Rear Bearing wont budge!

[streakinrican05]

I am trying to replace the right wheel bearing on my 2002 Camry (4 cyl, ABS).

I got the rotor and bearing bolts off just fine, but when i tried to take the bearing off it seems super stuck! like I said all the bolts are out and i've tried banging on it for quite some time with a mallet, but all i seem to be doing is making the front end of the bearing wobble around more while the end attached to the brake assembly just seems like its heat-fused to where it bolts in!

Any suggestions or steps i might have missed?

[profuse007]

bearing puller or take the spindle off and take it to a shop and have them press it out.

[LE05]

Originally Posted by profuse007

bearing puller or take the spindle off and take it to a shop and have them press it out.

agreed! honestly you're best option is to take it to a shop, unless you can find a quality bearing puller. even then, it's a crap shoot.

[AlmightyCamry777]

Your rear bearing is a hub assembly, you don't change the bearing inside, you change the hub for about $130. I did it a couple of years ago. the thing you want to change simply unbolts with 4 bolts and it looks like this:

http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Det...+59999+3999999

[gdanaher]

If you have removed the 4 bolts holding the bearing hub assembly, then the only thing keeping it there is rust and gravity. Are we all talking about the same thing here? You said rear wheel bearing, right??

[Donald E. George]

Try using a little heat to break the rust between the hub assembly flange and the mount. Use some anti-seize on the new bearing flange to avoid this condition again. I believe the four bolts torque to 59 ft.lbs.Burnish a small amount of anti-seize on the brake rotor to hub interface to make the rotor easy to remove. Work safe.

[JohnGD]

+1 gdanaher.

It's probably just rust. Did you get a new o-ring with the bearing/hub assembly?

Use Autozone's free loaner tools, slide hammer (OEM27033) and hub puller flange (OEM27032).

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ino...llersUniversal

[streakinrican05]

Originally Posted by JohnGD

+1 gdanaher.

It's probably just rust. Did you get a new o-ring with the bearing/hub assembly?

Use Autozone's free loaner tools, slide hammer (OEM27033) and hub puller flange (OEM27032).

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ino...llersUniversal

thanks for reminding me about the o-ring because I noticed my hub assembly did not include one and somewhere in the removal frustration I forgot I needed to go buy one.

First, to answer gdanaher, Yes it is the rear bearing and yes I am replacing the whole hub assembly. I already bought the new one.

I have found out that what probably happened is that the hub is seized on due to me driving it with the bad bearing which apparently has been generating alot of friction heat from being as wobbly as it is now.

I already tried the slide hammer and some PB blaster but it was to no avail. I bought a 4lb sledge as thats what the toyota service guy suggested since I dont have an air hammer and my rubber mallet didn't do anything. I haven't tried it yet, partly because I was worried about messing up the old hub without actually being able to remove it and then being stuck with an incapacitated car!

Any opinions/suggestions? What could I use to apply heat?

[gdanaher]

If you hit the outer portion of the bearing with the sledge it might have a potential for bending something behind it. Bad news. Use the sledge and a large cold chisel and wack the bearing assembly downwards at the seam. That should break it loose and avoid bending any other parts.

[JohnGD]

If that's the case that's some rust!

Yeah, I wouldn't use a sledge hammer because you might bend something the wrong way. Double check all 4 bolts are removed and if a 5 lb slide hammer won't do it, I'm not sure how a 4 lb is going to do it properly.

See if you can break the rust seal first. Then the slide hammer/puller should do it.

[gdanaher]

Have you soaked this thing with Liquid Wrench?? Use the whole bottle!