However, it also happens that the bearing fails and has to be replaced. In the workshops for replacing the hub bearing, there are enough necessary tools and devices. The most necessary can be considered a puller, with which the inner ring of the bearing, which remains after removing the hub on the flange, is removed. With such a puller, there is no reason to refuse to perform work on replacing the hub bearing. The hub bearing is pressed in and therefore a hydraulic press is needed to press out and press in the bearing. When purchasing a new wheel bearing, the vehicle model should be specified because the bearings, although identical, are not the same for all models.
The order of work is as follows.
1. Remove the suspension strut and clamp it in a vise. Be careful not to deform the rack when securing the rack in the vise.
2. Turn out both bolts of a brake disk and remove a brake disk from a nave.
3. Wipe the steering knuckle from the side where the hub bearing is located with a clean rag so that you can see the retaining ring that holds the bearing in the steering knuckle. Remove this retaining ring with needle nose pliers (see illustrations).
3.3a Retaining ring 1, which holds the hub bearing in the steering knuckle 2
3.3b Remove the circlip from the steering knuckle using needle nose pliers
To remove the hub or bearing, appropriate pullers are required. The most convenient is the so-called hammer puller. The rod of the hammer puller is inserted into the hole in the hub and rests against the bearing. The rod is driven into the hole with a hammer and squeezes out the hub flange together with the bearing (see illustration 3.0a).
3.0a Pulling out the wheel bearing with a hammer puller.
1 - hammer
2 - extractor nozzle of the puller rod
If a hammer puller is not available, the hub bearing can be pressed out or even knocked out with a suitable punch.
The inner race of the hub bearing remains in the hub and must be removed from there. To do this, use a puller, as shown in illustration 3.0b. If necessary, the fit of the ring can be loosened with a chisel.
3.0b Removing the inner ring of the hub bearing using a puller
4. Clean all parts thoroughly and check their condition. The bearing must be replaced anyway.
5. Make sure the bearing circlip is in good condition.
6. Lubricate the new bearing with a sufficient amount of multipurpose grease.
The procedure for installing a new wheel bearing is as follows.
7. Press the new bearing into place using a piece of pipe the same diameter as the bearing outer race.
8. Make sure the bearing race is properly seated in the steering knuckle bore and install the circlip. If the bearing snap ring was deformed during removal, it should be replaced with a new one. Make sure the circlip is correct and well seated.
9. Press the hub onto the steering knuckle. At the same time, lay the hub so that you can put a steering knuckle with the hub bearing installed on it. After that, the assembly is squeezed together so that the hub fits on the bearing. Install the pressing rod on the inner ring of the bearing. The protective plastic ring on the hub bearing is destroyed during the pressing process and can be removed after installation is completed (see illustration).
3.9 Pressing in the wheel bearing. Pressing rod 1 must rest on the inner ring of the bearing.
10. Remove excess grease pressed in during pressing and re-check the position of the retaining ring in the bearing hole on the steering knuckle.