Hub Bearing Replacement - Replace Spindle Nut?

cmoore74 · January 20, 2012

Getting ready to replace both front hub bearings... one has play and the other is making noise... 93k miles so it's about time anyhow.

I'm getting conflicting info though. I read that you should definitely replace the spindle nut, but when I went to get them at the dealership they said it's not something they normally carry and not something they replace when they replace the hub bearings... and they replace lots of hub bearings.

I guess I'm not going to replace the nut unless someone has a compelling reason to.

Also will regular old anti-seize lubricant on the spline do? I have a jar of loctite anti-seize... I think it's the silver grade.

Rons05z71 · January 20, 2012

I have done 3 or 4 and havent replaced it. (Sometimes I think they came with a nut if I am thinking of the right part, could have been a tie rod though) Silver anti seize should be fine.

cmoore74 · January 20, 2012

Thanks. I ordered the Timken bearings from Aamazon. They did not come with a new spindle nut.

Prokopchuk_9 · January 20, 2012

be careful because i know some manufactuerers make the nuts for one time use only. torqued to spec once....i got new ones when i did a hub on my 2002. just for peace of mind. i think it cost me like 20 bucks extra for 2 nuts...may as well

NV5600 · January 20, 2012

I researched the same thing when I did mine. I ended up replacing them. O'Reilly Autoparts had them and they aren't very expensive. It became obvious once I took an old nut off and replaced it with a new one. The new nut is staked somehow and that makes it much harder to thread on than the old nut. The new ones are sort of self-locking.

gmtech4 · January 21, 2012

service info says too install not replace ,but whateva ,doesnt matter either way

Garrett Street · January 21, 2012

I didn't replace it when I did mine. I just replaced the HUB.

cmoore74 · January 21, 2012

For the record I just finished the drivers side and it was quite easy (2 hours) and I'm sure the passenger side will go twice as fast.. I would say if you are comfortable doing brakes this is just as easy.

Oh and I did not replace the nuts because they weren't readily available and the dealership said they don't. It's a conical nut and it went on very tight the second time as well.

cmoore74 · January 22, 2012

A few more things to mention...

The stealership wanted $440 per hub for the parts alone and another $340 in labor to replace both for a grand total of $1220 for both hubs. I told them they were nucking futs. Local garage quoted $600 to do both including parts and labor so if you're not comfortable doing them yourself you'd be crazy to go to the stealership... unless it's still under warranty.

Timken bearings (which is what the truck came with from the factory) purchased on Amazon for $115 each and 3 1/2 hours of my time... not too bad.

meade01 · January 24, 2012

I have a 05 silverado and I dont have any confidence in the hubs. I go off road quite a bit and these hubs dont last. I have had the truck for 3 years and a total of 50k miles and I just put my 5th hub in. My cousin is an auto mechanic and he said he has seen the factory hubs fail with no more than 15k on them. There is got to be something better designed than this. I know the old style hubs didnt have these problems. The only thing good about these hubs is the ease of replacement.

Garrett Street · January 24, 2012

^^^^^^ Maybe you're installing them wrong. When I replaced the original hubs on mine I was at 204,000. I off-road probable once a month or so. Once every 11 years and every 8th trip entirely around the earth seems fine to me for a wheel hub.

Ape0r · February 1, 2012

I would recommend replacing. The nuts are pinched on one side, which serves as a locking mechanism. You will notice how much torque it takes to remove and install the nut when it should be "free sprinning."

It is one time use because it is difficult to assess the strain hardening and plasticity that go into the nut as it is cycled by removing and installing.

You can get it here: http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=42&partnum=615095&a=FR42-615095-514705

wilsonz71 · February 2, 2012

Always replace axle / hub nuts, pinch bolts, castle nuts.. Almost always a one time use part!

Silverado4x4 · February 2, 2012

I have a 05 silverado and I dont have any confidence in the hubs. I go off road quite a bit and these hubs dont last. I have had the truck for 3 years and a total of 50k miles and I just put my 5th hub in. My cousin is an auto mechanic and he said he has seen the factory hubs fail with no more than 15k on them. There is got to be something better designed than this. I know the old style hubs didnt have these problems. The only thing good about these hubs is the ease of replacement.

What? Man somebody is not installing your hubs and bearings right.