I know theres a DIY out there already but here it goes. This is from the FSM and gives you an idea of what you need to complete this job.












And here are some pics of my swap. I did this for someone who didnt want to pay out the a$$ at a shop or a stealership. Im no mechanic but I love to turn some wrenches and Im all about some DIY. So with that being said - do this at your own risk - I claim NO responsibility for any screwup that may happen cause if you follow the FSM and have the right tools - this is a cake swap.

 

Friend of mines 96 Max - I had a 2k max and now have a Z & Altima...






loosen lugs - 21mm



Get car up in the air..

 

[40202M] HUB ASSY-ROAD WHEEL,FRONT - Your Price: $64.89 x 2
Product SKU: 40202-A32B002

[40210] BEARING ASSY-FRONT WHEEL - Your Price: $57.04 x 2
Product SKU: 40210-A32B001

[40232] GREASE SEAL
Fits this vehicle: Maxima (A32B) - Your Price: $14.59 x 4
Product SKU: 40232-A32B003

This is from courtesyparts.com

 

 

That monster nut is a 36MM - you can rent them at autozone or any oreilly..

 

Take out snap ring on BOTH sides - theres one on the axle side and one on the hub side..

 

Remember the FSM stated you needed a 2.999 inch reciever to push out the bearing - well I just got a machine shop to make me a little 1/2 inch thick 3 inch plate for 12 bucks and then I just shaved the outside a little.. worked like a champ..

 

pushing the old bearing housing out..

 

Old bearing out





new bearing about to get pushed in



Same lil plate to push the new one in

 

Be sure to put in the snap ring so that when you press in the bearing you have a stopping point and then you will have enough space to put the other snap ring in - you can feel when the bearing is pressed against the bearing so this was cake..



New hub with seal under it on



new oil seals - i just used my lil plate to hammer (tap) in..



Old VS the new

 

Pics of the other side...you can see where the snap rings go in on both sides..




I bought these snap rings for 7 bucks


New bearing getting pressed in - using outside part only - notice the inside part is not in while being pressed in..



The press was on sale at Harbor freight for 80 bucks.. been a life saver for me..

 

An amazing pictorial write-up. I've done this one several other front drive cars - your pictorial shows the differences between those and a Maxima...

 

This is great as well. For anyone that's going to post, have any of you done this without the press?

 

you can easily get a shop to do it - shouldnt cost but 20 bucks or so..



thx for the compliments guys.

 

Nice. Gotta do this on at least on of the Max's this summer. Weird thing is, Dave B. only said I needed 2 seals, so thats what I bought. And I didn't buy new hubs...

 

There's been more pics on maxima.org of late. TY for the effort guys, reading was real pain for me.

 

Nice write up. One thing that's unclear-is the metal disc you used to press the bearing in and out recessed on one side? The FSM specifies that it's very important to press in the new bearing by applying pressure to the outer bearing race only. Using a flat disc will apply pressure to the inner race only, since it's slightly raised in relation to the outer race, and will potentially cause damage to the ball bearings/race surface that might affect the longevity of your bearing.
My bad if I missed mention of it in the writeup, but it's an important point in the installation.
Cheers!

 

Biggest piece of advice. Make sure you get a new hub as well. I thought that my used hub would work, but it was too worn and it needed to be replaced. So my car sat for 5 days while I waited on a new hub.
I just did mine as well.
Great write up.

 

^^^ yes you are correct - I did take out the inner part while pressing the bearing in...As seen in the last pics.

that just depends on how worn the hubs are - you may need them and you may not - I just didnt want to put everything back together and find out that I had to take everything apart later to put new hubs in -

 

So what's your opinion of that Harbor Freight 12 ton press? I hear wildly different opinions, from total junk to great deal.

Did you consider getting the Harbor Freight wheel bearing adapter kit (also for about $80) instead of a press? I can't tell if the adapter kit comes with everything you need. Compared to a $300 Hub Tamer Elite, there seems to be some important pieces missing.

Very nicely done and informative post. Thanks.

 

About the press - I bought it to do a few jobs. I wasnt looking for longevity. Im sure it wont last long but all in all - for 80 bucks, its paid itself off already. It works like a champ but it is CHEAP. Press was the best bang for my buck and it made the job super EASY - I mean who wants to spend unnecessary time on something that takes NO time at all (with the right tools).

 

Good write up, nice innovation with that press tool.
Getting that bearing out can be a PITA. I used an old bearing race that was grinded down a bit and used it to tap the old one out and then tap the new one in.
Your method is much better.

 

Nice write up

 

I had to get a shop to press out the hub and did the rest myself with a kit I got at Harbor Freight... This one. Don't fall for the "hassle free" crap. It comes with no instructions and is of fairly poor quality. I had to stand on a breaker bar and use a comically large adjustable wrench to get the job done. Also used a hammer with the correct adapter to unfreeze the bearing from the spindle assembly.

Another tip if you're using this method is to stick the new bearing in the freezer for a couple of hours before you try to press it in. The metal contracts just enough to make it considerably easier to press in than the old one was to remove. Still a good workout, but not quite so unbearably difficult.

If you're going to be doing more than one of these operations, or if you need it done in one day, go ahead and spring for the press. I would have, but the only one they had was broken. Should be total cake if you get the press and the adapter kit.

 

So you used this kit to put the bearing back in? If so, you wouldn't need a press if you used the kit that AutoZone has which removes the bearing then? I mean we don't care much about the bearing as long as the inner walls are not damaged in the process.

 

wish i saw this before i put my bearings in . would made things a little easier and probably would of done it right the first time

 

Note: If anyone goes aftermarket with these parts, don't get the Dorman hubs because they don't fit. I'm using National bearings, though, and they're working out well so far. Had to spring for the much more expensive Nissan hubs after shipping the Dorman crap back to RockAuto.