Wheel bearings are hard

[steved0x]

Good point, I will remove the sensor, it is still on, I would hate to break it...

[steved0x]

Bearing 1 installed... With the retainer plate loosely on so I don't forget

Now to pull the inner race off the hub.

[Meir]

Good job Steve.
You can tighten the plate if you wish, as it doesn't need to be removed for the rest of the process.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by Meir

Good job Steve.
You can tighten the plate if you wish, as it doesn't need to be removed for the rest of the process.

I was too lazy to go upstairs and look up the torque spec so I left it loose

Edit: 37nm/27 ft/lbs for those that may come upon this thread at a later date...

[petee_c]

Originally Posted by steved0x

Much easier now that the tool is correctly configured, you can see the ball bearings peeking out.

I think I have to remove one of tge wheel studs to finish the extraction, I need to anyway to adjust the parking brake when I put it all back together.

I'm stopping for now because we are going to church now, for my cousin's granddaughter baby dedication.

Question :

What year did the boxster come out with lug studs? My 01s uses bolts I think....

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk

[Dubaday]

Originally Posted by Meir

Don't know about you, but I just love going hard into a corner :dance:

I can't lie, I like to test how fast I can go into a corner without breaking the rear end loose

By the way, great job Steve! always good seeing another boxster owner DIY.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by petee_c

Question :

What year did the boxster come out with lug studs? My 01s uses bolts I think....

Sent from my LG-D852 using Tapatalk

None I added these studs, I used these:

M14x1.5 ACS Race Series Studs — Track-Studs.com

I used the 65 MM ones. I may get the 80s - the 65mm is perfect for the Boxster S twist wheels, but on the Carrera twist wheels for Boxster, the lugs are more deeply recessed and it is a little more finicky to get the lug nut started... Once I get it started, using the socket by hand, then I zip them the rest of the way on using my battery powered impact gun. There are plenty of threads left over, it is just getting the nut started is a little finicky. But not to the point of shelling out extra money to get 10 new studs for the backs...

It does make it a little more convenient when I am taking wheels on and off all the time.

That vendor runs free shipping specials from time to time on rennlist, if you search for his threads and look at the recent ones you will find it, user name ApexComp. Unsure if there is one going on now.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by Dubaday

By the way, great job Steve! always good seeing another boxster owner DIY.

I love it! Without the DIY I would probably go broke... But now if I do a job like this, even though the parts may be pricy, think about how much $$$ I am saving

[911monty]

Originally Posted by steved0x

I love it! Without the DIY I would probably go broke... But now if I do a job like this, even though the parts may be pricy, think about how much $$$ I am saving

This is great! Since I have 92k on clock I expect this job is in the near future. I am wondering where one would rent the SIR tool, at $660 It is too pricey to use once and throw into my tool kit!

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by 911monty

This is great! Since I have 92k on clock I expect this job is in the near future. I am wondering where one would rent the SIR tool, at $660 It is too pricey to use once and throw into my tool kit!

I was lucky borrowed from a friend (and I can't speak for him) but now that I have done one, I bet I could use the harbor freight kit or one of the bearing kits from the tool loaner program from some auto part stores. There is also a guy selling a tool that does 944 bearings for around $100 that I think could do the fronts of an "S" and all 4 corners of a base.

http://www.arnnworx.com/BearingTool1.htm

I'll post some links tomorrow and more info as it is hard to type on my phone.

I never did get the inner race off the hub so my son took it to a friend that runs a shop and he pulled it off for me he's going to do the other 3 later this week

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by steved0x

I never did get the inner race off the hub so my son took it to a friend that runs a shop and he pulled it off for me he's going to do the other 3 later this week

Steve,

I cut a diagonal slot on the inner bearing race with a dremel tool (got the idea from a picture I saw here), and afterwards it's very easy to remove it from the hub..

BTW you are right, I bought a HF puller kit and it has all the sizes you need (for about $100)

[Meir]

Originally Posted by 911monty

This is great! Since I have 92k on clock I expect this job is in the near future. I am wondering where one would rent the SIR tool, at $660 It is too pricey to use once and throw into my tool kit!

Shoot me a PM when you will need the tool.

[steved0x]

So far here is a list of possible ways/tools to remove and replace our wheel bearings:

These all have some things in common:

• You can do the backs leaving the wheel carrier on the car if your tool is portable
• You have to remove the front wheel carrier from the strut since the strut blocks access to the back of the stub axle - I haven't gotten to these yet so I can't confirm this with first-hand knowledge.
• You have to use something to get the inner bearing race off the hub after you pull it. Maybe this? Bearing Separator and Puller Set Also see Mier's thread below. And Gilles has a method for cutting it off as well.

SIR B90-P

• Can pull the hub
• Can pull the old bearing
• Can press the new bearing
• Can press the hub

See Mier's excellent thread: rear wheel bearing

Hydraulic shop press

• All wheel carriers must come off the car
• Hassle disconnecting the ebrake cable from inside
• Can press out the hub
• Can press out the old bearing
• Can press the new bearing
• Can press the hub

See Timco's excellent thread: Wheel bearing tutorial for us simple guys...

Harbor Freight FWD Bearing service kit - ~$119
FWD Front Wheel Bearing Adapters

• You have to do something else to pull the hub. One was is to get some long bolts that match the lug bolts and use 3 of them to press back on the carrier and pull the hub. See this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4PK1jXhppE
• Can pull the old bearing
• Can press the new bearing
• Can press the hub

OTC Grappler: https://www.otctools.com/products/otc-hub-grappler%E2%84%A2
Looks pretty cool Can do all the stuff the SIR tool can do. And supposedly supports impact guns.

Edit: looks like you can buy just the puller for a little over $100 and use it in conjunction with something like the HF wheel bearing kit, see how this guy does it in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ-5UGr3DMk

Arnnworks 944 Bearing hub tool: ~$98 Bearing Tool

• You have to do something else to pull the hub. One way is to get some long bolts that match the lug bolts and use 3 of them to press back on the carrier and pull the hub. See this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4PK1jXhppE
• Can pull the old bearing
• Can press the new bearing
• Can press the hub

Does it work on the Boxster? On their compatibility chart it seems to say it works on the rears but it list the fronts of a 2001 996 as well. It only has 1 size insertion disc which I bet is sized to the fronts on an S and to all 4 corners on a base.

Edit: I emailed Bruce to see what size the pressing adapter plate is. Also it looks like his tool uses a 944 axle nut washer for the smallest size adapter for backing the inner race when pressing in the hub, that would have to be sourced from somewhere

Edit 2: Got replay from Bruce, sounds like the tool would work for both base and S bearing, the installation plate is 78mm, slightly larger than our fronts, but since that bearing is mounted flush to the wheel carrier, sounds like that would be no problem.

I think the base Boxster has the same bearing at all 4 corners. Here is a link (I don't recommend this brand for Boxster wheel bearings, heard nothing but bad, but it does include size specs)

ELECTRONIC CATALOG - LOOKUP BY APPLICATION

Using a 2000 as an example
Front: 412.90000 OD 75mm ID 42mm Width 37mm
Rear base: same as front
Rear S: 412.90003 OD 80mm ID 42mm Width 42mm

So the rear S bearing is 5mm larger OD and 5mm wider.

Pulling the bearing and pulling pressing the hub would share the same size adapters. Only with pressing in the bearing, you might need a slightly larger adapter to press the outer race of the S rear bearing. However, the Sir B90-P tool I am using appears to use the same adapter for pressing both front and rear (I haven't done the fronts yet). And the HF FWD kit doesn't list the adapters. Possibly a large heavy dury washer in front of a smaller adapter could work?

Maybe we can make a new thread and folks that have done their wheel bearings can add on to it?

[911monty]

Originally Posted by Meir

Shoot me a PM when you will need the tool.

Thanks Meir!

[steved0x]

Chatted with Bruce at arnnworx and it sounds like his $98 tool would work to extract and install both fronts and backs for a base or S boxster. More details to come. He can also cut a different size extraction or insertion plate for an extra $20 - I'm going to see if he can just make a kit for the Boxster, maybe one of us can test it for him? Not me since mine will already be installed by then

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by 911monty

Thanks Meir!

He is the MAN!

[Meir]

Wow Steve.
That's what I call homework
Brilliant post, with a lot of valuable information.
I never got to do the fronts, but I'm sure I will need to somtime in the future.

[jdraupp]

Originally Posted by steved0x

Chatted with Bruce at arnnworx and it sounds like his $98 tool would work to extract and install both fronts and backs for a base or S boxster. More details to come. He can also cut a different size extraction or insertion plate for an extra $20 - I'm going to see if he can just make a kit for the Boxster, maybe one of us can test it for him? Not me since mine will already be installed by then

Does his tool make it easier than it would be with the sir tool?

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by jdraupp

Does his tool make it easier than it would be with the sir tool?

It would be roughly the same as the SIR tool with one major difference - the SIR tool can pull the hub, the Arnnworx tool cannot pull the hub, you would have to find a way to do that, such as a slide hammer or using bolts threaded through the hub to press on the wheel carrier and push the hub back out.

[jdraupp]

Originally Posted by steved0x

It would be roughly the same as the SIR tool with one major difference - the SIR tool can pull the hub, the Arnnworx tool cannot pull the hub, you would have to find a way to do that, such as a slide hammer or using bolts threaded through the hub to press on the wheel carrier and push the hub back out.

So I guess the big question is, is the sir tool worth the extra cost for that feature?