How To: Rear Wheel Bearing

[occasional demons]

First break the lugs loose, then raise the car, and secure on a jack stand.



Finish removing wheel.





A small video of the looseness. Sounds like a bad rap song.



Next, remove the dust cap. Start it with a thin tool like a scraper, that will withstand some pounding.



Then work it around with a flat screw driver to finish removing.



Then use your 30mm socket, and breaker bar to remove the nut.



Pull the drum/hub assy from the spindle. You may need to back the brake adjuster off a little to slide the drum off.





Then use a hammer and something to space the outer edge of the drum up so the hub assy can be tapped out. I used an old rotor.



The new hub assy from ebay. About $26 less than AZ's Timken Hub.



Slide the new hub in place. Paint optional. Lube the spindle before, if you like. It is not required, as the inner bearing races are held in place by the spindle nut. Mine actually showed signs of spinning a bit, so I sprayed some LPS 3 just for a little added prevention against spindle damage in the future.



Install the nut and torque to 217 N·m (160 ft. lbs.). A little Loc Tite is recommended if re using the nut.



Put some antiseize on the flange, so the drum does not stick to it for future removal.



Install drum, and readjust the shoes if needed.



Reinstall the wheel, lower the car, and Tighten the wheel mounting nuts in proper sequence until all nuts are torqued to half specification. Repeat the tightening sequence, this time, to full specified torque of 135 N·m (100 ft. lbs.).



Now it's time to relax.



And enlist the help of your assistant editor...

[racer12306]

The beer looks delicious.


Nice write up.

[occasional demons]

Mmmm, dark nasty beer FTW! 8.5% doesn't hurt either.

[ZeroChad]

I've actually been to Founders; its a pretty cool place (Grand Rapids).

Nice job, I can't think of anything else to add.

[OB]

Where'd you come up with the strange wheel torque procedure?

[occasional demons]

I've actually been to Founders; its a pretty cool place (Grand Rapids).

Dirty Bastard!

Nice job, I can't think of anything else to add.

An exercise regimen for my 18 pound friend?


Thanks guys!

[Swordfish2Cowboy]

The bearing isn't serviceable? I didn't pay too much attention to it when I pulled mine off, I just replaced a bunch of studs. Also, the anti-seize would've been a great idea because the rotor was stuck pretty good to the point where me and my buddy and his dad all thought it was one piece.

[cgneon]

how big a pita is it getting the hub/bearing assembly off the drum?, im getting ready to swap to discs in the rear this weekend, and i am reusing the hub/bearings.

[ZeroChad]

Mine were nearly impossible. I ended up chucking them against the concrete to get them out....then the ball bearings went everywhere However, having a car from Florida and not the rust belt means your's will probably come off quite easily.

[cgneon]

hmm, im fairly low miles so worse case if i cant get em out i gotta go get new ones from napa...

[Pablodragon]

Question on this... maybe redundant..

So if you have serviced yer rear brake shoes and the drum easily just comes right off, you can do that.. THEM work on getting the big nut off the end of the hub, right?...

..or is there an advantage to getting the nut off the end with the drums still on?... more stability?

..and this may be the redundant part.... so the hub and wheel bearings are all just 1 big peice?... just pull it off, and put on the new hub...wheels bearings are all included?

[occasional demons]

Yeah, if the drum is not stuck to the hub, just pull it off. Then break the nut loose, and pull the hub/bearing assy off the spindle.

Yes the hub and bearings are all one assy. Thus why they are ~$50 or so.
It won't hurt to put a little lube on the spindle, even tho the bearing doesn't turn on the spindle. It will just help keep it from rusting, and possibly aiding in future removal, which hopefully you won't have to worry about.

Those bearings are totally unpredictable as to when they fail. I now have 186,000 plus on the remaining three. "knocks on wood"

[NickKo]

Question on this... maybe redundant..

So if you have serviced yer rear brake shoes and the drum easily just comes right off, you can do that.. THEM work on getting the big nut off the end of the hub, right?...

..or is there an advantage to getting the nut off the end with the drums still on?... more stability?

..and this may be the redundant part.... so the hub and wheel bearings are all just 1 big peice?... just pull it off, and put on the new hub...wheels bearings are all included?

Sometimes, I like to remove the rear nut and hub, to make it it easier - BUT this is not necessary.

KEEP IN MIND that IF you do ^ this, then you should replace the hub nut.
The hub nut is a nylock, "one time use" design, and should be replaced after being removed. ( Per the Factory Service Manual )

These nuts are not necessarily 'cheap', since they are rather special.
You may want to order spares from the dealer, before you remove them.



I KNOW that there are folks who will say that they 'reuse' these nuts all the time, without any problems. ( Hey, we are CHEAP Neonites, after all.)
Just keep in mind, that these are supposed to be replaced, and you'll be the one who is liable, should anything go wrong.

I have run 'used' hub nuts on my own Neons, but only temporarily - while waiting for new hub nuts to come in.
Even so, I was paranoid and locktited them into place. I wouldn't want one of those unscrewing themselves or coming loose while I was driving......


- Nick

[occasional demons]

Thus why I recommended loc-tite if reusing them. At 160 ft/lbs, and loc-tite, I don't think it is going anywhere. But as long as there are lawyers in the world, they have to specify that certain parts are not re usable.


It's been over a year and a half now, and the hub hasn't come loose. But it is up to you how much you want to trust it.


6500526 Nut List Price:$4.50

Expensive for what it is, but not a bank breaker.

M12x1.5 nyloc nut.

I'd bet you could get one at a good hardware for less, but then if you don't have a decent hardware, you might spend more in gas trying to locate one.

[Pablodragon]

ok, figured I'd ask here... or maybe someone can direct me to a different forum...

ordered 2 new hubs on line from the same place. They are Raybestos brand hubs... just got them today in one big box, but one has a part number of 512167 and the other 712167 on the individual boxes

I've been googling these part numbers and everything I find says either part number is for the Neon (or PT cruiser)... they look identicle

is this just a case of an older and newer part number for the same part and I shouldn't worry that maybe one is different?.. don't want to be halfway thru the job and have to stop and send one of these back

[occasional demons]

512167 in Raybestos must be a new old stock part. Only 712167 comes up on their web site. It will probably be fine, it is just not the latest revision.

Everyone else still uses 512167 as their PN.

[Pablodragon]

wwould just like to update... the 2rear hubs I got were off ebay... here is the link...

LINK

pretty damn cheap, but they went on with no problems and are still going strong... guess I should keep updated, hopin they last for more than a few years

[Antichrist]

I just did the rear hub ass'ys on my mother's neon. Very easy and straight forward for any novice with a few hand tools at their disposal.

Things to look for are a rusted dust cap.. take your time getting it off or you can easily bend it all to hell. This can easily be the most time consuming part of the job.

If your hub is rusted/seized on, a tie rod seperatror (or crowbar) from underneath, between the shoes (for drum brake applications) should help it slide right off.