Installing Wheel Bearing Assembly

If you can change your brake pads/rotors, you can do this

Step 1. Buy the wheel bearing and hub from @nj636 super high quality part
https://www.4runners.com/threads/4th-5th-gen-front-hub-assemblies-4x4-4x2.154/

2. Remove tire and wheel
3. If you have spidertrax, like i do, take them off now. i put a long screwdriver in the rotor against the caliper so that it didn't spin while i removed them, then, make a pile

4. remove the bracket holding the abs and brake lines on to the spindle, 12mm i believe
5. remove the caliper, two 17 mm bolts, they're on pretty damn tight
note; make sure you support it, don't bend the brake hard lines
6. take off the rotor, depending where you live and how long its been since it was replaced, you may need to persuade it
7. i removed the 4 bolts holding the wheel bearing/hub assembly on next, 17mm again, can be done either before or after the axle nut, i chose after
note; can only be done with the open end of a wrench, not a lot of room.
8. pop off the dust cap/hub cap, may take some prying if its never been off, i worked a flat handle screwdriver around the entire thing and it came off
9. you need a 35 mm socket, deep well helps but isn't necessary

10. this is what you should be at now, impact gun works best to take off the axle nut, it isn't frozen on like the rest of my rusted new england vehicle
note; it has a cotter pin, nut cap, and the nut itself

11. put a piece of soft wood or use a lead hammer against the exposed piece of the axle, and lightly tap it till it breaks loose. don't hit it hard or you'll risk damage threads or the axle
12. i used the pry bar end of my tire iron that comes in the toyota tool kit with the spare tire crank to pry the assembly off. work your way around and it will slowly come off, don't rush this step or you risk damaging the axle and/or the dust shield.
13. once you pull it off, the dust shield will drop. to reattach the dust shield an extra set of hands really helps.
13. now would be the time to replace the dust seal for the knuckle.
the part

$6 SKF Seal (18491)

http://www.amazon.com/SKF-18491-Front-Axle-Seal/dp/B001DBOLHS
14. to reinstall, repeat all steps, i didn't write down torque numbers so i don't have them off the top of my head.
this is what you should finish with.

and this is the old piece


and no, my garage isn't carpeted, but laying down some pieces sure saves the knees and elbows

 

Thanks

 

i would add the new knuckle dust shield so you will not be doing this again allot sooner

 

forgot to put that in the write up, ill amend it

 

maybe a dumb question but 35mm 6pt or 12pt for the axle nut?
Also any other seals you'd replace if doing the axles at the same time as the njfox bearing swap? I saw the mention of the knuckle dust seal..

thanks

 

i used a 6pt, no other seals really, i suppose if it was cracked or broken you could replace the metal axle nut cover (hubcap)

 

Excellent write up. I used this for the front right bearing replacement I did today. Kevin as mentioned above provided a high quality part for about $175. My experience would have benefited from the following knowledge: 1) salt belt states this job is harder. The bolts are really on there. Impact wrench was a big help. 2) after the 4 hub bolts were unscrewed as far as they could be, the next part is the hardest part of the job and you will break the dust shield with an air chisel, as I did. That said, I needed an air chisel to break it out from the axle. I wish I would have known how fragile the dust shield was before taking this on. Also take a close look at your new part right now to know how deep the hub is set in the carrier. Helpful during extraction.

 

interesting points here. i live in the salt belt as well and didn't experience too much trouble with stuck on parts, the dust shield was very difficult to get off though, i agree with you there

 

I need a set for a 1998 4 runner Limited 4x4 how can I buy a set

 

@nj636

 

my assemblies are for the 03+ 4Runners

 

i tried. thanks kevin

 

Okay thanks

 

Im no expert but in the middle of this job and comparing notes to other forum DIY's and doesnt it make sense to take the axle nut off before the caliper and rotor. Im in a bit of jam in that I cant stop the hub assembly from spinning to remove the axle nut (no brakes). I put the vehicle in gear but I dont do this often and It doesn't feel good to put that much force into the axle to break this nut loose with a breaker bar. I may be being sensitive, but im concerned about damaging the axle to break this nut loose. Had I reversed the order I could have another body mash the brakes while I loosened the nut. Maybe not necessary but not sure what the best move is from here. Any thoughts. Am I missing something?

 

i waited until after to take it off, i have an air impact gun and coupled with the socket it was incredibly easy to remove, i didn't really have any issues with it

 

You damn 4th and 5th Gens make it look so easy

 

you won't hurt the cv shaft. put it in 4 wheel or have someone hold a pry bar between the studs while you loosen the nut. it's 173 foot pounds so it won't take much force to loosen it.

torque it when you reinstall

 

re-reading this for tonights swap

 

Hi,I am wondering if I can swap my pressed on wheel bearings for another type if there is one. It's going to be way too costly for me to get the front ones fixed beings that they are pressed.
Thank you,
Crystal

 

the most cost effective method is to use the pre assembled wheel bearing/hub assembly, it makes it a bolt on piece thats very easy

 

$175 for a DIY bolt on assembly -- The shops charge way to much & re-use parts that should not be re-used.

 

So all I need is a wheel-hub assembly that doesn't need pressed on? Thanks for the replies.
Crystal

 

that an an oil seal and youre good to go

 

Yes I have the wheel hub assembly and if needed, the cv dust seal. 50/50 shot if the cv seal is damaged or not. You won't know until the hub assembly is unbolted from the spindle. The cv seal is easy to replace.

 

if you want to swap out the pressed in bearing for the easy hub assembly you will have to change the whole hub assembly unit. so it would be upper and lower control arms the half shafts but i don't think you can swap a 1998 to a 2001 or 2002. besides the pressed in bearings last a hell of a lot longer than the other hubs in the 2002 you can go almost 300.000 miles on the pressed in bearings if you make sure the oil seals are kept in good shape. LARRY B.

 

besides when you take the hub assembly to the machine shop they should not charge you more than 65$ per side to press them in all you need to take them is the oil seals the bearing the abs ring all the parts i'm talking about will cost you $340 from toyota for both sides i get my parts from camelback toyota you can find them on the web at camelbacktoyota.com there prices are 20% cheaper than anywhere else. don't use parts from oreillys or autozone you will be sorry they will not last LARRY B.

 

Save yourself the hassle of pressing in and out of the old bearing. You can buy it from here cheap. https://www.ebay.com/itm/4Runner-Ta...ub-Bearing-Assembly-4x4-with-ABS/112643309394

 

what bearing is that? Looks like a cheap one

 

yes, its a cheap one but of good quality. I use it myself in my truck. if anyone is interested to save on cost, this is your other option.