Replacing front wheel hub 2002 Regal question

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Need to replace front wheel bearing hub and plan on doing it myself. Watched some videos on removing it. My question is do you think a hammer is sufficient to remove it or should I get a loan a tool hub puller to be much quicker?
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Usually they just fall off once unbolted.


My Grand Marquis hub was fused to the knuckle. Took me forever to break it free and to clean up the knuckle.
 
Depends on the setup. It will probably be rusted in place.

You may need a sledge hammer to get it free. Are there YouTube videos for your setup?
 
Heat the bolts that go into the hub from behind with a torch (propane or Mapp is good enough for heating loctite) in the front where the threads go into the hub, GM uses red loctite on them and heating them makes them easier to remove.
The loctite prevents corrosion so they don't rusted in, heat them one at a time as you remove them. Blue loctite is fine for reassembly.

A hammer will usually knock it loose even in the rust belt but sometimes they are corroded in pretty bad (aluminum knuckle), remove the CV nut, knock the axle in a bit and use a long punch from behind to carefully tap the hub out. Be careful and protect the boot with a piece of cardboard and a couple of zip ties.
The rust belt does bad things to parts that normally drop out in other parts of the country.

Clean the knuckle face and opening with a roloc or drill mounted wire wheel and put a thin coat of never seize on them to prevent the new ones from corroding in there. Axle nut torque to 118 ft.lb This is the latest and last revision of the torque spec, you find specs all over the web with anything from 118 to 178.
When higher torque values are used the hubs tend to fail prematurely.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Usually they just fall off once unbolted.


Said the guy who lives in a desert!
laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Axle nut torque to 118 ft.lb This is the latest and last revision of the torque spec, you find specs all over the web with anything from 118 to 178.
When higher torque values are used the hubs tend to fail prematurely.


Thank you!
 
There’s a metal plate that sits between the hub and spindle used to keep the ABS wire from contacting moving parts, it also helps keep corrosion from fusing the two together.

Anytime I’ve replaced hubs on my WBody they fall right off unless it’s the rear, those have no plate and need a pry bar and hammer to separate from the rear knuckle. Torque should be 118 lb ft (GM lowered it sometime around your model year) and don’t torque it with the hub off the ground or you’ll put too much preload on the bearing. Snug up the axle nut, install the tire, lower the vehicle then torque the nut down. Just google axle nut torque and a few companies like moog or SKF have a complete list for all makes and models
 
Some come out easy some don't regardless of the metal plate. The corrosion is between the hub and knuckle in the knuckle opening not only the contact face, it does find its way in there many times also.
I just did a Monte Carlo that had real bad corrosion. I hope his come out easy but its no surprise if they take a little persuading.

This is an easy one but it didn't drop right out, some I have done are much worse. GM used a couple of different bolt heads, the common hex flange bolt, Allen head flange and Torx flange depending on the model year. With the Allen or Torx you should heat around the bolts to break the loctite bond or you can easily round the bolt out, now you have real trouble.

In this video the guy just uses a long ratchet on hex bolts which is okay.
 
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