2003 Vue front wheel bearing

[hamer]

my daughter is the proud owner of a 2003 Saturn Vue, V-6, AWD. I'm trying to replace the left front wheel bearing for her but I can't get it out of the steering knuckle. The knuckle looks like it's aluminum, do I dare heat it with my torch? Any advice is greatly appreciated, I've had my slide hammer on it for 3 days and I can't get it to budge.
thanks in advance!

[BobbyP]

I've always heard they had to be pressed out of place.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4711

Others have posted that they freeze the bearing and put the knuckle in the oven and the bearing goes in freely.

[far2grumpy]

hamer ... I extracted hub / bearing removal procedures from service manual
but file size exceeds posting limits.

I can email if you send your address by private message.

For what its worth ... the procedures don't describe how to separate bearing from hub so Saturn must feel special tools or procedures aren't necessary ... yeah right (BobbyP's input appears very valid).

Do you have or can you rent one of those fancy multi-purpose wheel pullers?

It appears once the axle nut is removed, along with bolts from backside of steering knuckle, you could possibly use a wheel puller to extract the hub and bearing from steering knuckle.

Yes, I know, easy for me to say ... since I've never done this.

[tfmorgan]

Easy to do for the brave of heart. Just did both on 04 Vue. Remove entire aluminum hub assembly from vehicle. Will need 20 Ton shop press. Position carefully, apply pressure, heat knuckle around edge closest to wheel studs.....and immediately use air chisel between hub backing plate and aluminum knuckle to protect aluminum. Heat and chisel repeat, check to see if pressure still applied. Sounds funny but it worked...... When out, clean oxidation with round file. New hub will slide in by hand and re-bolt easily. PS - disconnecting ball joint and tie rod easy on aluminum knuckle...loosen nut first, tap and might just fall apart. Correct puller helps. Use Timiken replacement....lowest price at Autozone.

[IMkenNY]

Once the three bolts are removed, I have found that rotating the hub base (with a heavy punch or chisel) will free it up enough to be pulled/ pushed out. A large hammer is your friend :)

[Ritz]

Once the three bolts are removed, I have found that rotating the hub base (with a heavy punch or chisel) will free it up enough to be pulled/ pushed out. A large hammer is your friend :)

I eyeballed it when I did the brakes and people were posting consistently about hub bearings going south. I agree that a BFH is probably your friend here along with a gentle amount of heat.

Cheers,

[VTchemist]

I just purchased the whole CVjoint/bearing/axle assembly.

I too had heard getting to the bearing assembly in the 03 was quite difficult.

[hd071502]

How could you tell the bearings were bad? Mine has been making more humming noise while driving. Like tires that make alot of noise. I also know I should get the fluid out of my RDM, it's been in there too long. (65k miles)

[VTchemist]

I could hear a slight difference in the volume of noise (at highway speed) when I would go around a curve. When my driver's side when out, any turn to the right would put a bigger load on the driver's side. The noise got louder. Turns to the left made it less loud.

Mine had not failed completely. But each CV made a lightly different noise (right at 63Kmiles, left at 78K miles). The right made a bumping noise; the left a roar. Turns affected the volume.

The worst case scenario is a loud clunking sound. I lost an entire wheel on my FWD Olds when the CV joint failed. The Olds was from my mother-in-law, so we used in infrequently. I was going to the store at about 35 MPH and the wheel separated (and flew through the neighbor's yard). Had it been at highway speed, I think I might have been really hurt. But at 35 mph, I was just really bummed out. (although it was fun to watch the tow truck try and move a 3 wheeled vehicle!)

[pbw]

I did this a few week ago and post steps and photos. I used a dead blow hammer and beat on it for a few minutes just dont give up or in.

http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131167&highlight=pbw

[Dante]

I did this a few week ago and post steps and photos. I used a dead blow hammer and beat on it for a few minutes just dont give up or in.

http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131167&highlight=pbw

Good post man. I think I'll take this one on here pretty shortly... I've got a sneaking suspicion both my front bearings are going out.

Can anyone post up the factory part number for reference? Or the Timken part, actually, since that's most likely what I'll order.

I found a whole page worth of parts here.... not sure which is the best choice or even what the difference is other than front/rear...

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/search/?N=4294965150+11663+1024&V=4294965150&Vh=2004&V=4294965150+11663&Vh=2004%20Vue

[Chazberry]

Can anyone post up the factory part number for reference? Or the Timken part, actually, since that's most likely what I'll order.


I bought the Timken 512229 w/ ABS from Rockauto for $110.79

[Dante]

I bought the Timken 512229 w/ ABS from Rockauto for $110.79

Thanks... I was really tired when I posted before. Now I noticed that they have front/rear with and without ABS and AWD... I was trying to figure out why they'd need so many different models... now it's pretty obvious.

[Chazberry]

Now I noticed that they have front/rear with and without ABS and AWD...

The only difference between the front and rear is the wheel speed sensor connector. It's male on one and female on the other.

[1saxman]

How could you tell the bearings were bad? Mine has been making more humming noise while driving. Like tires that make alot of noise. I also know I should get the fluid out of my RDM, it's been in there too long. (65k miles)


Definitely change the RDM oil, but you will still hear the 'road noise' because it's one or more hub bearings going bad. I thought it was tire noise at first and then maybe RDM, but no. There is no particular rush to fix it. When it starts getting bad you will know it's time. Unlike the old days, a bad hub bearing cannot harm the axle, which is rather firmly pressed into the center part of the bearing. The ball bearings are between the center and outer sections so the axle is held safe.