The car started making a scary noise from the right rear, and after jacking it up ,I found that the wheel bearings are bad. Anyone ever changed these before? I finally got the half shaft off, but am puzzled by the best procedure as to the removal of the weird grooved nut that retains the hub assembly. Any ideas?
Just a follow up. I did get the thing disassembled. It was full of rust and dirt. I had never cleaned and repacked the rear wheel bearings, nor has anyone else I talked to. Might be a good idea, especially if you, like me, live in an area (Houston) where you are driving on flooded roads. Water got past the seals, which are old and leaky. Half shaft rusted to the hub, bearings bad, and hub destroyed. Half shaft already had a bad boot, and a loose joint, so it was due for replacement anyway. $100 used at a salvage yard. Hub was $220. Car has been on jack stands since Monday, and I am stuck driving the wife's van. Maybe the rear bearings should be cleaned, repacked, and the seals replaced every 100,000 or so.
Bearings are sealed...at least they are supposed to be. My seals leaked, water and dirt got in, and the bearings ruined. I thought there would be some special tool for the slotted nut. The shop foreman at the Stealership told me to use a punch and hammer. That worked. Car is all back together now, and fine. Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem.
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