J S Machine

I am outside right now trying to get my rear hub off so that I can replace it because of an ABS problem. I have removed the driver's side rear wheel and it appears that I am going to have to take the brake caliper and rotor off as well, because the rotor is in front of the hub I need to remove.

I am trying to turn the nut in the center of the hub, and the stud in the center is turning also. The car is in reverse and the emergency brake is set. As I am turning the nut the axle itself is not turning. I almost feel like it may have a broken axle because the axle is not turning while the stud that the nut is threaded onto is. A good friend suggested putting it into fourth gear and trying it. I'm fixing to go try it now.

What is going on here? Can someone please tell me how to get it off? What steps do I need to take?

Thanks.

BlackZ06

WHOA ... STOP ..... I'll post the instructions in a minute.

Sounds like you're doing it incorrectly.

J S Machine

Ok I'm still scratching my head anyway

Thanks

BlackZ06

I'm gonna do it from the beginning 'cause I don't know where you are at .....

1) Jack and SAFELY SUPPORT car.

2) Remove wheel/tire

3) Remove wheel speed sensor electrical connector

4) Remove RTD position sensor link (If you have F45 or F55 suspension)

5) Remove the spindle nut
... a) Insert a large screwdriver into the cooling fins of the brake rotor so that when you turn the nut the screwdriver will contact the brake caliper and stop the axle from turning.
.... b) undo the nut and remove nut and washer

6) Remove brake caliper
.....a) There are two large bolt heads that hold that black bracket to the hub. You can leave the calipers attached to the bracket, but you need to take off the caliper bracket.
.... b) The bolts are torqued to 125 lb/ft so they are a BITCH to break loose. You'll need a breaker bar or some other long handle to get leverage on the bolts.
.... c) If you have to, jack the car off the supports, put the wrench on the bolts so when you lower the car toward the ground the vehicles weight will cause the wrench to rotate the bolts.
.... d) use heavy wire (cut up a wire coat hanger if need be) and hang the caliper and bracket so that it is not hanging from the brake line. Also use some tape or wire to keep the caliper and bracket together, once they are off the rotor they can separate.

7) Remove rotor (should just pull straight off)

8) At this point the Service Manual wants you to remove the upper control arm and remove the entire knuckle from the vehicle. I can't see why this is required (maybe someone else can jump in with more info) ...

9) You should now be able to, from the back of the knuckle, remove the wheel hub mounting bolts.

10) Remove the hub/bearing assembly from the car.

*********

Installation

Reverse the instructions ... here are the torque values ....

Wheel Hub Mounting Bolts .... 96 lb/ft
Drive Axle Spindle Nut ........ 118 lb/ft
Brake Caliper Mounting Bracket ... 125 lb/ft

J S Machine

Ok, this is what happened. I went back out there and wrenched on it a little more, and finally got smart and marked the stud itself, that way I could tell if t was rotating or not. I turned it some and took it off and checked. Low and behold the center stud that the nut is threaded on to is not broken and it was staying still. My mark verified that. I just didn't look close enough before I kept going and I thought the stud itself was turning along with the nut. I jumped to conclusions

However, The nut was so loose that I could have broken it it with just the wrench itself and no cheater bar. That explains the popping in the rear end that I hear about once a week when switching from forward to reverse and vise versa.

So I got the center nut off, and you were friggen right about the brake caliper bracket bolts. ^&((*^(*&%^*(*^ they were a pain to get off!!! I finally just got those off, now I have run into the GIANT TORX HEAD BOLTS that hold the hub itself on. Who has a torx that big in their toolbox??? WTF Chevrolet???

I'm going to O'reilly's to see if they have one now. Be back to post the results later.

Thanks you for your Help BlackZ06.

J S Machine

Ok, so now I went an got some torx bits. From what I can tell the bolts holding the hub are T-60's. I cant get a torx bit into the bolt head cause the flared out part on the end of the axle is in the way. this is probably the reason for having to take the knuckle completely apart, thus providing clearance to get the axle out of the way.... Looks like I'll be up for a while

thetaxman

I do.
mines around 20 years old too.
fits c4's too

J S Machine

I got it completely apart. I had to quit for tonight or I'm gonna be dragging at work tomorrow. A friend came by and helped me out, and we ended up using an allen wrench inside of the torx head bolts. Even though I went out and bought a set or torx bits, there still wasn't one in there that fit the bolts I have. I pretty much ruined the bolt heads using an allen wrench on them, so I am going to have to pick up some more bolts.

Back at it toomorrow after work.

Thanks again for your help Eric & BlackZ06.