Pressing out/in front bearings

Have a friend with a hydraulic press, considering doing the bearings myself. I have a 99 tacoma 4x4. Anyone know of or have a step by step video or pic? I've seen alot of videos on the subject but none were the type of steering knuckle i have. There is also a locknut, need a special tool to remove,not sure if that needs to come off, every shop i've called has no idea what im talking about.

 

Basically from what I could glean from all points on the interweb.

Steering hub comes off.

Snap ring and special service tool locknut come off.

Wheel hub gets pressed out of the bearing in that knuckle. Extreme care is needed when doing this due to a brass bushing that could be damaged.

Then the bearing gets pressed out of the knuckle, usually using heat and a HD press

Reverse the procedure for install. (heat the knuckle, not the bearing when reversing install)

40+ ton press and a very experienced machine shop would be a benefit. Seen some posts indicating it took way over 20 tons to get the bearing to move out of the knuckle using all tactics. Even the good shops have a fit with doing this. Very tight tolerances being worked with.

Not many shops have a idea on how to do this or what you are talking about ,,because sadly they are just parts replacers for the vast majority,,and due to the fact that they last so long and very rarely need replacing. So not many shops see this setup as a bearing replacement. They will definitely sell you the complete knuckle ready to roll.

There it is. if anyone sees any left-outs, cut it up to your liking and post away.

 

thank you for the input, i had a local shop do it. I asked them if they knew what to do and could do it. He said it was a bitch to get out but spining the hub it wasnt completely smooth, he said when its on the truck it will smooth out. He also smashed a small portion of the threads on the hub where the locknut goes. That is not going on at all,I keep hitting road blocks on this.

 

Sounds like he didn't really know what he was doing. There should be no "noise" and it should turn just fine by hand. No need to "smooth it out". If you want to try it yourself you can, but just doing it once can be a little expensive because of the special tools needed.

1. Remove spindle
2. Remove dust cap from back of spindle
3. Remove locking nut using special tool. (DO NOT USE IMPACT GUN!)
4. Carefully place spindle on press with proper adapters (wheel hub down)
5. Using proper adapter, press out the hub
6. Invert spindle in hub and using proper adapter press bearing slightly back into spindle.
7. Remove outer seal
8. Remove snap ring (If you do not press bearing back in you will find this snap ring will break, or simply not come out)
9. Invert spindle again face down and press out bearing
10. Clean inside area of spindle
11. Press bearing into spindle, dark plate facing outward.
12. Install outer seal and lubricate lip seal
13. Press in wheel hub
14. Install locking nut onto threaded part of hub and using torque wrench and special nut tool, torque to 203 lbs-ft
15. Stake nut where hub notch is located
16. Install dust cover
17. Install spindle

 

Should be no noise,,very smooth.

It could fail again very soon if it is rough.

He was probably trying to unsteak that locknut,,and banged the threads, Or he did it on the press. Tough to say.

If you do decide to drive it,,listen and feel for anything untwoard that might hint at a bearing failure. You don't want your wheel and tire passing you on the freeway. Acctually, I think it would just hard lock at speed, or do a burnout on the inside of that knuckle .

Right(or left) turn Clyde! Hang on!

 

compared to the other bearing on the other hub its not smooth. He mashed the threads on his press, i bought the locknut tool and removed the locknut myself. There's a post on the forums here someone needed to replace his locknut because the shop he took it to used other means to remove it. Another question, is this type of bearing supposed to come apart so it can be packed with grease? Or is it ready to install?

 

On THIS style of bearing assembly, it is a fully locked and caged unit. However before you press it in you can do what I do with the 2nd gen bearings, and use a needle adapter and a grease gun to add more bearing grease to the inside.

 

Noted down when my bearings come in! Good info.