DIY: 03-06 G35x AWD Front wheel bearings
#76
06-19-2014, 12:06 PM
I doused everything in PB a few days beforehand as I was anticipating the bearing being stuck. I ended up taking the knuckle off and using a press.
When i reinstalled the bearing, i used a lot of anti-seize, so the next time i replaced that same bearing (70K miles later) i was able to get it out by hitting the bolts from the backside. It took some time and some good whacks, but it slowly moved and popped out.
When i reinstalled the bearing, i used a lot of anti-seize, so the next time i replaced that same bearing (70K miles later) i was able to get it out by hitting the bolts from the backside. It took some time and some good whacks, but it slowly moved and popped out.
#77
06-19-2014, 02:32 PM
#78
07-18-2014, 07:46 AM
Registered User
#79
08-11-2014, 12:16 PM
Pre pressed bearings
Can I buy bearings already pressed into new hubs so I can avoid all the steps of pressing the bearing in and out? I don't have a press and don't know where to have it done... Thanks!
Had both of my front wheel bearings on my 2006 G35x start to fail around 70K miles. Symptons were a constant humming from the front as well as a roughness felt in the steering wheel. Both wheels exhibited ZERO up and down play when I rocked the wheels at 6 and 12 o'clock. To properly diagnose, i removed both front rotors and spun the hubs by hand. With a little pressure downwards, i was able to feel the roughness in both front bearings. At 85K miles, I finally ordered the parts to replace both. i would have done it sooner but the job seemed intimidating. Having done it now, I found it very easy with the proper tools. Hopefully this write-up helps others see what is involved and hopefully saves them a few bucks. A "Thanks" here would be appreciated!
Forward: This job isn't that difficult to do. The front suspension is relatively easy to take apart, but since most AWD cars are up north, and experience bearing failures close to 100K miles, chances are there is a lot of corrosion in the suspension bolts and fasteners. Some of you may need to modify your removal techniques based on what you find. I started this project expecting the bearing to fall out once removed, but this was not the case. I tried to remove it with various techniques such as a slide hammer and other creative methods but failed. In the end, i used a press and it took a lot of force to remove it making me think it's the only way to do the job. If you are replacing a low mileage or southern car, you may get lucky...but this DIY is based on removing the spindle and pressing the bearing out.
Please perform at your own risk. if you are not comfortable doing this, take the car to a dealer or mechanic!
PARTS
Front Wheel Bearing (NTN Brand)
Timken BM500013 or
OEM NISSAN 40210-AL800
EDIT 1-22-14: Other brand bearings have entered the market. Beck/Arnley (p/n 0514262) , Moog (p/n 513311 ) and Centric (p/n 40542019) now make bearings for the G35x. No idea if these are repackaged OEM like the Timkin, or their own manufacture. If you find out, please let me know so that I can edit accordingly)
Hub (optional if you don't want to reuse your original hub)
OEM Nissan 40202-24UOO
TOOLS
2 jack stands
chock blocks (optional)
Jack
1/2 drive breaker bar + 6" or 8" extension
Cheater pipe for breaker bar (if not using air tools)
Torque wrench capable of 250 ft-lbs.
Sockets needed (preferable 1/2 drive)
- 32mm axle nut
- 22mm socket
- 19mm socket
- 17mm socket
stiff wire brush for cleaning bolt threads
misc metric wrenches and sockets (ie 12mm, 14mm) for misc brackets
Misc hand tools (screwdriver, hammer, si
Forward: This job isn't that difficult to do. The front suspension is relatively easy to take apart, but since most AWD cars are up north, and experience bearing failures close to 100K miles, chances are there is a lot of corrosion in the suspension bolts and fasteners. Some of you may need to modify your removal techniques based on what you find. I started this project expecting the bearing to fall out once removed, but this was not the case. I tried to remove it with various techniques such as a slide hammer and other creative methods but failed. In the end, i used a press and it took a lot of force to remove it making me think it's the only way to do the job. If you are replacing a low mileage or southern car, you may get lucky...but this DIY is based on removing the spindle and pressing the bearing out.
Please perform at your own risk. if you are not comfortable doing this, take the car to a dealer or mechanic!
PARTS
Front Wheel Bearing (NTN Brand)
Timken BM500013 or
OEM NISSAN 40210-AL800
EDIT 1-22-14: Other brand bearings have entered the market. Beck/Arnley (p/n 0514262) , Moog (p/n 513311 ) and Centric (p/n 40542019) now make bearings for the G35x. No idea if these are repackaged OEM like the Timkin, or their own manufacture. If you find out, please let me know so that I can edit accordingly)
Hub (optional if you don't want to reuse your original hub)
OEM Nissan 40202-24UOO
TOOLS
2 jack stands
chock blocks (optional)
Jack
1/2 drive breaker bar + 6" or 8" extension
Cheater pipe for breaker bar (if not using air tools)
Torque wrench capable of 250 ft-lbs.
Sockets needed (preferable 1/2 drive)
- 32mm axle nut
- 22mm socket
- 19mm socket
- 17mm socket
stiff wire brush for cleaning bolt threads
misc metric wrenches and sockets (ie 12mm, 14mm) for misc brackets
Misc hand tools (screwdriver, hammer, si
#80
08-11-2014, 12:18 PM
#81
08-12-2014, 12:08 PM
There is a vendor that sells the bearing and hub pre-pressed in. You'll need to search for them however.
(Edit: I don't currently see any right now)
Even if you can't find them pre-pressed. I'm sure a mechanic's shop wouldn't charge you much to press them in.
#82
08-15-2014, 01:30 PM
Update: I found the bearing and hub pre pressed on eBay - brand new. $159.00 per side free shipping no tax. I don't know the manufacturer (prob China) but they for perfect. The step by step by Mustang was perfect! Thanks 👍.
While replacing the hubs I also last minute decided to replace my ball joint on the steering arm. Went to advanced auto parts for that one but glad I did. It was original and I have 132k on the car.
Note: the nut holding the hub onto the spindle wasn't 32mm. Mine was 36mm. I have an '06 x. Also Advance Auto Parts will loan you the 36mm socket for free...pretty cool. Saved some cash there...
While replacing the hubs I also last minute decided to replace my ball joint on the steering arm. Went to advanced auto parts for that one but glad I did. It was original and I have 132k on the car.
Note: the nut holding the hub onto the spindle wasn't 32mm. Mine was 36mm. I have an '06 x. Also Advance Auto Parts will loan you the 36mm socket for free...pretty cool. Saved some cash there...
#83
08-15-2014, 01:31 PM
Update: I found the bearing and hub pre pressed on eBay - brand new. $159.00 per side free shipping no tax. I don't know the manufacturer (prob China) but they for perfect. The step by step by Mustang was perfect! Thanks 👍.
While replacing the hubs I also last minute decided to replace my ball joint on the steering arm. Went to advanced auto parts for that one but glad I did. It was original and I have 132k on the car.
Note: the nut holding the hub onto the spindle wasn't 32mm. Mine was 36mm. I have an '06 x. Also Advance Auto Parts will loan you the 36mm socket for free...pretty cool. Saved some cash there...
#84
08-18-2014, 10:20 AM
I'll have to go check now. Mine is in my trunk. I also have an 06x.
EDIT: Definitely 32mm here. Weird
#85
08-18-2014, 10:43 AM
Update: so it appears my passenger side axle but was 36mm but the driver side was...wait for it...32mm. Go figure. I had my lower control arm on the passenger side replaced over the winter (Philly/pot holes) and all I can think is somehow they lost or jacked up the original and slapped a different one on.
#86
02-07-2015, 12:39 AM
hub replacment
Thank u very much for the walk through on my hub, your information was very helpful an the torque specs were great thanks again!! I live in the northeast so there was a lot of salt damage an corrosion, it wasn't easy to get the knuckle off, but my buddy had a tool called the Hub Shark an it worked great! I had the hub an Bering out in 5 minutes,there was no need the take the knuckle off. Cleaned the area up. An had it back together in a hour. Thanks again!
#87
02-11-2015, 07:09 PM
Great DIY. All steps laid out, torques specs, etc. Only that I did different from the DIY was the removal of the hub from the spindle. I just held spindle in one hand and gave it two hits with a big hammer. Popped right out, considering how everything else came off I was glad. Thanks for the DIY.
#88
03-02-2015, 12:52 AM
#89
03-25-2015, 11:59 AM
It seems weird to me that I'm at 180K miles and still haven't had the infamous rumble from the bearings that you guys have all heard despite rolling on all 4 original factory hubs and bearings. I guess I'm lucky, or I'll experience immediate failure while doing 80 mph on the interstate.
The design of the CV axle passing through the bearing/hub and being torqued down does give you a little bit of protection. In my case, all 3 bad wheel bearings will still solid when i took them off. Upon dissection, I found that there was some galling in the race area where the ***** rolled that gave it it's roughness.
Nothing where i would suspect an immediate failure on the highway.
IIRC, i drove 10K miles on a bad wheel bearing, only to take it off and find no movement at all...just internally galling.
Heat might be an issue? Perhaps the Manufacturer used an incorrect spec of high temp grease? I did find a DIY on another Nissan product where the Poster disassembled his bearings, cleaned out the factory grease, and installed a better, high performance, high temp grease, before installing the wheel bearing.
In my case, all 3 failures where noise/galling related, with no slop in the actual bearing. I do a LOT of highway driving, so perhaps that played a roll in heat creation inside the bearings?
Can only speculate really.
BTW i'm at 153K miles now.
My rear bearings are original
Of the two front bearings, i swapped out one side at ~70K and 130K miles
The other one i swapped at 70K miles and is still going fine....longer than the original.
I used Timkins, where were the repackaged OEM NTN brand bearings.
#90
05-16-2015, 12:04 AM
Hey, thanks a TON for writing this up - this thread is really what convinced me to do my own wheel bearings - I have about 80k miles on my 2004 G35 AWD and I couldn't determine which side I needed to replace. So, of course I tried to narrow it down and replaced the wrong one first and needed to go back and do the other side afterwards. After seeing your thread I did some research about pressing the bearings off the hubs and pressing the new bearings onto the hubs on youtube. I went to harborfreight.com and ordered a 12 ton press and a bearing remover tool. I think it came to $155 shipped. Put the press together. Ordered one of my bearings off of ebay for $35 shipped and the other one came from amazon for $26 shipped or something rediculously low. I don't know what the quality of these bearings are, but one of them was a Timken and the other one was Prime Choice Auto Parts. I figure if I need to, I at least know the procedure and I'm actually getting pretty good at removing the spindles 
I could do it all over in 40k if they only last that long. Anyway I wanted to point out that after I did my passenger side I put everything back together and took it for a spin. It was smoother but I could hear a screeching noise coming from that side. I pulled the wheel off and looked behind the rotor and that thin metal dust sheild was scraping on the rotor. I took a screwdriver and bent it back so that it wasn't touching the rotor anymore and that solved that problem.
Thanks again for such a great writeup! You saved me tons of cash! And I got some new tools out of the deal too..
I could do it all over in 40k if they only last that long. Anyway I wanted to point out that after I did my passenger side I put everything back together and took it for a spin. It was smoother but I could hear a screeching noise coming from that side. I pulled the wheel off and looked behind the rotor and that thin metal dust sheild was scraping on the rotor. I took a screwdriver and bent it back so that it wasn't touching the rotor anymore and that solved that problem.Thanks again for such a great writeup! You saved me tons of cash! And I got some new tools out of the deal too..
