removed the steering knuckle myself and taken it to a machine shop to have the old bearing removed and the new one installed. In this case I'd like to try my hand at it. I have ordered a set of bearing drivers. These would require the use of a hammer rather than a press. Has anyone done this job with such a tool? If I can't do it with that I guess I would just take the thing to a machine shop like I did in the past. The Hyundai bearing has a lock ring behind the bearing which MIGHT mean that it's not an ultra-tight fit in the knuckle, but I can't say until I get the knuckle removed. I have all the tools required to do that already.

Thanks for responding IF you have done this job using a hammer and bearing driver.

 

[tig1]

I have always replaced the hub and bearing, as I don't have a press. For sure it's not a good idea to be beating on a bearing with a hammer.

 

[DBMaster]

The tool I was talking about would limit the stress on the bearing to the outer race only and it would be lateral force. The bearing and hub on this car cannot be replaced as an assembly because the hub has to come out first from the outside of the steering knuckle and then the bearing has to come out in the other direction from the inside of the steering knuckle.

 

[DBMaster]

Bearing Tool

 

[Trav]

That tool is not for front wheel cartridge bearings its for the outer race and seals on wheel bearings that are commonly found in brake rotors. There are tools for doing job on the car but they are not cheap.

http://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-6575....CFcdWDQodOqEENw

https://www.amazon.com/Ken-Tool-Pro-Super-Hub-Shark-System/dp/B0045H9UJQ

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Good luck beating it out/in....



Either take the knuckle off and press it out or get the right press tool for on-the-car.

 

[JMJNet]

You need an impact wrench with the tool linked by Trav.
I am not sure a manual hammer will work unless you are really really strong.
A sledge hammer may be but not the punch hammer.

There is a Chinese made version of the tool at Amazon, also.
Just use a lot of grease and oil on the thread.

I suggest to buy a new wheel hub since it is cheap and the bearing race usually stuck on there and you have to cut it off before you can reuse the hub.

 

[DBMaster]

Darn. Well, the tool was cheap enough and I'm sure that I'll find other uses for it. I'll call around and find a machine shop that'll do it for me. I do know about the inner race getting stuck on the hub so buying a new one sounds like a good precaution. Thank you all from keeping me from having a day of frustration! Appreciated!

 

[Trav]

There is nothing wrong with the tool you bought its just not for this job, it is a useful seal and outer bearing race driver used on other parts.

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: Trav
There is nothing wrong with the tool you bought its just not for this job, it is a useful seal and outer bearing race driver used on other parts.


Thanks, Trav. I'm sure I'll find some use for it and $20 isn't going to kill me. I've saved more than enough over my lifetime of doing my own work. I'm disappointed that this really clean used car needs new front bearings at only 75,000 miles, but these things happen.

 

[JTK]

DBMaster, maybe it's a Hyundai thing? I bought a used 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD in 2009 with ~34K miles on it. 3 out of it's 4 wheel bearing hubs went bad before 75K miles. I traded it in when #3 was on it's way out. The first two went from barely a noise to an all out ROAR disturbingly fast.

 

[Trav]

Potholes can take out suspension parts and wheel bearings in a big hurry. I see broken wheels, blown tires, broken springs and damaged parts all the time, none had anything to do with poor quality or the car manufacturer. A half track would have trouble in some places in the NE, it would probably loose a few front end parts too.

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted By: JTK
DBMaster, maybe it's a Hyundai thing? I bought a used 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD in 2009 with ~34K miles on it. 3 out of it's 4 wheel bearing hubs went bad before 75K miles. I traded it in when #3 was on it's way out. The first two went from barely a noise to an all out ROAR disturbingly fast.


The car had 72,000 miles on it when I bought it. On the test drive the roar was horrible. The sales guy said, "probably a noisy tire." I told him it was a deal breaker. He had one of the techs check it out and called me back to tell me it was a wheel bearing and that they would replace it. When I drove it again it was fine so I bought the car, though, I figured the other front bearing probably wasn't long for this world. Maybe their OEM bearings are just junk. The replacement I bought is Timken. Hopefully, it will be OK.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster

Thanks for responding IF you have done this job using a hammer and bearing driver.


I have when I was younger. Owned a 99 Neon- when the first went bad I had the local machinist press it for me. That cost somewhere north of $50. Well when the second went out I was determined not to pay that kind of money. You'll need 3+ lbs of hammer and strong arm to swing it. Start by driving the hub out. It may take the outer half of the inner race with it- no big deal, but you will have to cut it off later. Remove the snap ring and drive the bearing out. Don't be too worried about where you hit while driving it. Once out, clean the snap ring groove if necessary and hit the bore with some sandpaper and lightly grease the bore and bearing. When installing, ONLY pound on the outer race. You'll need an assortment of steel bits and pieces to get it driven down- it's really helpful to use the old bearing shell. Lastly, install the hub. A touch of grease on the O.D. of the hub and make sure to support the bottom of the new bearing's inner race- then drive it home. No need to go crazy with it, because when you're torquing the axle nut down, it will seat the hub.


Originally Posted By: tig1
I have always replaced the hub and bearing, as I don't have a press. For sure it's not a good idea to be beating on a bearing with a hammer.

Ideally you'd use a press but a hammer can be successfully employed if you're careful. My neon went many tens of thousands of miles before someone totalled it.

 

[eljefino]

^ what he said. Also put the new hub/ bearing in the freezer and the knuckle on the BBQ to get some heat on it.

The clip for the bearing is just to hold it while you drive the spindle in; you can expect a very tight fit regardless. In fact it's prudent to support the bearing from the inner race when you push the spindle down.

If you have impact sockets of the correct size they make great arbors for whaling out the old.

This sounds exactly like a saturn s-series setup. Oddly the hardest part on those is when the old snap ring is either rusted in or waaaay too springy and breaks pliers. I wind up using various ground-down screwdrivers and prying implements. Wear your goggles, the clamps can fly!