Quote:
Originally Posted by PGas32
How big of a pain is this for a DIY? I want to do mine as PM, and am debating struggling with it myself or just paying up for a shop to handle it.
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It really depends on your comfort level for the necessary suspension r&r and the bearing/hub r&r.
First question is whether you are comfortable removing & reinstalling the wheel carrier. If you can do this, you can take the carrier to a shop and have them pull the hub and old bearing, and press in the new bearing and hub, which is very straightforward.
Second question is whether you have a shop press or better yet the SIR P90 toolkit. Then you can do the hub and bearing yourself.
(*Note: It
may be possible to use the SIR tool with the wheel carrier on the car, but I'm not sure what the limitations are. Front only? Rear only? What does need to be removed?)
I needed to have my shocks rebuilt over the winter, so I had my SPB buddies come over one day and we disassembled everything. I learned a lot, including how to get the wheel carrier off, and how to do the hub and bearing (we did one that day). Then, later, I did the other 5 bearings. (I bought 2 used carriers as pre-built spares, to make it easier to deal with a bad bearing at the track.) The first one I did myself went very slowly and carefully, and the rest were easier and faster with the knowledge. (I borrowed the SIR tool from one of the guys.) After doing all the bearings and hubs, with 6 wheel carriers sitting there, I started putting it all back together. No problems there other than one damaged LCA thread. It can be a bit frustrating at times getting everything to cooperate in terms of getting the carriers and fasteners out and then back in, but you just have to persist and not be on a short deadline.
I also ended up buying a few things that were either necessary or that made life easier this time and especially the next.
- 1-1/16" wrench (for SIR tool nut)
- 32mm impact socket (for axle nut)
-
Makita high torque impact wrench (for axle nut and pulling hub and bearing) This is one of those things that seems like a splurge but you will wish you had a high torque gun years ago... (and capability of battery & power vs. price is much better than what you find in reviews from 3 yrs ago)
-
installed a hefty bench vise to hold the carrier when using the SIR tool (not mandatory but very helpful)
- MAP gas torch to heat up carrier to make extraction and insert easier. (Also, you should put the new bearing in the freezer for a while before pressing in, for the same reason.)
Here's the SIR B90 toolkit: ("master kit" / "complete" is the one to get)
SIR Tools B90
Then the question is alignment. I *think* that if you are careful not to change anything, r&r of the wheel carrier should not move anything alignment-related. (toe link adjusters for toe, LCA shims for camber). Mine needed an alignment anyway since I also replaced a bent inner steering tie rod, so we did that after everything was put back together.
6 carriers in various states of work:
Carrier in bench vise, ready for hub extraction:
