I've had my share of problems with trucks,generally not with my Chevy's front hubs. I was on my way home with a stop in town before hitting the house. It had been a fairly long day and I was looking forward to relaxing. As I turned at the intersection that lead from the highway to the small town I lived outside of I noticed my front end start a hell of a wobble! Thinking back I wish I had gotten a picture of what it looked like on the side of the highway. For now though, a pic of what it looked like after I got the wheel off will have to do for ya.
After stopping at the first approach I came to, I pulled the cape off the rim to discover that I had three broken wheel studs. So,first thing I did was jack up the truck, then I grabbed my cordless impact and tightened what was left of my nuts. Now my hands were getting a little cold because it was Febuary and the temp was dropping quick cause the sun had just gone down. Knowing now that my plan for the night had changed I stopped at the push and pull store and grabbed a 6 and headed for home.
Once home I pulled the truck into the shop and pulled out the brand new hubs I had gotten with the truck a couple years ago when I bought it. Finding them in perfect shape after inspection I started pulling wheels off the front of my work truck. Once on jack stands with the wheels off I noticed why the holes are in the plate where the studs are pressed into, they give access to the bolts that hold the hub assembly onto the front axle. The general assembly is pretty much the same across the board with most of the American built trucks. And to be honest,to this day Chevy Truck parts are the cheapest in the aftermarket. and they are the easiest to work on. after disconnecting the speed sensor plug, removing the bolts that bolt to the axle housing and removing the big wheel nut in the center my hub was ready to come off. Now here's where I always wonder if it would pull of nice of be a serious investment of my time. I was lucky enough to be able to wrestle both front hubs off with no problems. Now,straight up when you change one hub then change the other. Unless there is absolutely no other option. New parts operate like new parts,using one old and one new when there's more then one is generally asking for problems. For example..wiper blades,tires, spark plugs, front wheel hubs...well you get the picture.
So after about an hour I had both the old hubs off and one new one installed, and this is what it looked like.
Everything looks nice and shiny right out of the box. Installation does require Axle grease along the spindle shaft and for good measure pack along any bearing surface as well. These new hubs had sealed bearings pressed into them so I greased what ever surface I felt needed grease. I didn't tighten the retaining bolts to what they where at, I torqued them to 90 lbs with some lock-tight on the threads and snugged the spindle nut (the big nut the holds the hub to the spindle shaft) to 12 inch pounds. Now, here's how you do that. first you snug the nut up till the hub bearing seats onto the spindle,then you back it off and snug it up again till there's a little drag. This is how I was taught how to do it and I haven't had any problems as a result. However there may be many different way to make this happen. After about two hours total time in the garage,I had the truck back together and ready for work the next morning. Of course a buddy stopped by and laughed at me tellin me better me then him and yada yada..lol.
After stopping at the first approach I came to, I pulled the cape off the rim to discover that I had three broken wheel studs. So,first thing I did was jack up the truck, then I grabbed my cordless impact and tightened what was left of my nuts. Now my hands were getting a little cold because it was Febuary and the temp was dropping quick cause the sun had just gone down. Knowing now that my plan for the night had changed I stopped at the push and pull store and grabbed a 6 and headed for home.
Once home I pulled the truck into the shop and pulled out the brand new hubs I had gotten with the truck a couple years ago when I bought it. Finding them in perfect shape after inspection I started pulling wheels off the front of my work truck. Once on jack stands with the wheels off I noticed why the holes are in the plate where the studs are pressed into, they give access to the bolts that hold the hub assembly onto the front axle. The general assembly is pretty much the same across the board with most of the American built trucks. And to be honest,to this day Chevy Truck parts are the cheapest in the aftermarket. and they are the easiest to work on. after disconnecting the speed sensor plug, removing the bolts that bolt to the axle housing and removing the big wheel nut in the center my hub was ready to come off. Now here's where I always wonder if it would pull of nice of be a serious investment of my time. I was lucky enough to be able to wrestle both front hubs off with no problems. Now,straight up when you change one hub then change the other. Unless there is absolutely no other option. New parts operate like new parts,using one old and one new when there's more then one is generally asking for problems. For example..wiper blades,tires, spark plugs, front wheel hubs...well you get the picture.
So after about an hour I had both the old hubs off and one new one installed, and this is what it looked like.
Everything looks nice and shiny right out of the box. Installation does require Axle grease along the spindle shaft and for good measure pack along any bearing surface as well. These new hubs had sealed bearings pressed into them so I greased what ever surface I felt needed grease. I didn't tighten the retaining bolts to what they where at, I torqued them to 90 lbs with some lock-tight on the threads and snugged the spindle nut (the big nut the holds the hub to the spindle shaft) to 12 inch pounds. Now, here's how you do that. first you snug the nut up till the hub bearing seats onto the spindle,then you back it off and snug it up again till there's a little drag. This is how I was taught how to do it and I haven't had any problems as a result. However there may be many different way to make this happen. After about two hours total time in the garage,I had the truck back together and ready for work the next morning. Of course a buddy stopped by and laughed at me tellin me better me then him and yada yada..lol.
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