Does the rear hub bearing require grease?

[awmccready]

97 toyota camry le 4cyl:

I need to find out whether the replacement rear hub & bearing assembly needs grease of any sort and where when I install it. My manual says nothing, but there was some type of dried up white grease around the old bearing assembly end that I removed from the car.

Also, I'm trying to get the abs sensor out of the carrier/knuckle without breaking it. I got the bolt out, but can't pull the sensor out by hand.

Any suggestions/advice?

Though this is part of fixing a rear bearing, this seemed to need to be a separate thread. If I should have included it with the other thread, please excuse me.

Thanks.

[JohnGD]

I don't think you need to remove the sensor, just the 4 bolts and the wheel bearing unit comes out. Use a new o-ring and install the new unit. The new unit should be pre-lubed.

[awmccready]

Originally Posted by JohnGD

I don't think you need to remove the sensor, just the 4 bolts and the wheel bearing unit comes out. Use a new o-ring and install the new unit. The new unit should be pre-lubed.

The ball bearings are visible in the end of the hub & bearing assembly. I don't see any signs of any existing lube on them. I'll assume from your comment that the lube is in there somewhere. THANKS.

The sensor is in the carrier/knuckle as opposed to the wheel bearing unit. I wanted to see if I could get the sensor out without breaking it, so I can replace the carrier/knuckle, the shaft of which is rust pitted and I also can't get the hub bolt stub out of it. I had to hacksaw that hub bolt head off to remove the hub & bearing assembly.

Thanks again.

[JohnGD]

These are non-serviceable hub units. They should probably use a seal and help the unit last longer, but I guess every penny counts.

The sensor unit is probably rusted on there. Maybe remove the wire clips so the abs sensor and the knuckle can come off together so you can work on the sensor and hub unit off-car if needed.

[Zembonez]

Most modern hub assemblies are prelubed for the life of the part.

[awmccready]

I neglected to mention that another reason for removing the abs sensor from the knuckle was so that I could apply heat to the immediately adjacent hub bolt stub to crack the rust holding it in the hub, without destroying the abs sensor.

I will first try a few more times to get the hub bolt stub out with a stud remover and PBS Blaster spray. I can probably safely exert more torque on the stub with the knuckle on the vehicle than in a vise on my shaky work bench.

However, the bench sounds like a much better idea for applying heat with a propane torch and getting 360 degrees of easy access to and visibility of the knuckle with the sensor That may be how I will finally get the abs sensor and hub bolt stub out, without drilling it out as a last resort.

Stuff like this always leaves me amazed that mechanics can cope with it day in and day out in a fraction of the time it takes me. I propose that the expression "it isn't auto mechanics" substitute anytime for "it isn't rocket science".

Thanks for the help and one of the most useful and practical applications of the Internet.

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by awmccready

applying heat with a propane torch

You'll need an acetylene torch to get it red hot.

[ajkalian]

The rear bearings come pre-greased, but it is a lousy design. There is no way to add grease to the bearings with out having it slung all over the inside of the cavity, and getting on the ABS ring. Ask me how I know.

Here's a picture of what happens when you add extra grease to the bearing. Note: This is for a 2000 6-cyl with rear disks, but I think the bearings are pretty much the same.



And here's what the ABS sensor looks like when it is removed.




There's more at this DIY, but it is a complete rear brake job, as well as bearings. Scroll down about 2/3 of the way to see the ABS sensor and more stuff about the bearings. And instructions if you want to take them apart, which I don't recommend.

DIY - 2000 Camry LE, Rear rotors, pads, shoes, caliper re-build, many pics. Part 1

Good luck.