How to Install a Wheel Hub
The wheel hub on your vehicle is responsible for tying together the suspension and securing the brakes and the wheels to the driveshaft. All in all, the hub assembly does a lot for your vehicle. Over time, you may need to replace wheel bearings, or work on other parts of your vehicle. These kinds of jobs require that you remove the wheel hub. However, you must how to install a wheel hub properly to avoid problems while driving.
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Things You'll Need
- Socket wrench
- Socket set
- Torque wrench
- Thread locker
- Jack
- New cotter pin
- Pliers
Instructions
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1
Align the grooves on the wheel hub with the spines on the driveshaft.
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2
Slide the wheel hub onto the shaft splines.
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3
Place a small dab of thread locker on all of the bolts that connect the steering knuckle to the wheel hub and thread the bolts into the hub. Once the hub and steering knuckle are connected, you can tighten them all the way using a torque wrench. The torque wrench in used to tighten the bolts on all bolts to the recommended torque specifications (the proper "tightness") listed in your vehicle's service manual.
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4
Connect the wheel hub to the tie rod. Secure the bolts from the tie rod to the wheel hub and tighten. Remember to always use thread locker on these bolts to prevent them from vibrating loose and use a torque wrench to tighten them to the recommended torque specifications.
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5
Connect the upper and lower control arms to the wheel hub. The vehicle should already be on jack stands, so you'll need to bolt the lower control arm to the bottom of the shock assembly and raise the two using a jack. Don't tighten the shock to lower control arm to its full torque just yet. Compress the shock until it reaches its "ride height" (the compression rate it would be if it were not on jack stands). Thread and tighten the bolts holding the lower control arm to the shock and the upper control arm to the wheel hub or trailing arm. Torque the bolts to the recommended torque specification.
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6
Thread the axle nut and tighten it to the recommended torque specification. Then, insert a new cotter pin and fold the end of the pin over the front of the axle nut with a pair of pliers.
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Tips & Warnings
Place thread locker on all of the bolt threads to help provide additional security against the bolt vibrating loose during normal driving. For specific torque specification information or information specific to the installation of wheel hubs on your vehicle, consult the particular vehicle's manual (see Resources).
