I did my front wheel bearing replacement today following the steps from motorvate.ca. It is pretty straight forward except for the hub removal part. In my case, the hub just didn't want to be separated out from the knuckle. It finally came out after I pounded it from back from more than hours. If it wasn't that I couldn't remove the ABS line without risking it, I would just take out the knuckle have a shop press it out for me.

So, Could you guys enlighten me out of how you did it? I must have done it a silly way.

 

Remove the abs sensor from the knuckle or leave it in there and disconect the connector for the abs sensor.

 

My bearings were SHOT. had them replaced by a "mechanic".... failed after another year. After seeing many bearing failures within a year of replacement threads. I just changed the whole spindle.. (also cause my brother totaled my 98 i30 with great bearings) now my bearings are smooth as a baby's bottom.

I've read even nissan techs have difficulty with this and tend to mess it up because of the design. Problem is that the warranty expires, before the bearing fails again soooo your screwed.

YOU might have better luck since your an aspiring automotive engineer. I however could not take on this undertaking cause it requires press or something if you want to do it the RIGHT WAY. Hope it works out and if you find a trick or tip post it and help others.

There is a thread on the wheel bearings on the .org. People were heating it and putting it on dry ice.. and all sorts of things.

& oh hey.. your from NJ.. if your not already on NYCMAXIMAS.org sign up. Its local so you'll have better luck finding help. there are alot of great mechanics within the maxima community who CAN do this job right. Tavarish is one guy and hes in NJ too OR VADIM in NY (tell them homermac sent you). Im sure they could offer some great tips

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I completely forgot the fact I actually had signed up the MYCMAXIMAS.org. I'll will keep an eye there now.

 

taking out the hub off the knuckle is easy. take off the caliper and rotors. Take off the 36mm nut, , push the axle rod back. You attached a hub puller and use a slide hammer. See Pic 8

Takes prob like 15 sec to take it off once its attached. Once the hub is off the knuckle, you try and take all the wheel bearings off. at this point your bearing is prob in two pieces. in which the inner race (i think, might be outer) is stuck on the knuckle. you use a bearing separator

or you can be careful and use a cutting disk to cut the bearing off. be careful not to ruin the hub. The one in the hub you have to take off the circlip and then remove the bearing by having it pressed out. Once everything is off nice and clean, you use this to put the bearing on.

or you take the knuckle off the ball joint. take it to a shop to press in the bearings. i must say you were pissed off and wanted to pay someone. how did you do this?? i really wanna know more info

 

20 ton shop press.......

 

I wish I knew about the hub puller and slide hammer. I was hitting it out with a hammer from the back of the hub. Being in its awkward position, it took me more than an hour. In fact, my arm still souring.