How do you replace front wheel bearings on a 1999 Chevy blazer?

Answer 1

The bearings on a rear wheel drive (2WD) are Timken Tappers. You can pull the old bearings by removing the bearing cap on the roater/hub. Then you take the cotter pin out of the castle nut. back off the castle nut and then you have a retaining washer, then the outter tapper bearing. the whole hub slides off. then you can pull the inner bearing through the center by tipping it 180 degrees in the relative to the axis (axel)...there is a seal on the inboard side. You can then buy a new seal, and set of bearings. The cage and rollers are one piece. The outer race is the hub itself (both sides are treated) and the inner race is the shaft. You will need something soft like a block of nylon or wood that is larger than the seal to TAP it in after the bearing is put in. Don't forget wheel grease. Replace the hub assembly in the reverse fashion.

Call a dealership for the recommended tightening on the nut. Old school is finger tighten while rotating the hub/wheel and then back off a quarter turn. IF the bearing is too tight... you will burn up everything and will be buying a new corner. IF the bearing is too loose, you will prematurely wear the races due to missalignment and will have noise and vibration which becomes worse at higher speeds.

I am on here to veryfiy the correct torque myself - I worked for the bearing industry for 15 years and worked for Timken as well.

As for the Four wheel drive bearings (4WD), I am not sure if they are tapper or ball. IF they are tapper (rollers are conical shaped and have a flat end - you would see a ball if it is the other), then the process is the same as above.

However, a lot of wheel bearing are going to double row balls (Tappers - above - are two single sets - so both styles have TWO bearings). Its just that Double row ball bearings can be a unitized set. In other words, the outer race is one piece with two race paths. The inner races are two separate peices. Due to the construction, the whole assembly stays together. There is a gap between the two races. When you tighten up the castle nut, it forces the two together. By them comming together - forced together - mated - that creates the correct internal clearance (factory set/matched for every set made). Again you would torque the nut and also rotate the wheel to seat the bearings.

To remove these bearings from the hub, they are press fit. You would need to have a press and a tube that is the same size as the OUTTER race or OD of the bearing. of course you would have to support the assembly on the back side with two blocks of material that are sturdy and are the same height so that everything is square. you can then press the bearing out.

Reverse the process to install the new bearing - these are pregreassed. DO NOT ANGLE the bearing or seals when installing or you will get them stuck or ruin the assembly.