I need to change a front wheel bearing on my '95 Max. I've read as many of the threads in the search I could find as well as the Motorvate writeup but it seems to be one of those borderline do-it-yourself / have a mechanic do it repairs. Haynes writes nothing on the subject.

I've done a # of repairs myself lately including the front axle, strut bearing, etc so I'm not a total beginner but I'm no mechanic. This looks over my head. It says you either need access to a press or make one. I'm not gonna make one. I guess I'm wondering if anyone has advice on how to cut my losses and do some of it myself and have someone press it out? I know the bearing and seals will run me about $40 from nissan.
If someone presses the old one out do they also have to press the new one back in? I know after you do something once it all makes sense but I've never done any wheel bearing work before so I have to plead ignorance on this one.

Also, I need help identifying which side is shot. Doing 30mph, I get the noise when I swerve to the right. I would think that puts more pressure on the left so it would be left but I can't tell just by listening.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Good luck man, I wish I could help you since mine were really bad before I took it into the mechanic. Rattling all the time and was annoying with the window down.

 

You need to pull the axle, unbolt the wheel hub and take it to a shop to press out/in the bearing. To find the bad bearing, jack up the car, try to shake the tire from top to bottom. compare each side.

 

Well I'm having mine done by pepboys as we speak...I've done an engine swap by myself, and i am in no way a mechanic, as a matter of fact i literally had never changed my oil before i did a complete engine swap, so you can see i'm pretty much willing to try anything....Except that wheel bearing job. I looked it up on motovate and i can just tell by looking that it will be a PITA, so i wouldn't recommend messing with it....It supposed to cost $191 to have it done at pepboys, unless you run into my problem...I took it in on thurs, for what was supposed to be a 3 hour job, well its monday and i haven't gotten it back yet, seems that i road on the bad bearing so long it damaged the bearing housing, and they said that i would just ruin the new bearing if i had it put in there in a week or 2, so they had to order a new bearing housing from nissan and it was supposed to get there sometime today, it cost $170 along (the housing) and i don't know if there gonna charge me labor again since they have to take everything apart again (if they even did it the first time i'm still unclear on that...) Moral of the story, if your is messed up don't drive on it too much longer or you may do like me and more than double the repair price....