Well it looks like after 8 years and 92k miles my 2015 will finally need something other than normal maintenance. My left front wheel bearing is talking to me a little bit. I know I can do the replacement but don't have access to an impact gun for the spindle. Anybody experienced out there know If I could get that off with a breaker bar? That would be my only hurdle....even though wheel bearings just aren't what they used to be! Thanks for any input on the breaker bar and 12 point socket vs an impact gun.
Sure, in fact I'd be unlikely to use an impact driver there. Just be sure to use something like a Schley 65420 to completely lift the staked part of the axle nut out of the groove. If you don't, you'll mess up the axle threads while removing it, and the axle is a more expensive part. Sometimes I see posts where people seem to bring out the impact gun as a way to skip the extra minute it would take to unstake the nut so they don't mangle their axle. Which, well, nevermind. Once the nut is unstaked, just put your socket and breaker bar on it and lefty-loosey it like anything else. A length of pipe on the breaker bar can make it all quite civilized. Do mind which way you point the handle and which way you pull on it. For example, don't point the handle straight up and grab it and heave toward the front of the car. I pulled a car off a jack that way once. Embarrassing. If you put the socket on with the handle/pipe sticking out horizontally, so you're applying your force downward to loosen it, that doesn't happen.
Thank you, I watched a video of one being changed and he used an impact tool on almost ever bolt. I just wasn't sure about the spindle because in his video it seemed to take a while for it to loosen up, I'm giving it a shot!
So I ordered a mid priced hub (bearing) and bought a few tools (axle nut socket and some chemical stuff..brake cleaner, rust penetrator, lithium grease) and started on this job yesterday afternoon. Set the car up on logs (I live in the forest!) watched a video to help me along and got up to removing the rotors. In the video he just tapped it and it fell off, lol. Mine was rusted on a bit. Had to go get a bolt and nuts and washers and pushed it off that way, along with rust penetrator. So that stopped me after about an hour including getting the car ready and getting out all the tools and stuff. I'm working in my back yard sitting on the tire doing this I went to Lowes today for the bolt and nuts (after playing golf) and came home to start on it again. The bolt trick worked beautifully. Hub has to be hammered out but that didn't take too long. Cleaned the area and ready to put it all back together. I was finished in about 90 min total, including cleaning up and getting the car back on the ground, putting everything away....and a 5 mile test drive. I didn't realize how loud that old bearing was...thought I was riding in a Cadillac! So I spent about $115 total and about 2.5 -3 hours of my time. I could probably do another one now in 1.5 hours. I saw in another thread today that a dealer quoted someone $975 for this job, I also got an estimate from a local shop I've used (not a hybrid shop) and he wanted 4 hours at $125 per plus $395 for the Koyo (oem ) bearing. 4 hours? And he has a lift and proper tools? I'll let everyone know if this bearing fails any time soon....if it's good then I'm way ahead. Time will tell I guess but it was worth a shot. Thanks Chapman, I did use the pipe leverage on the axle nut...I had one handy from changing my zero turn blades when I add the bagger. Best news was at age 69....I didn't skin any knuckles or get any bruises because I took it slow and easy.
