Hub changing advice (4x4)

[chris_kucia]

Its going to be unseasonably warm today in Cleveland (mid 50s). I have new hubs and it seems like I should do them tonight rather than waiting and have the weather turn cold.

 

I have the factory manuals and appropriate tools. I believe the procedure is pretty straight forward.

 

Just looking for any tips/tricks from anyone who has done this.

 

Looks like the procedure is:

 

1) Jack up truck

2) Remove front wheels

3) Remove calipers

4) Remove rotors

5) Disconnect ABS wiring harness from hub

5) Remove hub nut

6) Remove three bolts retaining hub

7) Break hub free - remove old hub

8) Reverse procedure with new hub, torque fasteners as specified

 

Anything I'm missing?

[95Sierra2500]

If you have any problems getting the axle shaft out of the hub, you CAN screw the nut back on until it's flush with the end of the shaft and give it a good smack with a dead-blow hammer. It IS done this way at dealerships. It's also faster than a hub puller.

[chris_kucia]

If you have any problems getting the axle shaft out of the hub, you CAN screw the nut back on until it's flush with the end of the shaft and give it a good smack with a dead-blow hammer. It IS done this way at dealerships. It's also faster than a hub puller.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Good advice. Thanks 95Sierra

[Giant]

when I did the hub on my cadillac I cut the ABS sensor connector on the hub side off and left it connected to the plug until I was ready to plug in the new one.

 

Keeps any dust and dirt out of it until you're ready to install it.

[chris_kucia]

Its going to be unseasonably warm today in Cleveland (mid 50s).  I have new hubs and it seems like I should do them tonight rather than waiting and have the weather turn cold.

 

I have the factory manuals and appropriate tools.  I believe the procedure is pretty straight forward.

 

Just looking for any tips/tricks from anyone who has done this.

 

Looks like the procedure is:

 

1) Jack up truck

2) Remove front wheels

3) Remove calipers

4) Remove rotors

5) Disconnect ABS wiring harness from hub

5) Remove hub nut

6) Remove three bolts retaining hub

7) Break hub free - remove old hub

8) Reverse procedure with new hub, torque fasteners as specified

 

Anything I'm missing?

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

1) Jack up truck

2) Remove front wheels

3) Remove calipers

3b) Remove caliper bracket

4) Remove rotors

5) Disconnect ABS wiring harness from hub

5) Remove hub nut

6) Remove three bolts retaining hub (would probably be easier if the drive axle was removed first)

7) Break hub free (cuss liberally during process)- remove old hub

8) Reverse procedure with new hub, torque fasteners as specified

[az'03Silverado]

So, by owning a 4x2 there is one or two Less headaches when I have to do this someday?

[bbojangles]

My hub took a serious and I mean SERIOUS beating with a number of chisels.. and a torch and pounding for about 4 hours .. my fingers are skinless and sore. this was with 2 professional engineers with tons of home mechanics experience.

 

the backing plate was mangled by the time I got the hub off the knuckle. I pounded it back to as close to the right shape as possible but was still a mess. I tried to assemble the new hub, but one of the bolts got hung up on the lip of the hole on the backing plate..

this ended up stripping a thread on the bolt.

So I need to now go buy a bolt and clean up the threads on the new hub. I also need to get a new backing plate.

I Think that this was not the original hub on the truck. the bolts were a little beat up from a previous job. The lack of anti-seize has caused me major grief.

I would like to take the hammer and chisel to the guy that did the last job. grrrrrrr

 

anyway the mounting for the HUB is just plain bad engineering, the bolts are hard to access. there is no pry slot in the hub nor in the knuckle, totally just cheap assed bad engineering.

 

With the number of bearing that are failing on these trucks they should be easily serviceable parts.