Front wheel bearing fun
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 329
From: Virginia, USA
Front wheel bearing fun
I just finished getting my 2000 SW2 reinspected after replacing both front wheel bearings, both outer tie rod ends, the passenger side lower ball joint (and control arm) and two mounts.
I was surprised at how few tools it took to do all this. The only thing special was I needed to use a press to replace the bearings. I also found out why I kept seeing bearing/hub kits when all I thought I needed was the wheel bearing. After all, the hubs don't wear out, it's the bearing that does.
Pressing out the first hub took half of the inner race with it. When that happens there's no way to get that thing off the hub without damaging the hub. The second hub pressed out just fine so I went back to the parts store and swapped one of the bearings for a hub and bearing kit. Now I know.
The rest of it went just fine and I was able to do it all on a Saturday afternoon (in the freezing cold of course).
The upper motor mount (torque axis mount) was bad along with the transmission mount underneath. The upper mount was a piece of cake to replace but the tranny mount was in there tight. I had to disconnect the subframe from the car so I could get clearance to get the old mount out and new one in. Reminded me of working on the input shaft nut.
I didn't realize the mounts were that bad before but now for the past couple days my wife and I have been mildly freaking out at how quiet the car is inside now. The dash doesn't shake anymore, the driver's headlight doesn't shake like a Harley's anymore. The front end doesn't roar like a tank going down the road and the clunks and squeaks are gone too. If the transmission wasn't still doing it's funny second shift it would be like having a new car again.
Funny how you can get used to the gradually increasing sounds of wear and damage and not realize just how bad it's become until you finally get around to fixing it.
I was surprised at how few tools it took to do all this. The only thing special was I needed to use a press to replace the bearings. I also found out why I kept seeing bearing/hub kits when all I thought I needed was the wheel bearing. After all, the hubs don't wear out, it's the bearing that does.
Pressing out the first hub took half of the inner race with it. When that happens there's no way to get that thing off the hub without damaging the hub. The second hub pressed out just fine so I went back to the parts store and swapped one of the bearings for a hub and bearing kit. Now I know.
The rest of it went just fine and I was able to do it all on a Saturday afternoon (in the freezing cold of course).
The upper motor mount (torque axis mount) was bad along with the transmission mount underneath. The upper mount was a piece of cake to replace but the tranny mount was in there tight. I had to disconnect the subframe from the car so I could get clearance to get the old mount out and new one in. Reminded me of working on the input shaft nut.
I didn't realize the mounts were that bad before but now for the past couple days my wife and I have been mildly freaking out at how quiet the car is inside now. The dash doesn't shake anymore, the driver's headlight doesn't shake like a Harley's anymore. The front end doesn't roar like a tank going down the road and the clunks and squeaks are gone too. If the transmission wasn't still doing it's funny second shift it would be like having a new car again.
Funny how you can get used to the gradually increasing sounds of wear and damage and not realize just how bad it's become until you finally get around to fixing it.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
BillyInHudsonFl
Saturn L Series Sedans & Wagons
10
May 16, 2014 10:57 AM
