Replacing Wheel Hub on Front Tyre?

[Ben Lessani]

Lol, if you've got the right tool Just for the OP, so he doesn't need to buy tonnes of tools.

[Village Idiots]

Don't forget to loosen the drive shaft nut before you jack up the front and take the wheel off. These are TIGHT.

[whiter_than_white]

Also you will need a knife edged puller to remove the inner race from the hub. Every front bearing i have done so far, the inner race always stays on the hub when pressed out off the housing. I'm amazed no-one has mentioned that yet!!

he did state that he needed a new hub so there would be no need to remove any old bearing race as he would just be preesing the new hub into the new bearing.

[AudiA8Quattro]

That is true. I just meant in general really, no-one ever mentions it as a possible problem.

[dj.paterson]

Thanks so much for you help guys, however I have been unable to undo the bottom ball joint due to it being too tight.

Guess I will have to take it to local garage 

So I assume that if you manage to undo the bottom ball joint, the center nut does not spin around when trying to loosen?

[Ben Lessani]

Bottom ball joint is easy Get a spanner on one side and rest it against the wishbone, then a deep socket on the other side and loosen it off. Tap the pinch bolt out with a copper stake (or thread the nut back on a few turns) to prevent damaging the thread. Then use a big flat blade and lever the wheel bearing housing from the ball joint.

But I'd undo the ball joint last.

1. Hub nut
2. Track rod end
3. Suspension strut
4. Ball joint

The hub nut will spin regardless, either get a windy gun and buzz it off, or get a scaffold pole, a breaker bar and a friend. Hold the brakes down in the car and slacken off the hub nut.

[dj.paterson]

Why is it necessary to undo the Track Rod end, suspension strut and ball joint?

[Ben Lessani]

How exactly were you planning on removing the hub otherwise?

The hub needs pressing out of the wheel bearing housing. To be able to fit the wheel bearing housing into a press - you either have to flip your car on its side and find a very tall press, or remove the wheel bearing housing and pop it into a press to push the hub and bearing out.

[dj.paterson]

Do you know of a link to a picture showing where the track rod end, suspension strut and ball joint are located, because the bolts seem extremely tight, and am wondering if I am undoing the right ones.

[AudiA8Quattro]

Try http://vwpolo2000.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=howto1&action=display&thread=146

If the link doesn't work, go on my forum link, how to mechanical, removing front hub.

Its for an Audi, but the golf is very similar.