kevincook

I'm doing a brake job on my wife's 04 4runner and noticed that the right front wheel bearing is shot. I picked up a new bearing today. What do I need to do to replace the bearing. Unfortunately I don't have a manual for this vehicle and I don't want to tear things apart that I don't need to.

Thanks for the help.
Kevin

kevincook

I have the rotor and caliper off and I have removed the hub nut. I can see where the bearing module bolts on but I need to get the hub off first. Will the hub pull off or do I need to disconnect the axle shaft someplace first?

Thanks,
Kevin

peapicker

I have an 03 taco that got a front wheel bearing last year. Is the bearing a sealed unit, about three inches wide? If you could post a pic of it. I had to take the whole spindle to a machine shop! The bearing has to be pressed out by a snap ring! I have a 12 ton press that wouldnt budge it! There 60 ton hydrolick did the job! for 65.00 bucks!

kevincook

The bearing is a module that bolts on. I have attached a picture.

If I can get the hub off I think the bearing just unbolts.

Thanks,
Kevin

peapicker

Thank god it doest take the one Im talking about! Never seen that particular one, I think I have a service manual for that year, give me a few to find it.

peapicker

2 or 4 wheel drive?

kevincook

You can see the bearing module directly behind the hub in this picture.

Supposedly the change to the bolt in module was done to improve serviceability.

Kevin

kevincook

4 wheel drive
Sport
V6

peapicker

012-1.jpg?t=1250735094

kevincook

Peapicker,

Thanks for the help. I don't think that picture is the correct year for a 4runner. You can see in the picture that I posted that there is a bearing module right behind the hube and before the dust shield.

Kevin

peapicker

The only one I had on an 04 4runner was a cheap haynes manual. It might be wrong. I see what u are talking about. try taking the 4 bolts out that are behind the hub, if that doesnt get u anywhere it might have the same inner snapring deal as the one in the haynes manual. I hope not for your sake.

chris75

Any updates? Just wondering how everything worked out for you, about to tackle this myself.

kevincook

I ended up taking the steering knuckle off and pressing the bearing out of it. The road salt around here caused the bearing to get stuck in the steering knuckle. After I cleaned everything and reassembled it I was able to knock the bearing/hub out of the steering knuckle by tapping it with a rubber mallet.

The bearing and hub need to be pressed apart and back together but it shouldn't be necessary to take the steering knuckle off.

Good Luck,
Kevin

passitoverhere44

just replaced the right front wheel bearing in my '04 4runner sport. I tapped the hub with a mallet to get it off the spindle. We had to cut a 1/2" thick steel plate to fit on and bolt to the hub assembly to press the bearing off. It bent the steel before it finally popped off.

SEAN_at_TLT

I think I may have a bad wheel bearing(s) on my '05 Taco. I hear a bit of a clunk in the front end over square-edged bumps. kind of a 'tunk' more than a 'thunk' sound if that makes sense. How do I check the bearings to be certain?

passitoverhere44

First thing I did after suspecting the bearings were bad was jack it up and grab the wheel with two hands, one on bottom and one on top, and gave it a few tugs to see if it had any play/give to it. After feeling and hearing a kind of clunking noise I took it to Les Schwab for a free diagnostics to confirm i had a bad bearing.

MassMedic

Can anyone tell me if replacing the front wheel bearing for my 4Runner is a job that I can undertake. I'm pretty confident with what I can undertake, just not sure if I'm opening Pandora's box on this particular job.
I've already replaced both CV axles, thinking that the vibration noise that I hear was from them, but no. As such, I'm pretty intimate with breaking apart the front end of my car.
I still get a low pitch vibration coming from the left front of my car. The sound starts when I reach about 25 mph and gets worse when I turn the wheel to the left. I made sure that the front diff has plenty of gear oil and I topped it off but I still get that vibration. I'm not sure what else would be causing that type of vibration.

toyota_tx

It can be done but it was ugly for me, I cut the bearing assembly in half with an angle grinder, turned my spindle down a few thousanths to get it pressed back together using a 6" bench vise. This was an emergency Sunday, I need to get to work tomorrow repair. Took all day. I own bearing pullers and presses and such, but it takes over 20 Tons to R&R that assembly. I have since seen 2 tools to do it on vehicle, check out the OTC Hub Tamer series, and the other one i thought was called a hub hog, can't find the link anywhere at this time. Best wat is to order a new bearing and spindle assembled, ahead of time if you can't run it down to someone with the correct press to do it. Also, replace the seals at the same time. Once the seal fails, brake dust will kill the bearing in short order. Timken Bearing part number for the 04 4WD is 515040 (Precision Brand) Timken was on bearing, original was NSK I think

toyota_tx

Closest I've found is the hub shark 7325, runs 4-500 USD, has anyone used this tool? Look like it will seperate the hub, but what about pressing it back together?