How to Replace the Wheel Bearing in a 1997 Toyota Corolla

The Corolla E110 was produced between 1995 and 2002. This eight-generation series features the 1997 Corolla. This Corolla can come in either a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback. It also can come with one of five engine sizes and three transmissions. Despite this variety, the process for replacing the wheel bearings is the same. The wheel bearing sits in a race inside the wheel bearing hub. The wheel bearing hub configures differently on the front and rear wheels. Although these two processes are not the same, they are straightforward. Specialized tools and expertise is required.

Things You'll Need

• Needle-nose pliers
• 36 mm deep socket
• 1/2-inch ratchet
• Breaking bar
• Car jack
• Jack stand
• Lug nut wrench
• 17 mm socket
• 15 mm Torx socket
• 3/8-inch ratchet
• Grease
• Chisel
• Mallet
• Wheel bearing hub puller
• Air grinder
• New front wheel bearing hub, part 1ASHF00074
• Near rear wheel bearing hub, part 1ASHR00020

Instructions

Front Wheel Bearings

1. Pull off the hub cap if your wheel has one. Grip, squeeze, and pull the cotter pin out of the drive shaft with your needle-nose pliers. Pull off the axle washer by hand. Loosen and remove the drive shaft nut with your 36 mm deep socket, 1/2-inch ratchet, and breaking bar. Doing this before lifting the car uses the weight of the Corolla for leverage.

2. Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel. Raise the Corolla with your car jack near the wheel. Set the jack stand under the Corolla. Raise the stand to support the Corolla.

3. Loosen and remove the two 17 mm bolts on the caliper bracket. Pull off the caliper bracket from the rotor. Hang the bracket from the suspension coil with wire or cord.

4. Tap in the drive shaft with the chisel and mallet to disengage it from the wheel bearing hub assembly. Remove the three 17 mm bolts from the back of the knuckle that secure the assembly to the knuckle.

5. Attach the wheel bearing hub puller to the hub with the three bolts provided with the puller. Twist the shaft of the puller counterclockwise to dislodge the bearing hub from the plate.

6. Grind a line through the wheel bearing race on the plate. Expand the line by hitting it with the chisel and mallet. Pull the race off the plate. Seat the new wheel bearing hub over the plate. Set a deep socket over the hub. Tap the hub firmly with mallet to seat the wheel bearing hub firmly on the plate.

7. Grease the spindles of the drive shaft. Remount the wheel bearing hub assembly to the knuckle with the three bolts removed earlier. Remount the rotor over the hub. Remount the brake caliper bracket to the rotor. Tighten the drive shaft nut onto the drive shaft. Set the washer over the nut. Insert the cotter pin through the pin hole in the shaft. Place the wheel and wheel cap back over the rotor. Lower the Corolla to the ground.

Rear Wheel Bearings

1. Repeat Step 2 and Step 3 of Section 1.

2. Line up the wheel bearing plate bolt holes with the bolts securing the wheel bearing hub assembly to the brake drum. Insert your Torx wrench through these holes to engage the bolt heads behind them. Loosen and remove the bolts to pull the wheel bearing hub assembly off the brake drum.

3. Repeat steps 5 and 6 of Section 1.

4. Place the rotor over the new wheel bearing hub. Slide the brake caliper bracket over the rotor. Secure the bracket with the bolts removed earlier. Place the wheel over the rotor. Tighten it with the lug nuts removed earlier. Lower the Corolla to the ground.

References

• "Haynes Repair Manual: Toyota Corolla and Geo/Chev Prizm, 1993-2002"; John Haynes; 2002