Removing my wheel bearings... 98 Corolla

[NilsonCain]

I have a slide hammer with a strange jaw clamp device, and a C-clamp press to install the new bearings. I have no idea how to get this done with this type of slide hammer. Can someone please help?

THE TOOLS

DRIVER SIDE SPINDLE AND HUB
With seal. Note missing inner wheel bearing race. It seems to be still stuck on the hub, as you can see in the photo.

PASSENGER SIDE SPINDLE AND HUB
Still intact, but I need to take this one apart to replace the bearing as well.

SEALS
Are these the same on both sides of each hub? I only bought two, but it appears I’ll need two more, as well as the seals for the differential. Please point me at the correct parts.

 

[bmod305]

Take the spindles/hubs to an auto-machine shop or a local garage. They will use a hydraulic press to do the job. Can't be done properly with a slide hammer and ball joint press. I did tons of them years ago when we still had a machine shop-used a 25 ton press. You probably will need a new hub for the one with the race stuck to it. Lots of times, you wreck the hub getting the race off.

Dave

 

[krismoriah72]

Originally Posted By: bmod305
Take the spindles/hubs to an auto-machine shop or a local garage. They will use a hydraulic press to do the job. Can't be done properly with a slide hammer and ball joint press. I did tons of them years ago when we still had a machine shop-used a 25 ton press. You probably will need a new hub for the one with the race stuck to it. Lots of times, you wreck the hub getting the race off.

Dave


^ what he said +1

I would just go ahead and buy new hubs and have them pressed in. Cant be done with the tools u have.

 

[Trav]

No real problems getting the race off the hub, they all do this. I normally use my bearing separator and press it off.
I cant see you being able to do this with that setup.

These should give you some info.

 

[Merkava_4]

bmod305 -- Are the hubs SUPPOSED to be pressed into the spindles?

On my Buick, the hubs fit snuggly into the large center opening in the spindles, but they're not pressed in; three bolts hold them on. I wasn't aware that Toyota did things so drastically different.

 

[Trav]

This is very common, nothing drastic here.

 

[Merkava_4]

So it's standard procedure to take the Toyota spindles off and take them to an automotive machinist for pressing the hub assemblies out of the spindles?

 

[krismoriah72]

 

[barkingspider]

I did exactly what bmod suggested when I did my beater car

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: Trav
No real problems getting the race off the hub, they all do this. I normally use my bearing separator and press it off.
I cant see you being able to do this with that setup.


As Trav mentioned the first video gives a good example of how to do it. I used parts of that video when changing my wheel bearing on a 98 Sienna. I also have a 12 ton shop press and without the press it's a real pain to get the bearing lined up in it. You can used a small sledge hammer and large socket to hammer out the old bearing race first. If you don't have the proper tools, then you may damage the new bearing and then you'll just have to do it over again.

Did you buy a good bearing? Don't cheap out on wheel bearings, I did the first time and it started making noise 5 days after it was installed. I went with a Toyota bearing the second time.

Regards, JC.

 

[Merkava_4]

I watched all the videos. Makes me appreciate my Buick even more.

 

[Silk]

You will need a new drive flange, or get one built up and machined. The inner race of the inner bearing has been spinning on it.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Silk
You will need a new drive flange, or get one built up and machined. The inner race of the inner bearing has been spinning on it.


Where are you seeing that? Looks normal to me, if it were spinning it wouldn't need cutting off.
The inner race almost always comes off with the flange, there is no way to support it from behind the hub flange.

Come on guys this is a 10 min press job and auto mechanics 101.

 

[Quest]

LOL!

I watched in awe as the questions RE: pressing a corolla front hub bearing unfolds.....


Q.

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Where are you seeing that? Looks normal to me,


You can see the rust. The outer part of the inner race always stays on the drive flange, the inner always comes off. This one has been spinning, if not it would be shiny metal.

 

[Trav]

Thats normal, its not spinning. The inner race is below the part that has surface rust.
You can just wire brush that away and it will press right off, then polish that part with fine crocus cloth.
The rust is from water ingress due to a bad rear cv axle shaft seal.

If it had been spinning it would be shiny and scored. Watch the video's.

 

[Silk]

The bearing is a press fit into the hub, the drive flange is a press fit into the bearing - there is no way water can get into it to form rust...unless there is clearance. There are 2 halves to the inner race, you only see one there, the other one will be loose on the drive flange. I've done hundreds of Toyota wheelbearings, at least 50% or more have a worn drive flange.

 

[Trav]

Your right, i forgot it is a double row bearing.

 

[NilsonCain]

Please explain what you mean by drive flange. I assume you mean the part with the wheel studs and axle splines?

Looks like I'm gonna have to break down and just take it to the shop to get this part done. I'm a cheap [censored].

RE: Bearing brand... the part I got is branded PREMIUM WHEEL BEARING. It's from Rock Auto. I don't need it to last 100,000 miles; what's the opinion on using these? Surely they will be better than what was there

 

[Silk]

Yes, the part with the wheel studs and spline for CV joint. I don't know about the American lingo, but when we buy this part from Toyota it's on their parts system as a drive flange....so that's what we call it.