Any Auto Mechanics out there?

[SaltyDawg]

I was wondering just how hard it is to replace/repack the front wheel bearings on a front wheel drive car. A 95 Chrysler New Yorker to be exact. I am not mechanically gifted, but I have done a lot of work on my cars in the past 30 years including bearings on rear wheel drive cars.

 

Just wondering if this is something that I could do myself or should I take it to a garage to get it done?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Wayne

[Snarley Bill]

i'm not sure but i think they are sealed ball bearings. i don't think they are even adjustable. think it's one of those things that lasts forever unless it was faulty when made.

[mraf]

You will find that it is a sealed bearing that has to be replaced. It can be done by a back yard mechanic but most of the time it needs to be pressed out and in, once it is installed the axle nut needs to be torqued quite high. I have done many on GM and Fords but never any Chrysler's but am willing to bet that they are not much different. The worst one I've ever done was on a Hyundai what a pain. You couldn't even replace the disc brake rotor without pressing everything apart! Korean junk.

[Guest Palimino]

I agree that you could do this but it will take tools and patience to get it done. You can get tools from a friend and some parts shops will press in the new bearing for you. There is really no comparision between this and a rear wheel drive car.

[flb_78]

Ive never done one on a Dodge product but Ive done a couple on GM's.

 

Remove the wheel, caliper, rotor. Take off the CV shaft nut. Take a 2x4 and cover the end of the CV shaft and pop it with a hammer. Undo the 3 bolts that hold the bearing assembly on the strut. Ive had to take the lower ball joint loose the pull the strut away from the CV shaft if it wont collapse far enough. It's not a hard job, about 3 hours if you take your time.

[SaltyDawg]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I am going to give it a try, I checked with the auto parts store and it is a sealed bearing and is replaced as a unit pretty much like flb_78 described.

 

Off to get a 3/4" breaker bar and a big pipe. LOL

 

Thanks again,

 

Wayne

[BradT]

. Take a 2x4 and cover the end of the CV shaft and pop it with a hammer. .

 

If you use the round end of the ball pean hammer on the end of the CV Shaft then hit it with another hammer works well too.

 

This way you can see it move or not move.

 

Brad

[scotty]

I have the service manual for a 94 dodge mini van. I can scan the relivant pages for you.

Scotty

[bongobobny]

You may discover that metric 6 point sockets in 3/4 drive work great...

 

Leastwise that's the way it is on my '02 Trep R/T

[SaltyDawg]

Thanks a ton everybody. Just finished with the bearing change. Once the proper guidance was given to me by you guys it really wasn't all that hard. Only change one side so far, next payday I will do the other one. The one I changed today was the one making the noise, but if one is bad the other isn't far behind.

 

Thanks again, it went without a hitch, bought a 3/4 breaker bar to go with my 3/4 dump truck socket set and just used my fat A-- well you know what, to break the nut free.

 

Wayne