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So, I replaced my right front hub assembly yesterday and decided to take pictures during the process. I know there are other threads on here for replacing the front hub assembly, but I am trying to make one as detailed and picture by picture oriented as possible. Please if you have a better way of doing a certain step, feel free to comment. The biggest thing i have found is that most treads can tell you the "how", but don't actually SHOW you how it's done.
Tools you are going to need of this project:
Ratchet set, PB Blaster, Hammer (anything than be fixed with a hammer), torque bar that can handle up to 200 flbs (going to need 175 flbs), Flathead screwdriver ( a pretty stout one), Plyers and/or vise grip plyers, Breaker Bar, and Allen wrenches.
The sockets you need are: 9/16" 12 point, 5/8" 12 point, 1 11/16" 12 point (1 1/4" 12 point will work too and is what I used since I couldn't find a 1 11/16" in town), 3/8" to 1/2" adapter (unless you have a 1/2" ratchet), 1/2" to 1" adapter, and a 1/2" "3 extender.
And 6mm Allen wrench.
Removing the hub process:
First, before you lift the tire off the ground, remove the cotter pin from the center hub bolt and then break it lose with your 1 11/16" socket and breaker bar. You don't have to remove the bolt completely, but it's much easier to do it when the wheel isn't in the air. Then break lose the lug nuts, jack that tire off the ground, remove the lug nuts, and pull the tire off. Make sure the truck is in park and/or has wheel chalks. DON'T BE THAT GUY who lets his truck roll of the jack/jack stand. I personally lifted the entire front end and set it on stands so that i can turn the wheel when i need to because you will be moving it back and forth to get to certain bolts.
Pull the tire off and turn the wheel to the left (as if you are making a left turn). (I told y'all that this is literally going to be a step-by-step guide).
Locate these two bolts on the caliper (located on the top and bottom of the caliper, only bolts there that you need an allen wrench for).
Loosen these bolts with a 6mm allen wrench, but don't completely remove them.
(Now this next part may start some controversy. Everyone has there own way that they loosen the brakes in order to pull the caliper off. This is the way I do it and found it easiest.)
If you look, there are two oval shaped holes in the back of the caliper. Stick a flathead screwdriver onto the hole and try and slide it into one of the cooling vents in the rotor itself (the little square holes all around the rotor). Pry back SLOWLY on the screwdriver, it may take a little muscle. What you are trying to do is compress the pressure cups on the inside of the caliper (truck side of the caliper, but inside the caliper). You will feel it slowly give way as you pull. Some people like to open the lid on the brake fluid reservoir to keep from building up pressure, but I've done it without opening the reservoir before. Sometimes this is all that is needed to pull off the caliper, other times it takes more work. The point is to get the two "cups" in the brake caliper to push in. If you can loosen the caliper enough to work it partway off, you can slide the flathead down between the cup and the back of the brake pad and continue prying it back. be careful not to try and stab it or bend any parts, it just takes patience. DO NOT TRY TO PRY BETWEEN THE BRAKE PAD AND THE ROTOR. You will scratch the rotor and damage the pad itself.
If you have a better way of pulling the caliper off, please comment below and try throwing up a picture of it.
Once the caliper is off, place it on the control arm like so. The brake line is not long enough for it to sit on the ground and it is not a good idea to let it hang off the brake line. Don't try removing the line either unless you want brake fluid everywhere. There is no need to remove the line.
Remove the brake pads and little metal retaining clips. (My metal clips were shot in this picture so I went ahead and replaced them on both sides yesterday.) What you are left with is the bracket, rotor, and hub.
Next, you remove the bracket itself. It is held on with two bolts. These aren't normal bolts and actually require a special socket to remove, but i found that a 12 point 5/8" socket works just fine. Depending on how long these have been on the truck is most likely going to determine your "method" of taking them off. Mine weren't too bad since I just replaced this hub a month ago, but the seal blew so I had to replace it, again.
Once you get the bolts off, the bracket comes right off. I put the bolts partly back into the bracket just so i wouldn't lose them.
Next is the rotor itself. This a on a 2001 Dodge, so the rotor is separate of the hub assembly and pulls right off once you remove the bracket. All that is left is the hub itself.
Next, you can go ahead and remove this center bolt that you broke loose earlier. You don't have to wait til this step to remove it, but I like keeping it in order. Once you remove it, hit the bolt a few times with the hammer (lightly!). It should be able to slide back about an inch. If your hub is pretty rusty and been on there for a while, shoot some PB blaster all around the spindle there and let it soak in, then try hitting it again later on.
(Continued)
Tools you are going to need of this project:
Ratchet set, PB Blaster, Hammer (anything than be fixed with a hammer), torque bar that can handle up to 200 flbs (going to need 175 flbs), Flathead screwdriver ( a pretty stout one), Plyers and/or vise grip plyers, Breaker Bar, and Allen wrenches.
The sockets you need are: 9/16" 12 point, 5/8" 12 point, 1 11/16" 12 point (1 1/4" 12 point will work too and is what I used since I couldn't find a 1 11/16" in town), 3/8" to 1/2" adapter (unless you have a 1/2" ratchet), 1/2" to 1" adapter, and a 1/2" "3 extender.
And 6mm Allen wrench.
Removing the hub process:
First, before you lift the tire off the ground, remove the cotter pin from the center hub bolt and then break it lose with your 1 11/16" socket and breaker bar. You don't have to remove the bolt completely, but it's much easier to do it when the wheel isn't in the air. Then break lose the lug nuts, jack that tire off the ground, remove the lug nuts, and pull the tire off. Make sure the truck is in park and/or has wheel chalks. DON'T BE THAT GUY who lets his truck roll of the jack/jack stand. I personally lifted the entire front end and set it on stands so that i can turn the wheel when i need to because you will be moving it back and forth to get to certain bolts.
Pull the tire off and turn the wheel to the left (as if you are making a left turn). (I told y'all that this is literally going to be a step-by-step guide).
Locate these two bolts on the caliper (located on the top and bottom of the caliper, only bolts there that you need an allen wrench for).
Loosen these bolts with a 6mm allen wrench, but don't completely remove them.
(Now this next part may start some controversy. Everyone has there own way that they loosen the brakes in order to pull the caliper off. This is the way I do it and found it easiest.)
If you look, there are two oval shaped holes in the back of the caliper. Stick a flathead screwdriver onto the hole and try and slide it into one of the cooling vents in the rotor itself (the little square holes all around the rotor). Pry back SLOWLY on the screwdriver, it may take a little muscle. What you are trying to do is compress the pressure cups on the inside of the caliper (truck side of the caliper, but inside the caliper). You will feel it slowly give way as you pull. Some people like to open the lid on the brake fluid reservoir to keep from building up pressure, but I've done it without opening the reservoir before. Sometimes this is all that is needed to pull off the caliper, other times it takes more work. The point is to get the two "cups" in the brake caliper to push in. If you can loosen the caliper enough to work it partway off, you can slide the flathead down between the cup and the back of the brake pad and continue prying it back. be careful not to try and stab it or bend any parts, it just takes patience. DO NOT TRY TO PRY BETWEEN THE BRAKE PAD AND THE ROTOR. You will scratch the rotor and damage the pad itself.
If you have a better way of pulling the caliper off, please comment below and try throwing up a picture of it.
Once the caliper is off, place it on the control arm like so. The brake line is not long enough for it to sit on the ground and it is not a good idea to let it hang off the brake line. Don't try removing the line either unless you want brake fluid everywhere. There is no need to remove the line.
Remove the brake pads and little metal retaining clips. (My metal clips were shot in this picture so I went ahead and replaced them on both sides yesterday.) What you are left with is the bracket, rotor, and hub.
Next, you remove the bracket itself. It is held on with two bolts. These aren't normal bolts and actually require a special socket to remove, but i found that a 12 point 5/8" socket works just fine. Depending on how long these have been on the truck is most likely going to determine your "method" of taking them off. Mine weren't too bad since I just replaced this hub a month ago, but the seal blew so I had to replace it, again.
Once you get the bolts off, the bracket comes right off. I put the bolts partly back into the bracket just so i wouldn't lose them.
Next is the rotor itself. This a on a 2001 Dodge, so the rotor is separate of the hub assembly and pulls right off once you remove the bracket. All that is left is the hub itself.
Next, you can go ahead and remove this center bolt that you broke loose earlier. You don't have to wait til this step to remove it, but I like keeping it in order. Once you remove it, hit the bolt a few times with the hammer (lightly!). It should be able to slide back about an inch. If your hub is pretty rusty and been on there for a while, shoot some PB blaster all around the spindle there and let it soak in, then try hitting it again later on.
(Continued)
arty018:
