How to Change Wheel Bearings

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Wheel bearings are part of a car's suspension. They are usually located in the wheel's hub, rotor or brake drum and they help the wheel to rotate when the car moves. If you notice a humming or whirring noise while you are driving or your ABS light turns on, it may be time to change your bearings. Wheel bearings are an important part of a car, and if they should need to be changed, you can do it yourself. Here are the steps to change wheel bearings yourself.

Steps

1. 1
   Park your car on a flat surface.

   
   

   • When you plan to do some auto work, you should park your vehicle on a level surface with the car in "Park" and the parking brake up.
2. 2
   Place a wheel chock behind the rear tire if you are fixing a front wheel bearing, or behind a front tire if you are working on a rear wheel. Break loose the lug nuts of the wheel you are repairing using a socket and a breaking bar.
3. 3
   Lift the wheel using a jack.
   • Using a jack, lift the wheel off the ground. Make sure that the car is securely on the jack before attempting to lift. Once you have the wheel off the ground, you can take off the lug nuts and the wheel.
4. 4
   Remove the caliper bolts.
   • Using a socket and a ratchet, remove the bolts. Then take the caliper off using a screwdriver. Be careful not to let the caliper dangle and hit the brake hose.
5. 5
   Extract the car's rotor.
   • If the rotor gets stuck, you can use a rubber mallet to hit it loose. This can, however, damage the rotor so it's best to use a mallet only if you are not planning on reusing the same rotor.
6. 6
   Loosen the wheel bearing bolts using a socket and a breaking bar.
7. 7
   Sand off any rust or corrosion that is around the knuckle.
   • You may have to work around the drive shaft spindle to get to all the rust or corrosion. You want to be thorough though, because you will want the knuckle to be clean before you install the new wheel bearing.
8. 8
   Put a new bearing on the knuckle.
   • You will have to push the bearing as far as you can but make sure that it is lined up correctly. Once you have it on far enough, replace the assembly bolts. Tighten the bolts a little at a time, moving on to the next bolt. Working each bolt a little ensures that the assembly does not move or cause damage.
9. 9
   Replace the lug nuts and the tire.
   • Once you are finished putting on the new bearing, you can replace the wheel's tire and lug nuts. Make sure the lug nuts are tightened as much as you can before lowering the car with the jack.

   
   

Things You'll Need

• Wheel bearing assembly
• Breaking bar
• Jack
• Socket set
• Ratchet
• Screwdriver
• Rubber mallet
• Sandpaper

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