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2008 Grand Prix Wheel Bearing/Hub DIY?

V

veener79

New member
My wife's car was getting a radiator flush done and while there they said her tie rod end and wheel bearing are starting to go on her right side. I tried to search for a DIY but I can not find one. Is there one on this site I can not find? I found out for up to 2000 but I am sure if everything would be the same.

Thanks for your help,
 


Wheel hub is pretty easy, the hardest part is getting them to separate from the knuckle after you get the bolts off, but PB blaster helps with that. Outer tie roads are pretty simple as well but inner tie rods I've heard are a pain and you have to rent a tool from the auto store to do them
 
hub is pretty easy. take the nut off the axle, ( if you put the spare tire on, then drop the car back down on the ground, the axle nut is less of a fight) then the brakes and rotor off, theres 3 bolts on the back side of the hub. and the abs plug. popping the tie rod helps get to these bolts. tap the axle loose, then pop the hub off, it may need a few taps with a hammer.

if one tie rod is bad change them both. then go get an alignment done.

what i do is break the lock nut free, then bring it back to where it was up to the tie rod, then take the rod off, leaving the lock nut in place. then i put the new tie rod on to the nut and snug it up. this will get you pretty close so you can get to the shop without tearing up the tires.

if you take that lock nut off, you have no idea where the new one should be. and even leaving the old lock nut on, the steering wheel will be off center when done, but drive able.
 
Scotty pretty much nailed it there.

However before you do this procedure, I would soak the living hell out of the axle splines before you attempt. I would take the wheel off spray it real good, and put the wheel back on. Do that a couple days before you plan on changing out the hub.
I broke an axle trying to get it out of the hub it was seized so bad. So instead of buying just a hub, I ended up buying a hub and axle. Just a little tip that should help you avoid breaking things.
 


you'll want a pipe to put over your breaker bar too, you can see in the vid, those bolts are tight.

if you dont have air tools for the axle nut. a 4 foot fence post worked well for me to break it free. or a extension stuck in the fins of the rotor and let that turn on the caliper to hold it. you dont want to just undo this bolt against the parking lock in the trans.

and my hub popped out with a hit to each side., and the axle took one light shot and it was free. no lube used at all. maybe i got lucky lol
 
+1 for the screwdriver in the cooling vanes of the rotor. Turn it and let it wedge up against the caliper bracket. That will keep the axle/hub from spinning as you're trying to remove the nut off the axle.
 
scottydoggs said:
you'll want a pipe to put over your breaker bar too, you can see in the vid, those bolts are tight.

if you dont have air tools for the axle nut. a 4 foot fence post worked well for me to break it free. or a extension stuck in the fins of the rotor and let that turn on the caliper to hold it. you dont want to just undo this bolt against the parking lock in the trans.

and my hub popped out with a hit to each side., and the axle took one light shot and it was free. no lube used at all. maybe i got lucky lol
Click to expand...
Maybe I just got unlucky. I beat that thing with a 3 pound hammer for half an hour. By that time the end of the axle was pretty ****ed up lol
 
If you dont have a breaker bar... screw driver in rotor vents, snug the ratchet on the nut, then hammer down the ratchet handle or stomp down on it
 


Meh, my craftsman 1/2 driver has held up from that many times :p Done that trick for axle nut, balancer nut, lug nuts. Good to know that they replace them for free though lol
 
all craftsman sockets and ratchets, and screwdriver type deals are free replacement. you don't even need a receipt. find one in the dirt, busted up, walk in get a new one, no questions asked.
 
Thank you all for your help and that video is better then the one I found on youtube. I am good on breaker bars. I use to work customer service for Snap-on tools and took advantage of sales big time. Got their one their huge 3/4" driver sets. Would love to do this at my the shop I have setup at my folks with the 60gal air compressor setup. But is something goes wrong I am hour and a half from home. Looks like I will bring my old 30gal portable tank out of retirement. Know it will not power my 3/4" impact. But it will power my 1/2" drive well. Can not wait till my new wife and I get a larger place so I can move my old shop to house where I can use it.
 
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