I finally got around to doing my last wheel bearing, the left front. Here's a link to the DIY post I did for the rear bearing, which also explains the symptoms I was experiencing:
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=235838
So here's how to do the fronts. The spindle has to come out, as the bearing is press fit into it. Also, the hub that carries the lug bolts is press fit into the bearing.
First, pop off the hubcap, pull the cotter pin (red arrow), remove the thing covering the nut, and crack the center nut loose. You'll need a 30 mm socket and a breaker bar; that baby's on TIGHT! Also break loose the lug bolts. Then set the parking brake, block the tires, jack it up, and finish removing the wheel.
Unscrew the axle nut most of the way off, and use a hammer to drive the axle in until the nut bottoms. It might not be easy, depending on how rusty things are. Mine was easy. In the picture, the nut is bottomed. It's normally sticking out about a half inch farther.
Now remove the tie rod nut's cotter pin, and use a 17 mm socket to loosen (but don't remove) the tie rod nut. Then, while lifting where shown, rap upward on the nut and where indicated in an alternating fashion. If you're lucky, the tie rod will pop free. If you can't get it out, you might have to get the other attachment points free and then spin the entire spindle to unscrew it. I'll mention this later. That's what I had to do on mine's right-hand side, after destroying the rubber boot trying to use a "pickle fork" to break it loose.
Here's mine after getting it out. Note there's a taper on the shaft and also on the mating hole. That's why it can be a bear to remove.
Now remove the brake caliper using a 17 mm socket. There are two bolts, one on the top...
...and one on the bottom. This view is from the front, down low.
Remove the caliper being careful not to kink the brake line, and hang it from the suspension spring. I used an old piece of electrical wire. Then the brake rotor (disk) should pull right off. Yes, those are oil spots on the floor. I have leaky valve covers that are getting attention next!
Now remove the two bolts holding the strut to the spindle using a 22 mm socket and breaker bar. Yes, these are very tight also. There is downward pressure from the struts on the bolts, so you'll need to unscrew them out. Try to be careful not to bung up the threads by beating the bolts out with a hammer. If you have ABS brakes, the clip holding the sensor cable pops off. Lift the cable above the spindle top so the cable isn't damaged when the spindle comes out.
Now, from underneath, remove the two nuts and one bolt holding the ball joint to the suspension lower control arm using a 17 mm socket and breaker bar. Yep, these are on REALLY tight also.
If you have ABS brakes, you need to disconnect the wheel speed sensor somehow, as the sensor is attached to the spindle. I'd recommend you disconnect the connector and remove the sensor and its cable along with the spindle to avoid damaging the sensor. The sensor on mine is bad already, so I removed the bolt shown below and pulled the sensor (what's left of it) from the spindle.
Almost home!... Remove the axle nut, pull the upper part of the spindle outward, and tap the splined-axle out the rest of the way. Then with some jockying, remove the spindle while tugging the upper section outward while lifting the ball joint bolts free of their holes. It would help to have an assistant for this. Be careful not to tear the outer CV joint boot. The strut wants to rub it hard while you're doing this. After a little cursing, voila!!!
If you couldn't get your tie rod loose, now's the time to spin the whole assembly to unscrew it. Now would be a great time to replace your ball joint if its marginally bad. Or your tie rod end for that matter. Mine didn't have any perceptible play, so I didn't replace them.
With the spindle out, clean all the caked-on crud off it and take it to an automotive machine shop to have them press out the old and press in the new bearing. My local Carquest did it for me for $35. The bearing (ordered and acquired before starting the job) cost about $65.
I went on the replace my CV shafts, as the boot on the right-hand side is torn and I'm hearing a clicking noise when I make a sharp right turn, so I'm replacing both sides. I didn't take any pix of that cuz it's been done before.
Re-assembly is the reverse. Getting the spindle back in is no picnic. Again, be careful not to tear the CV boot. When it's all put back together, most would recommend getting an alignment job. The bolts and nuts all fit precisely, so things go back together pretty much exactly as they were. So it's up to you.
Here are the torque values for re-assembly. All values are in ft-lbs
Drive axle hub nut - 217
Balljoint to control arm bolt & nuts - 94
Balljoint to steering knuckle nut - 90 (Just in case you replace it; I didn't)
Tie rod end to steering knuckle nut - 36
Strut to steering knuckle bolts/nuts - 156
Those are for '92 thru '95 Camrys per my Haynes manual, which was published in 1995. So they may be good for later years, but they also may be out of date if Toyota has changed their specs since then. Use them at your risk.
My results?... after replacing all four wheel bearings, she rides vibration-free at any speed. It's VERY nice to have a smooth ride back after all this time!
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=235838
So here's how to do the fronts. The spindle has to come out, as the bearing is press fit into it. Also, the hub that carries the lug bolts is press fit into the bearing.
First, pop off the hubcap, pull the cotter pin (red arrow), remove the thing covering the nut, and crack the center nut loose. You'll need a 30 mm socket and a breaker bar; that baby's on TIGHT! Also break loose the lug bolts. Then set the parking brake, block the tires, jack it up, and finish removing the wheel.
Unscrew the axle nut most of the way off, and use a hammer to drive the axle in until the nut bottoms. It might not be easy, depending on how rusty things are. Mine was easy. In the picture, the nut is bottomed. It's normally sticking out about a half inch farther.
Now remove the tie rod nut's cotter pin, and use a 17 mm socket to loosen (but don't remove) the tie rod nut. Then, while lifting where shown, rap upward on the nut and where indicated in an alternating fashion. If you're lucky, the tie rod will pop free. If you can't get it out, you might have to get the other attachment points free and then spin the entire spindle to unscrew it. I'll mention this later. That's what I had to do on mine's right-hand side, after destroying the rubber boot trying to use a "pickle fork" to break it loose.
Here's mine after getting it out. Note there's a taper on the shaft and also on the mating hole. That's why it can be a bear to remove.
Now remove the brake caliper using a 17 mm socket. There are two bolts, one on the top...
...and one on the bottom. This view is from the front, down low.
Remove the caliper being careful not to kink the brake line, and hang it from the suspension spring. I used an old piece of electrical wire. Then the brake rotor (disk) should pull right off. Yes, those are oil spots on the floor. I have leaky valve covers that are getting attention next!
Now remove the two bolts holding the strut to the spindle using a 22 mm socket and breaker bar. Yes, these are very tight also. There is downward pressure from the struts on the bolts, so you'll need to unscrew them out. Try to be careful not to bung up the threads by beating the bolts out with a hammer. If you have ABS brakes, the clip holding the sensor cable pops off. Lift the cable above the spindle top so the cable isn't damaged when the spindle comes out.
Now, from underneath, remove the two nuts and one bolt holding the ball joint to the suspension lower control arm using a 17 mm socket and breaker bar. Yep, these are on REALLY tight also.
If you have ABS brakes, you need to disconnect the wheel speed sensor somehow, as the sensor is attached to the spindle. I'd recommend you disconnect the connector and remove the sensor and its cable along with the spindle to avoid damaging the sensor. The sensor on mine is bad already, so I removed the bolt shown below and pulled the sensor (what's left of it) from the spindle.
Almost home!... Remove the axle nut, pull the upper part of the spindle outward, and tap the splined-axle out the rest of the way. Then with some jockying, remove the spindle while tugging the upper section outward while lifting the ball joint bolts free of their holes. It would help to have an assistant for this. Be careful not to tear the outer CV joint boot. The strut wants to rub it hard while you're doing this. After a little cursing, voila!!!
If you couldn't get your tie rod loose, now's the time to spin the whole assembly to unscrew it. Now would be a great time to replace your ball joint if its marginally bad. Or your tie rod end for that matter. Mine didn't have any perceptible play, so I didn't replace them.
With the spindle out, clean all the caked-on crud off it and take it to an automotive machine shop to have them press out the old and press in the new bearing. My local Carquest did it for me for $35. The bearing (ordered and acquired before starting the job) cost about $65.
I went on the replace my CV shafts, as the boot on the right-hand side is torn and I'm hearing a clicking noise when I make a sharp right turn, so I'm replacing both sides. I didn't take any pix of that cuz it's been done before.
Re-assembly is the reverse. Getting the spindle back in is no picnic. Again, be careful not to tear the CV boot. When it's all put back together, most would recommend getting an alignment job. The bolts and nuts all fit precisely, so things go back together pretty much exactly as they were. So it's up to you.
Here are the torque values for re-assembly. All values are in ft-lbs
Drive axle hub nut - 217
Balljoint to control arm bolt & nuts - 94
Balljoint to steering knuckle nut - 90 (Just in case you replace it; I didn't)
Tie rod end to steering knuckle nut - 36
Strut to steering knuckle bolts/nuts - 156
Those are for '92 thru '95 Camrys per my Haynes manual, which was published in 1995. So they may be good for later years, but they also may be out of date if Toyota has changed their specs since then. Use them at your risk.
My results?... after replacing all four wheel bearings, she rides vibration-free at any speed. It's VERY nice to have a smooth ride back after all this time!