TRYING to replace wheel bearing

I am attempting to change out my front right wheel bearing and am looking for some help from someone who has done it before or has knowledge about it. I would really appreciate any posts. thank you


- Would it be easier to just replace the entire hub instead of just doing the bearing?
- Should you replace both sides when you do one?


this is what the bearing that I bought looks like:


I can take it back if I need to


Thanks

 

it has to be pressed out.and then pressed back in.

 

I thought that it needed to be but a mechanic told me that I would probably be able to do it myself with basic tools.

 

I just got my rear wheel bearings done last week by my mechanic at work. I watched him do it and it was a pain in the ass! He couldnt even press it out. Had to take the torch out and heat it up, and it popped out no problem.

The front im not too familiar with. But im pretty sure you need a press. Whats the hub assembly worth? Might be cheaper to get the hub and do it yourself rather than get someone to press your bearings.

 

I would just replace the hub. And you must use a press. No way around it. Good luck.

 

You are gonna definitely need a press. Even with one it was a bear to get out and back in. I had to do one side at about 120,000 miles and just did the other side at 146,000. If you want to save doing it all over later I would do both. Luckily I have a buddy with a press so it wasn,t a huge deal.

 

I have to do the same thing. I heard that it is not worth the money to buy a new steering knuckle. So, what I have heard is that you just have to take the steering knuckle off and take it to a machine shop with your new bearings and they will press them out/in for you for a modest fee. Check with them to be sure that you can bring in parts. Some shops sell bearings and don't install parts that are brought in by the customer.

And yes- do both sides. One at a time is a good idea.

 

Thanks everyone, this helps a lot. Can anyone tell by looking at my picture if the bearing I bought is the right one? Im just kinda confused because it doesn't even look like it will fit.

 

I haven't done one on a Tacoma but, in my eyes and background, a press-fit bearing is a press-fit bearing...

Heating the hub is a good advice but I've had good luck pulling them out with a slide-hammer (un-thread the pulling assembly, slip the shaft through and re-thread the pulling assembly back on) to remove them over the years. While doing this, put the new bearing in the freezer and let it thermally shrink and they go in quite a bit easier. I've actually had better luck doing them that way than with a hydraulic floor press w/o cooling the bearing. Like mentioned above, you can pull the knuckle off and have a local machine shop/well trusted garage do it for a couple bucks but the choice is yours ultimately.

Worst comes to worst, try it yourself, if you fail, then take the knuckle off and take it to a shop. FWIW, a normal "press-fit" bearing application is around 6-9 thousandths....pretty easy to accomplish with heating for removal and letting the hub/knuckle come to ambient temp with a cold bearing.

 

Can you measure it?

What I got for a front wheel bearing measures:

ID: 2.0079-51mm
OD: 3.7795-96mm
Width: 2.126-54mm

 

That "looks" like the right one. You can always look up the part number.