Wheel-bearing question; can you switch out entire hub-assembly?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by priuslyfe, Aug 1, 2025.

  1. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    I'll buy some and hopefully when the Amazon 19mm extractor gets here...it'll work. These kinds of problems are why car-repair is not practical or enjoyable, I don't understand why manufacturers don't apply anti-seize to any prone to fuse-together nut/bolt tbh.
     
  2. xw20_driver

    xw20_driver Junior Member

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    PB Blaster and air impact wrench would be my go-to if I couldn't get the breaker bar to take that off. I haven't bought WD40 in years it is not a good lubricant nor penetrant product IMO.

    When I did the struts on an older Corolla that had lived 12 years on the east coast through salty roads, having the impact with a strong 19mm deep impact socket saved me. Use the correct tool for the job from the get go. But at this point if the nut is mangled and rounded off you might have to take a cutter to it and grind it off.
     
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  3. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    I was just about to go spray the nut again with PBblaster. I think the extractor arrives on Thursday. I need to buy an impact wrench so I should look into that. I checked for new wheel-bearings today and as I suspected they cost around $180 (there are lower-tier bearings available but I figure with bearings probably not a good idea to buy the less-expensive).

    What BRAND of lubricant is better than WD40, that's the only kind I'm familiar with? Moreover, is there a one-fits-all for both lubricant and penetration (well other than KY)?

    thanks.
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I'm using the junk bearing supposedly I got 70,000 on them I changed them at 300K on three. The other has 535K on originals as far as I can tell .
     
  5. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Kroil is to separate .WD is cleaner they're are many alum to steel is tricky .
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

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    That’s a good step. Also use impact-rated sockets, thicker walled. Besides being sturdier, I’ve just been reading, that they have more mass, which helps. A deep socket even more so.

    An impact with good torque, more mass, hammering the nut with rapid jolts, will hopefully do the trick.

    playing a torch on the nut may help some too, expanding it slightly.
     
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  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I'm not sure what good a more-massive socket does you (besides being less likely to shatter on you). The socket's inertia will act against the impulses from the impact driver.

    Now, having the impact driver itself, and its internal rotating parts, be extra massive does help.
     
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  9. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    I've always managed to get by without an impact wrench (sooner or later) but I know Milwaukee makes good tools. One thing I don't like about them is how they seem to overtighten everything.

    Right now I'm in the "visualizing" phase of removing this 19mm nut. I'm thinking about the PB blaster seeping into every thread of the bolt. Hopefully, when I get the extractor socket my meditations will pay off.
     
  10. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    thanks.

    Sounds like something out of NASA's manufacturing facility. Will look into it.
     
  11. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    My solution for that is not to use them for tightening things.
     
  12. Mr.Vanvandenburg

    Mr.Vanvandenburg Senior Member

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    I have a 3/4 socket/ ratchet set bought cheap but new. It doesn’t bend much or very little, and I haven’t found a nut it can’t remove. It would be difficult to bend it and all the torque is transferred. Night and day better than 1/2”.
     
  13. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    UPDATE:

    The PB Blaster worked to get the 19mm nut off of the PartsPrius. It did take some force and started off very slowly but came off soon enough. Thanks for educating me. I'm quite surprised as tend to think these products are simply repackaged existing products such as WD40.

    Still havent put the new bearing-assembly on the driverPrius because need to find the time to get that wheel off.
     
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  14. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Well, B'laster smells a lot nastier than WD-40, so it's got to be good.
     
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  15. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Kroil smells great
     
  16. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    UPDATE:

    How important is the dust-cover for the front-brake?

    Finally, managed to swap the bearings. Very difficult as much had not been likely changed ever and stuck together with rust/corrosion. Rotor was stuck to the wheel and it took me forever to get it off. Then I broke off the head of the speed-sensor 10mm bolt (even though I was very careful). It left a nub for the speed-sensor to sit on which I ended up taping (gorilla tape) to the knuckle. its not very secure.

    However I swapped the bearing but don't have a dust-cover for the brake. In my bad-bearing knuckle (which had the only dust-cover available), the bearing fell apart so the bearings were exposed. My partsPrius had the knuckle/good-bearing but no dust-cover. I just swapped it as a temporary fix.

    Very difficult to get the bearing-case out without anything to bang on. See pictures below. I might have to get them pressed out and then take that dust-cover and put it on the swapped knuckle with the good bearing which is already installed.

    Any ideas about how to get this bearing out of the knuckle without taking it to get pressed-out? My car is fixed and drivable but I'd rather drive with the cover on as it might affect braking in rain/snow/etc.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
  17. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    longer bolts in hub and beat on bolt heads . I've air hammers too never used on this yet
     
  18. priuslyfe

    priuslyfe Member

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    what do you mean longer bolts in the hub? Do you mean use a longer bolt as nail and pound down into it onto the bearing-housing?

    only thing I can think of is beating on the bearing-housing from the side but that probably doesn't do much.
     
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

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    There is a method to “jack” bearings out, with threaded rod, nuts and washers, maybe what he means.
     
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  20. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yes that too . Is a fine method but make up two rods . The bolts holding bearing in get long ones at tractor supply like 3.5 inches put two in catty corner . Now alternately beat on the heads of the bolts sticking up out of the hub screwed into the bearing retainer flange bam bam whack a mole. Crap falls out mess up bolts the coated and 1.89 so . Picture it
     
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