Jeep Hub Assembly Replacement Instructions

Jeep Hub
Assembly Replacement Instructions

The Jeeps have what is called Unit bearing or Hub Assemblies. The bearings themselves are not serviceable so you must replace the whole hub assembly when they wear out. You can check to see if replacement is needed by jacking up the wheels and grabbing the tire at 12 and 6 o'clock and push with one while pulling with the other hand back and forth feeling for play. There should be none. These are not difficult to change but does require a 36 mm socket and matching impact gun or breaker bar to go with it. Takes less than an hour to do one side if you have the right tools.

Start by removing the wheel and then the two bolts that hold on the caliper. The caliper can then be removed by hinging from the top outward. Place the caliper on top of the lower control arm and then remove the rotor. It may still have some assembly clips holding it on which can be
discarded.

Remove the split (cotter) pin and nut retainer to allow access to the axle nut. I used a 1" drive impact gun with a 36 mm socket but a breaker bar would also have done the job. To stop the hub from rotating while doing this you need to use a pinch bar against some wheel nuts threaded onto a couple of studs or have someone stand on the brake and remove this nut before anything else. The other way is put the wheel back on without the center cap and lower it back on to the ground to stop it from spinning.

Using a 13 mm socket you loosen the three bolts holding the hub in place but only threading them out by about 1/2". Then tap on the heads in turn working you way around to push the hub free. Be careful not to damage the head which can be protected using a socket left on the head or a nylon head hammer. If you are in the salt belt I have been told that putting an old wheel or your spare and using a pry bar you can lever it out by prying between the back of the wheel and the knuckle.

Once the hub is just free of the knuckle tap on the end of the axle to free it from that. There is no need to remove the axle from the housing.

When re-assembling use a little axle grease or anti seize on the splines and the inside of the knuckle. Then just slide the new knuckle in place and if you have a torque wrench handy, torque the hub bolts to 102 Nm ( 75 ft. lbs ) and the axle nut 237 Nm ( 175 ft. lbs ). Easiest way to torque the main nut is to put the wheel back on without the centre cap and lower it back on to the ground to stop it from spinning.