How do you replace the front wheel bearings

[steve12345]

My front right is howling something awful at 67k. Are there any surprises when replacing the front wheel bearings? Just take the brakes, tie rod, control arms, axle nut, and strut off of the hub assembly, then take the hub assy. somewhere to have the old one pressed out and the new one pressed in? Can the local tire/front end shop press the bearings in/out, or is it a dealer job?

Has anyone done this?

[steve12345]

I started on it last night. Make sure you have a 35mm axle nut socket, a 23mm socket for the lower ball joint nuts (15/16ths is close), and a 7mm allen socket for the callipers. A ball joint separator is recommended for popping the ball joints out of the knuckle. If you use a hammer, you will mushroom the nuts like I did The rest of the tools are normal.

An impact gun is highly recommended for the axle nut and ball joint nuts.

The MS6 front wheel bearings are NOT the same as the regular 6 parts. Be sure to get the right parts. Luckily the local Napa could get them the same day.

As an afterthought, if you are considering doing the brakes, you might as well do them at the same time since you have it all apart.

Do this at your own risk. I am not a professional mechanic or repair manual writer!

Removal procedure:

SAFELY jack and support the vehicle.

Remove wheel.

Remove black plastic dust caps from calliper slide pins.

Unscrew 7mm allen head calliper slide pins from calliper carriers.

Remove calliper retaining spring clip from outside of calliper

Remove calliper from carrier being careful to keep the inner pad in the calliper so you dont break the retaining clip for the inner pad which goes inside the calliper piston.

With string, rope, wire, etc. hang the calliper from the upper control arm so it is not hanging from the hose.

Remove 12mm head bolt that holds the ABS sensor on.

Carefully wiggle the abs sensor loose from the knuckle. It has a plastic pin that is lightly pressed in to the knuckle for alignment.

Remove 12mm head bold on knuckle that retains the abs sensor wire midway up the knuckle.

Move ABS sensor and wire out of the way. I hung it over the calliper.

Remove the two 17mm head bolts from the calliper carrier and remove the calliper carrier.

Remove the two phillips head screws that retain the brake rotor and remove the rotor from the hub. A torch and some PB Blaster may be necessary. Or a drill

Open the peened over part of the axle nut that prevents it from loosening with a hammer and screwdriver/punch

Use an impact gun to remove the 35mm axle nut.

Use a rubber/plastic mallet or dead hit hammer to loosen the axle from the hub. Shouldn't take much.

Remove safety pin from the tie rod end.

Loosen 17mm tie rod end nut.

Use a hammer or ball joint separator to pop the tie rod end loose from the knuckle. Make sure you keep the nut on to protect the threads if you use a hammer.

Use impact gun to loosen the two 23mm lower ball joint nuts.

Use a hammer or ball joint separator to pop the ball joints loose from the knuckle. Make sure you keep the nut on to protect the threads if you use a hammer. I had to beat the @#$% out of these to get them loose.

Loosen the 19mm upper ball joint nut. Use a hammer or ball joint separator to pop the ball joint loose from the knuckle. Make sure you keep the nut on to protect the threads if you use a hammer.

Remove knuckle.

Take the knuckle/bearing/hub assembly to a shop to have the bearings replaced. Unless you happen to have an press.


When I get it put back together, I will finish the writeup. If time permits, I will take pics.

[aviator79]

Good info. whish I saw it before I put in my new knuckle as I had to run to the store twice for the 35mm axle nut socket and something else and again to rent the bj press as I did mushroom mine so I had to install my SPCs. I did it a few weeks ago, but I found a deal on a knucke with hub so assuming the bearing is good for under $100 im happy. I may need to do the rear bearing thou so we will see. I see them on ebay for $69 but probably not even the right ones.

[Chucky12012]

Thanks for the good info!

[cincySVT]

This blows my mind that you guys have to replace bearings already. My Contour SVT lasted till about 170k before I had to final replace one. I just swapped out the hub, was much easier and only about 50 more than the bearing and labor itself.

[fuziwuzi]

if i buy the hub does it come with the bearing inside? So i can just swap hub assemblies and not have to worry about bring it to a shop and getting it pressed.

Online Mazda Parts(link to front hub part)

car has 76k miles.

thanks

[401bay]

[QUOTE=fuziwuzi;3261156]if i buy the hub does it come with the bearing inside? So i can just swap hub assemblies and not have to worry about bring it to a shop and getting it pressed.

good question fuziwuzi.
great info steve12345

[timeless123]

The hub does not have the bearing on it. The are sold separately. This is in the speed6 section but I'm pretty sure it's the same wit 6i and 6s.