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Front Wheel Bearing Replacement - DIY?

25K views 37 replies 13 participants last post by  shenanigans 
#1 ·
Another of my wheel bearings is about to bite the dust - only 11 months into its life. A co worker has a 2006 Tacoma and is on bearing number 7 and 8 - I'm now needing number 5.

My two previous replacements were installed by the dealer under warranty. Since my warranty has now expired, I hope to attempt this myself. The FSM describes removing the upper and lower ball joint to complete the procedure, but I really don't see how this is necessary.

I have access to a full garage including two lifts, two industrial air compressors, as well as a full range of air tools - father in law is part owner of an independent garage, and I have a key.:D

I've been doing my own light work there for years. My concern is that I'm out of town on business all week and only have weekends to perform the repair. The local dealer isn't open on weekends so I want to have all my ducks lined up in a row before I start. GOT TO have the vehicle operational again by Sunday evening so I want to be prepared.

I may contact a recycling yard this week and try and locate a spare hub/bearing assembly. This way I can rebuild it during the week while I'm away and install it during the weekend when I get home. The only uncertainty I have is regarding the seals and whether the upper and lower BJ actually have to be separated from the spindle. I say no - even though the FSM says yes.
 
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#2 ·
I just order the complete assembly (bearing plus cap with 4 bolt holes) plus seals. Sometimes it takes a gnarly press to pop them out of the spindle, sometimes they fall out with a knock of a rubber hammer. Either way, pretty much have to pull the entire spindle to get them out, sure you could use a puller of some sort, but it's just faster to use a press. With the right tools on hand, it can be done in a couple of hours, the first set took me all weekend with no press and basic hand tools (no puller or anything), it was a bitch. They were corroded and really stuck, ended up using a sledge to get them out (don't do that).
 
#3 ·
That was pretty much the route I intended to go - order up the bearing and plate (with the four holes) and get the wheel hub pressed into it. So in order to remove the bearing plate you have to remove the entire spindle from the truck by separating from both the upper and lower ball joints?
 
#7 ·
That was pretty much the route I intended to go - order up the bearing and plate (with the four holes) and get the wheel hub pressed into it. So in order to remove the bearing plate you have to remove the entire spindle from the truck by separating from both the upper and lower ball joints?
yes, just unbolt the spindle from the upper and lower control arms and leave them on the truck, remove the brake caliper and abs sensor (they break easy be gentle), remove the axle nut and pop the cv out (don't have to remove it from truck either), remove four bolts, press everything apart, then press it all back together. Piece of cake.

The bearings are a separate service unit, on the 05~up..
No need to remove the whole knuckle assy.

Get the hub, bearing assy, and the 4 bolts that hold the hub to the knuckle.

Have them pressed and ready to swap out with one side....

Then save the old hub, cut/press/smash the bearing off, and use the hub and bolts, for the next time..
 
#4 ·
yes, just unbolt the spindle from the upper and lower control arms and leave them on the truck, remove the brake caliper and abs sensor (they break easy be gentle), remove the axle nut and pop the cv out (don't have to remove it from truck either), remove four bolts, press everything apart, then press it all back together. Piece of cake.
 
#11 ·
I too am curious to know how one would know their wheel bearing is bad?

Grinding/humming noises ?



or........................................












THE WHEEL FEELS LOOSE :eek:
 
#9 ·
i know there was a thread about this before...but i remember some talk about different bearings being used in place of the toyota ones...anyone have any luck with a different brand not going back so quickly? i had my tires balanced a few thousand miles ago and when it was up on the rack there was no play but guy said it felt like it was dragging a little. going to put my lift on in the near future and figured might as well do the bearings while im at it.
 
#10 ·
I too am curious to know how one would know their wheel bearing is bad?
 
#14 ·
What's the deal with toyota?? you guys are on multiple bearing replacements here... what are you using the trucks for? plowing? I have 60K on my 07 and front end still solid... I think...
 
#16 ·
that was what I had for rims (AR teflon) but for only 5K, picked up FJ 16x7.5 rims because of the less aggressive offset and less stress on bearings and suspension... SO the question is this: are all of you tacoma bro's up there using 8" or wider rims with zero to negative offsets??
 
#18 ·
you don't have to, but you do have to remove the cv, and you can't do that without pulling the spindle loose from the lower control arm, at that point you are half to getting it out anyway. I still don't see how to get the bearing out without a press, but maybe mine were so corroded from road salt and mud I had to.
As to the longevity issues, it mostly has to do with wheel backspacing and mud/water in the bearing.
 
#19 ·
When you say "get the bearing out without a press", do you mean separate the hub from the bearing?

I have access to a 10 ton press, but picked up a spare hub today from the auto recyclers that I'll get a new bearing pressed on before starting, even if I have to visit a machine shop.

I was just concerned with getting the inner seal seated.
 
#20 ·
I mean pushing the bearing and bearing retainer outboard (toward tire) to get it out of the spindle. What do you mean by "hub"? The part with the lug bolts on it? That came out with a few whacks of a rubber mallet for me, but who knows. The inner seal goes in with a few taps of a brass punch, easy if you keep it square.
 
#21 ·
I assumed that once I removed the four bolts holding the bearing retainer to the truck it would just need a little convincing to separate (maybe an air chisel), then on to a press to remove the old hub (with the six wheel studs) and press it into a new bearing.

I also noticed today that I have developed a front diff leak where the CV exits the diff (same side as the bad wheel bearing). I can't seem to find the seal at any of the local dealers so I may have to postphone the bearing swap until next weekend, and swap out the side diff seal at the same time.

Thanks for your replies!
 
#22 ·
I had to do both my fronts at 71k on my 05. And the truck has never been off road. It's my winter driver when the FJ40 and Mustang are hibernating. You do need to use a press to install them, and if you are careful there's no need to buy new hubs/drive flanges. I think it's simply that the inner seals are a horribly weak design. Both of mine were shredded when I took it apart. I'm at 98k now with OE seals on both sides and SKF bearings and no bad noises. Slightly off topic but due to this and all the other crap that has failed prematurely on this essentially babied and garaged truck it may be the last new Toyota I buy. I've been driving Toyota trucks for 20 years and I have never had so much trouble with one. My brother in law's 05 is no better. Of course they are built here. My wifes 4Runner has double the mileage and besides normal maintenance I haven't had to touch it.
 
#23 ·
Replaced the bearing yesterday with one from an auto recycle yard that I got for $100 (the whole assemble new at the dealer would have cost me over $600 Canadian). Planning on taking my old assembly and pressing on a new bearing so I have a spare unit ready to go whenever I need it.

The seal on the old unit was completely trashed in less than 11 months. 184,000 miles on my 1998 Tacoma without a single wheel bearing issue. 104,000 miles now on my 2005 and on my fifth bearing.:(
 
#24 ·
Damn, those things are expensive in canada, I get mine new from o'reilly for like 105 and they come with a 2 year warranty so when they crap out I just take them the old bearing and they give me a new one.
 
#26 ·
#27 ·
Link doesnt work but if its part # BRG FW194 it looks to be the right one. Go to the dealer and get the cv shaft seal as well.

Just drive out the out bearing assembly (four-bolt flange cartridge) from the inside of the spindle out with a punch. You will need a press to get the hub out of the brg and into the new one. If that doesnt sound like too much for you then go for it.

You can always just remove the spindle and bring it and new bearing and seals to a machine shop to have it r & r'd for 35 bucks, then just bolt it back in.
 
#28 ·
thanks for the info, I think I'm going to try it this weekend. I think the guys at the on-post mechanic place will probably be able to give me a hand as well. I'll post back up how much of a pain it is.
 
#29 ·
It's really not hard, however I don't recomend removing the steering knuckle it just isn't necessary, leave all that business attached. Unbolt the 4 bolts on the bearing and use a slide sledge and a hub puller (can usually be borrowed/rented from autoparts stores) and pop that sucker out. As for the hub in the bearing that you will need a press for, once you get it pressed in with the new seals grease up the assembly really good and slide it back into the knuckle gently tapping it with a dead blow or a hammer with a block of wood.
 
#33 ·
hey guys, I'm really sorry that I didn't take pictures but it really went a lot faster than I had thought. It took 2.5 hours counting the twenty minutes of driving to the garage. So, I can write up what I did though. Obviously first take off the wheel, then the brake caliper. I didn't take the ABS sensor off and didn't have problems. I took the bolt out of the brake line holder to give the caliper some room to move and just set it on a jack stand all connected. After that, you should be able to pull the rotor off (43512), mine took a little tapping with a rubber mallet. Pull the shield off. Then take the hub cover off to get to the axle nut. Take that off (mine was a 35mm even though the dealer told me it was a 32mm). I tapped the axle towards the differential a few times with a rubber mallet again to loosen it up a bit. Then it looks like you can't get the four bolts (90119-A0167) out, but what I did was use an open ended wrench to get on them and then back them off. If you align the surface (43501C) furthest from the differential correctly, you can get the bolts to push the hub off for you, then you just need to work it a bit with a small crow bar or even a screwdriver, but you should be able to get it loosened by backing off the bolts. The middle part (43501F) needs to be pressed off, there's a dust cover in there that is hard to get off without destroying but I just pressed it back on and it retook it's shape. Once that's all out (didn't take the knuckle assembly off or unbolt the UCA or LCA), you need a press to press out the hub (I had to press the bearings off individually because they stayed on the hub). Then just lube the hub a bit and press it back into the new bearings (make sure you remember to put the bolts back in position first). The part (43570) was the only new part I got. Then you just push it back over the axle, tighten the bolts down and reassemble everything. I don't know the exact terms for the parts so if someone wants to make that more mechanical it would probably help.

This is what the inside of the bearing looked like, you can see the damage:

This is the whole bearing that came off, and then there's a seal on the right that got destroyed when i was pressing it out, but it didn't need to go back on so it worked fine.
 
#34 ·
I didn't take the ABS sensor off and didn't have problems.
Thanks thegoodone71 and everybody else.
How do you know they go bad .... ?
My ABS light came on. Said to be from an increased air gap on the ABS sensors and/or more of a drag on the wheel. I then noticed bearing noise and found wheel slop.
Did anyone elses ABS light come on and did the bearing replacement turn it off ?
 
#37 ·
yeah man, like I was saying I'm not exactly a mechanic. I learn stuff as I break it. So, you're probably right
 
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