I'm replacing my two front wheel hub bearings this weekend and I was wondering if anyone has any tips for a beginner. It seems like a pretty straight forward job but I'm a little worried about rust making it difficult to get the old one off. The car is from below the rust belt but I don't know how rusted it may be. Should a slide hammer, a mallet, and some penetrating fluid be enough for getting it off once everything is unbolted? Anything else that could be helpful? Thank you.

 

I always take the steering knuckle to a shop nearby that charges $40 per a wheel bearing to remove and install them.

don't over tighten the CV axle nut, that can cause premature wheel bearing damage. the nissan service manual says 188 - 245 ft-lbs but I usually just torque it to 160 ft-lbs

 

I wish there was affordable work out here! Talked to multiple shops and they want almost $500 per wheel and won't let me bring my own parts.

 

what I meant was that I remove the steering knuckles off my car and have someone else press in the bearings. check the machine shops in your area.

 

Agreed 100%

This has always been my tact as well.

 

Without a hydraulic press I wouldn't even consider doing it. Has anyone had success with only hand tools?!

 

I've seen videos of people doing it with hand tools (like a mallet and slide hammer) for other cars, not sure if the Maxima would be different but I can't imagine so?

 

Where, in TX, are you located?

Regardless, I find it hard to believe that you don’t have a Mavis Tire, a Tire Kingdom, a Firestone Tire and Auto or a Tires Plus in your immediate vicinity.

Those are the $40 to $50 per hub places …

 

best bet is to call local machine shops or even transmission shops, they usually have all the proper tools to change out the bearings.

 

Can you link one and I'll tell you if it's like our cars?

 

I wouldn't even attempt it with hand tools. the bearing is pressed into the knuckle and has 2 large snap rings that hold it in place within the steering knuckle. after the bearing is pressed into the knuckle and snap rings put into place the wheel hub is pressed into the center of the bearing.

you don't want to be using a hammer and damage the bearing, it has to be done with a press and with the right tools. even with a press and the right tools you have to know how to do it without ruining the bearings inside the bearing assembly..

 

$25 and a shop or buy a cheap HF press and have a tool forever.

 

It IS possible to do the wheel bearing with the knuckle on the car, but you have to have the right tools (not a hammer) to do it. You can see if your local parts store has the right set for rental (I think it's called a hub tamer or something), but they probably won't. Otherwise you'll need a shop press.

You're not torquing that nut enough! I always torque mine to 200.

 

I have a hub tamer. Don't use it. Faster and easier to use the press.


I agree on the torque. Don't under torque the nut

 

I did this myself back when I had access to my school's mechanical engineering workshop. Even with an industrial press and basically unlimited amount of odd shaped metal pieces to use as plates to rest the assembly on, it wasn't fun at all. If I remember correctly, I ended up machining a jig for it. +1 on just taking it to a shop to have them pressed out and the new ones pressed in to save yourself the aggravation.

This is coming from someone who recently did the same job with hand tools on my BMW X5 and Nissan Titan. Both weren't fun but they were easier than the maxima.

 

You can do it yourself at home IF you get a hydraulic press similar to

And you can sell the press after and break about even.

You press out the old bearing and then use the old bearing to press in the new ones. All you really need is the outer bearing race to press in the new ones. You press the new ones in by only placing pressure on the outer race of the new bearings. Never put lots of force against the inner race.