Front wheel hub replacement

I have never done one of those but the manual should walk you through it step by step. What is wrong with the hub? Bad bearing or broken hub? You will most likely need to pull the hub over the outside end of the shaft. I had to take a lot of linkage parts off to allow the hub to "swing" out far enough to clear the shaft. Like I said, I never worked on this model.

As for the manuals: I try to buy the Helm manuals when I can. They are model and year specific. For instance I have one for 1996 Honda Civic and one for 2005 Honda Ridgeline. 5 or 6 hundred pages devoted to just the cars I own. They are by far the best. Step by step instructions make it simple. They are pricey though 60 or 70 bucks each, but worth it! Hope this helps. Let me know if I can do anything else.

Check out the info at this site... http://arrc.epnet.com/autoasp/framerq.asp

Hope it helps. You may need to rent a hub puller to free the hub from the splined end of the half-shaft that protrudes through the hub, but sometimes they are loose enough to just pull off after a couple of hits on the end of the shaft, using a 2x4 to protect the shaft end, while hammering on it.

I recently had to replace the bearing on my PT Cruiser. Most of the Chrysley/Dodge products have been using the same type of hub assembly for years. It is a great system if you can find the complete hub assembly. If you can get it there are no special tools required, and everything just bolts up and there should not be any re alignment required. However, if you cannot find the whole hub assembly and you just get the bearing you will need to have someone with a hydraulic bearing press to get the bearing out of the hub and to replace into the hub.

I'm replacing the whole hub assembly. I found some info on the procedure in the Haynes manual. It just seems to be scattered about. I guess once the linkage is removed and the hub nut removed, you're supposed to pound out the drive from the outside and just unbolt.

Well, not exactly. Once the drive spindle is loose inside the hub bearing, you should pull the hub away from the halfshaft.

That sounds better. Do you suppose I can get to the bolts in back without removing the drive spindle? The Haynes says to remove the drive and hang it by wire and then unbolt the hub from the back side. I'll bet it would be a much easier job if I can avoid all that. I'm at work right now and don't have the manual in front of me. Thanks for the help by the way. I plan to start on this after work today. I'm hoping it goes relatively easily.

There is no getting around removing some of the bolts that secure the hub. Once you get serious to do the work, take a close look at what is necessary to free the hub, so it will pull away from the halfshaft.

I'm aware of that. The manual says that you have to remove the lower control arm and support and the shock to lower control arm bracket. I tried to remove the hub assembly bolts from around them with no luck. Too much corrosion going on there and I spent 4.5 hours trying to get things apart. The drive is in the way and I can't get a socket in there with enough leverage to break it loose. I'm tempted to just pay someone to do it. Very discouraged.

Thanks for the help

Hey... you win some and you lose some. It's rare that I can't handle a mechanical problem, but when I run into trouble I just phone one of my sons. They inherited my mechanical skills and their mother's smarts. :-)

Never depend totally on a Haynes manual. Their tech is not so good; and their writer compounds the problem.

Haynes tends to tell you less and less about more and more, with their eventual goal being to tell you nothing about everything.

Bill

The bearing on a sebring is a "Hub Assembly". There are three bolts that hold the assembly to the spindle. You shouldn't need a press. It is much easier to remove the spindle from the car to do this. Removing the axle nut, tie-rod end, and upper and lower ball joints is necessary to do this. None of these parts like to come apart, but with some decent tools and a good hammer, they usually come apart. Be sure to disconnect the ABS wires if your car is so equipped. Make sure all nuts are secured tight when you go back together.... after all, the worst that could happen if they are loose is you would lose your front spindle while driving down the road. That always hurts :)