# Wheel bearings & hub assembly



## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

Good evening all,

Any advice concerning wheel bearing and hub assembly replacement?

I have a 2013 Cruze Eco - 43K miles. Recently started hearing that awful humming noise. I am fairly certain that it is the wheel bearing but I don't know which side. I figured if I do it myself I could do both and still save.

Looking for advice. Anybody know which is the best replacement part? What about anything to look out for during the actual replacement, or tricks to avoid a headache... Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thank you so much,

AlainSDL


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## thebac (Jul 29, 2017)

I would use SKF, Timken or GM OEM hubs as replacement unless you have no other option.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

AlainSDL said:


> Good evening all,
> 
> Any advice concerning wheel bearing and hub assembly replacement?
> 
> ...


Don’t forget to replace the metal shim that goes between the wheel bearing and half shaft.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

A slide hammer will make your life a thousand times easier when removing it from the steering knuckle.


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## TheRealHip (Sep 1, 2014)

If it's been bad for awhile you can tell by looking at tire wear. The bad bearing will cause tire wear.


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

Maqcro1 said:


> Don’t forget to replace the metal shim that goes between the wheel bearing and half shaft.


Thx for the response!

Replace as in put it back or replace as in purchase a new one?
I don't yet know which shim you are referring to but I imagine once I get to work on this I will.


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

TheRealHip said:


> If it's been bad for awhile you can tell by looking at tire wear. The bad bearing will cause tire wear.



Thank you for your response,

Thankfully this is a new development. There is no unusual wear on my tires.

Also, I only put on about 5K miles per year and most of it is at speeds slower than 45 mph. I have two sets of wheels and tires. I probably only put on 1,500 miles on my winters every year. So tire wear may not be an indicator for me.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

AlainSDL said:


> Thx for the response!
> 
> Replace as in put it back or replace as in purchase a new one?
> I don't yet know which shim you are referring to but I imagine once I get to work on this I will.


I've literally never replaced that the number of times I've done wheel bearings on various cars.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Lift car up and wiggle tires side to side and up and down. The bad bearing will be loose. The tire will wiggle.

Usually it's the right side but might be the left side.

No slide hammer is needed. Hub and bearing are one piece and just bolt in place.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

snowwy66 said:


> No slide hammer is needed. Hub and bearing are one piece and just bolt in place.


It's *incredibly* helpful. They don't just...come out magically. 

If they do, then something was very wrong.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

MP81 said:


> It's *incredibly* helpful. They don't just...come out magically.
> 
> If they do, then something was very wrong.


Hub and bearing are one piece. They bolt in.

I know all about the sliding hammer. Do any cars still require it these days?


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

snowwy66 said:


> Hub and bearing are one piece. They bolt in.
> 
> I know all about the sliding hammer. Do any cars still require it these days?


They bolt _into the knuckle_. You use the slide hammer to make_ removing it from the knuckle_ much, much easier than sitting there beating it to death with a hammer.

This is the only way I replace a wheel hub/bearing assembly anymore - a few whacks with the slide hammer and out it pops.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

AlainSDL said:


> Thx for the response!
> 
> Replace as in put it back or replace as in purchase a new one?
> I don't yet know which shim you are referring to but I imagine once I get to work on this I will.


Put a new one


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

MP81 said:


> I've literally never replaced that the number of times I've done wheel bearings on various cars.


I never do normally but I’ve had the Cruze shim disintegrate on two different occasions.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

AlainSDL said:


> Thx for the response!
> 
> Replace as in put it back or replace as in purchase a new one?
> I don't yet know which shim you are referring to but I imagine once I get to work on this I will.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Interesting - that looks a bit different than the one I'm used to seeing between the hub and the knuckle (usually is bigger and has tabs that wrap around), but those typically are just there to prevent galvanic corrosion.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

MP81 said:


> Interesting - that looks a bit different than the one I'm used to seeing between the hub and the knuckle (usually is bigger and has tabs that wrap around), but those typically are just there to prevent galvanic corrosion.


Of course. This is the newer part provided by GM that supersedes the old part. Bad design on original part, shim was too thin and tends to break. Then reluctor ring picks it up since…magnetic and blocks the signal to the wheel speed sensor.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Maqcro1 said:


> Of course. This is the newer part provided by GM that supersedes the old part. Bad design on original part, shim was too thin and tends to break. Then reluctor ring picks it up since…magnetic and blocks the signal to the wheel speed sensor.


Ahh yeah, that happens. At least it's fixed with the newer part.

I was speaking more about the one on my Cobalt or my brother's Century he had - much, much bigger (but I believe it to mostly serve a different purpose):


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

MP81 said:


> Ahh yeah, that happens. At least it's fixed with the newer part.
> 
> I was speaking more about the one on my Cobalt or my brother's Century he had - much, much bigger (but I believe it to mostly serve a different purpose):
> 
> View attachment 296222


Yes I am familiar with that bigger style. I always reuse that one.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Maqcro1 said:


> Yes I am familiar with that bigger style. I always reuse that one.


Okay, so then we're on the same wavelength - I'd probably replace the Cruze's too, especially if it fell apart haha


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

Thanks all for the helpful replies. I'm back with another question. 

I want to make sure that I am ordering the correct part. I have found this:



More Information for ACDELCO FW382



Can anyone confirm that this is the correct part. Or perhaps there is a better part that I should consider?

Al


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## thebac (Jul 29, 2017)

Yes, thats the correct front hub. Ive had good luck in the past with the GM OEM replacement hubs.


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

I started this thread back in Feb 2022 and I still haven't replaced wheel bearing hub assemblies.

What happened is that I have a friend that is a mechanic and I wanted one final confirmation that I am dealing with bad bearings. He put it up on the hoist and could not find any of the signs or symptoms of bad bearings. No play or wiggle in the wheels. No grinding noise when spinning the wheels by hand. No symptoms at all. So we went for a test drive and he couldn't hear anything and wondered if I was hearing my tires. But it isn't the tires. I have X-Ice winters which are actully pretty quiet and new BFGoodrich tires. The noise is the same with either set. The sound was new back in February when I had the winters on and it remained the same when I switched to the BFGoodrich.

He suggested I drive the car a bit longer to see if it worsens so that we can identify the source. No sense in changing wheel bearing hub assemblies and still have the noise when done.

I don't drive this car everyday and drive mostly in the suburbs so I've only added a little more than 2,000 miles since February. The noise has become more noticeable to me but I still don't have any of the other symptoms of bad hub assembly. Could this be something else? Any suggestions for something else that sounds like bad bearings. 


Also, those of you who have replaced your hubs yourselves, what is the torque spec for the hub assembly bolts. Do you use an angle meter or just a torque wrench and torque to a certain spec?

Thanks again folks, I appreciate your experience and insight.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

AlainSDL said:


> I started this thread back in Feb 2022 and I still haven't replaced wheel bearing hub assemblies.
> 
> What happened is that I have a friend that is a mechanic and I wanted one final confirmation that I am dealing with bad bearings. He put it up on the hoist and could not find any of the signs or symptoms of bad bearings. No play or wiggle in the wheels. No grinding noise when spinning the wheels by hand. No symptoms at all. So we went for a test drive and he couldn't hear anything and wondered if I was hearing my tires. But it isn't the tires. I have X-Ice winters which are actully pretty quiet and new BFGoodrich tires. The noise is the same with either set. The sound was new back in February when I had the winters on and it remained the same when I switched to the BFGoodrich.
> 
> ...


i have diesel cruze, so not same hubs, but same idea...

i had bad wheel bearing noise while driving

i couldnt tell they were bad when car was up in air, they werent bad enough to be loose in the hands or make noise while spinning....it was stiffer than the new ones in the box as far as spin test went though....i also had abs fault (its in the hub) so i replaced the one with the code, still had bad wheel bearing noise, replaced one rear, noise gone.

same with me, the noise was there with my winter tires or my summer tires, so errything pointed to hubs, and it was hubs

both my front right and rear right were bad.....


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

boraz said:


> i have diesel cruze, so not same hubs, but same idea...
> 
> i had bad wheel bearing noise while driving
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply, it's good to know that I am still on the right track.

Can you tell me how you determined which of the hubs needed to be changed? How did you settle on the front and back right hubs? What set them apart from the other two?


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

AlainSDL said:


> Thanks for the reply, it's good to know that I am still on the right track.
> 
> Can you tell me how you determined which of the hubs needed to be changed? How did you settle on the front and back right hubs? What set them apart from the other two?


code reader said abs fault in front right, theres a built in abs ring in the hub

the right rear cuz it sounded from inside the car like it was right side, but i also thought it was front , had someone drive while i leaned out the window

ended up being the the rear right sounding like front right


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

Maqcro1 said:


> View attachment 296211
> 
> View attachment 296212


So I removed the passenger side hub assembly - no spacer. No even one that is destroyed. Should I put one in now with the new hub?

Still can't get driver side off. The axle spindle is stuck in the hub AAARRRRRGGGHHHHH


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

AlainSDL said:


> So I removed the passenger side hub assembly - no spacer. No even one that is destroyed. Should I put one in now with the new hub?
> 
> Still can't get driver side off. The axle spindle is stuck in the hub AAARRRRRGGGHHHHH


yes. Wheel bearing may have been serviced in the past and shim was left out. Might be why the other side is seized on? Spray some penetrating fluid and bolt on that slide hammer. If your replacing the wheel bearing assembly anyways then you can try some map gas around the mating surface from bearing to knuckle to try and loosen it up. Just be careful of any sensors or other surrounding parts.


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

Maqcro1 said:


> yes. Wheel bearing may have been serviced in the past and shim was left out. Might be why the other side is seized on? Spray some penetrating fluid and bolt on that slide hammer. If your replacing the wheel bearing assembly anyways then you can try some map gas around the mating surface from bearing to knuckle to try and loosen it up. Just be careful of any sensors or other surrounding parts.


Thx for the reply.

I was wondering the same thing. The axle recall was performed on this car. But I can't remember which side that was. Should I put the shim/spacer in there now with the new hub assembly (I went with skf based on what others have said about them being better). That recall was performed 8 years ago.

Also, on the driver side, it is the axle that is seized inside the hub. The hub easily separated from the knuckle. So I actually bolted up the hub to the kuckle again to try force that axle back and out.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

AlainSDL said:


> Thx for the reply.
> 
> I was wondering the same thing. The axle recall was performed on this car. But I can't remember which side that was. Should I put the shim/spacer in there now with the new hub assembly (I went with skf based on what others have said about them being better). That recall was performed 8 years ago.
> 
> Also, on the driver side, it is the axle that is seized inside the hub. The hub easily separated from the knuckle. So I actually bolted up the hub to the kuckle again to try force that axle back and out.


yes put a shim onto axle spindle and then put wheel bearing to separate mating surface.

oh interesting. You can spray some fluid in there too and try to hit it with a hammer with nut on the end so you don’t mushroom or damage threads. Also heat works well in combination to loosen rust or whatever is holding it on there.

I might have a picture of how the shim goes on from a few years back.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)




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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Looking at the design again looks like your axle may be seized where the shim is supposed to sit. That’s gonna suck. I suppose the solution may be removing the axle/knuckle/bearing altogether if it can be separated from the bearing.


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

Good News! 

My friend, a mechanic, stopped by the house and he beat the snot out of it... I guess I was being too gentle. 

I mean, I beat the snot out of it as well but just not the way he did. Anyway, it is free now. I didn't actually pull off the hub again yet because we were having dinner but all I have to do is remove the hub bolts and I'll be ready to finish up tomorrow.

The side without the shim/spacer came apart super easy. I haven't verified the driver's side yet as to whether or not there is a shim in there.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Maqcro1 said:


> I never do normally but I’ve had the Cruze shim disintegrate on two different occasions.


I know you are talking about a shim, but that reluctor ring looks terrible. Did you also replace that?


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

I ran across this video and thought this was a good place for a link to it.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Blasirl said:


> I know you are talking about a shim, but that reluctor ring looks terrible. Did you also replace that?


I didn’t realize that was a serviceable part? I just cleaned it up and put it back together with a new shim which for me fixed my issue and hasn’t returned since.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

AlainSDL said:


> Good News!
> 
> My friend, a mechanic, stopped by the house and he beat the snot out of it... I guess I was being too gentle.
> 
> ...


at least you got one side off. Shouldn’t have been that difficult. I don’t remember having to hit them too hard for the wheel bearing to come off.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Maqcro1 said:


> I didn’t realize that was a serviceable part? I just cleaned it up and put it back together with a new shim which for me fixed my issue and hasn’t returned since.


I might be calling it the wrong thing as well.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

Blasirl said:


> I might be calling it the wrong thing as well.


I think we’re talking about the same thing. The ring around the wheel bearing? If I’m not mistaken they are called encoder ring but I’m stuck calling them reluctor rings.


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## AlainSDL (Jun 13, 2013)

Wooo! Job done. In total it took me 10 hours because of the fight I had with the driver side axle/hub. The axle was frozen inside the hub. The hub was easily removed from the knuckle but I could not get that axle out. In the end I found a tool at AutoZone, free rental, that pressed the axle out of the hub. That was not difficult at all but did take about 20 minutes - I was being careful.

So both wheel bearing hub assemblies replaced. I did a mini brake service while I was at it. Cleaned the caliper brackets, cleaned and lubed the caliper pins, etc...

I used A LOT of PB Blaster. Not sure how much that helped but there was a mess to clean before putting it all back together.






( hub puller: https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-...JR6ZGyx1yiM8u3z0OTcaArd2EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds )


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