front wheel bearings on a 99 Nissan Maxima

[Tom7227]

Any ideas on how to break loose the nut holding the wheel bearings in place on this thing? We've got the proper size socket for the nut but can't budge it. We've used a 2 foot 1/2 drive breaker bar with a 3 foot piece of pipe on it for added leverage and it's a no go.

Thanks for the help.

Tom

[jeffreyd]

is it left handed thread??

[Big Buck Buster]

Give it some heat with a torch. Sometimes, the hand held butane torch is enough heat to get it loose.

[deadeye]

I have had that happen before and for whatever reason it took just a couple seconds with a impact wrench and it was off.

You just need to crack the rust and then you will be good. Like BBB said heat it up and that should do it too. A can of the green liquid wrench is nice to have when your heating it up beacuase its non flamible so you can get it hot and shock it with the spray without any boom.

[Tom7227]

The book said that the bearings needed a machinst shop to push them in. Makes me think that they aren't supposed to be dealt with. ANyon have specifics on this car?

[Big Buck Buster]

That is because it is a pressed-in bearing in the spindle.

[Jeremy airjer W]

An impact wrench would be your best friend. They are not left hand thread. It is not a bolt in hub and bearing assembly. You will need to bring the knuckle to a machine shop to have the bearing pressed in and out. Nissans are fairly common to where out the hub, so if you can find a bearing kit with that includes a new hub you would be in good shape.

[Macgyver55]

An impact wrench would be your best friend.

Or they can be your worst! Even though most manufacturers warn not to use impacts on these to avoid damage to axle splines, we all do it. I would just add, do not use the impact to tighten the nut when you are reassembling it. Proper torque is very important on wheel bearings, and splines are more susceptible to damage from an impact when they are loose in the hub!

[Jeremy airjer W]

They also warn us about using air hammers to remove the axle from the hub!

[Tom7227]

I think the bottom line is that this isn't a DIY task. First clue should have been that there was no dust cap. Second clue should have been that there was no reference in the Chiltons. Third and final clue was all the pieces of metal we bent trying to turn the nut to loosen things. We bagged the plan. Now the car has 210K on it. Do you think it's something that should be dealt with? There is no indication whatever that there is anything wrong. Old fashioned me just thinks that wheel bearings need to be fed every once in a while.

[Big Buck Buster]

If the bearing is not growling while driving, leave it alone and keep driving it. You cannot do anything with sealed bearings. When they loose the seal and grease, they will eventually go bad, then it is time to replace. The other reason to replace them is when they become worn and loose. You will be able to check this by jacking up that tire, and see if the tire will rock back and forth.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Agreed. They are a sealed bearing and last as long as they last. There is no maintenance that can be done.