Inspection of wheel bearings

Special tool

	Dial Indicator Stand or Equivalent 100-D004 (D78P-4201-F)
	Dial indicator or equivalent 100-D005 (D78P-4201-G)

Examination

1. Installing new bearings on the front wheels may be necessary if the wheel bearing noise occurs only when cornering. To diagnose the front wheel bearings:

2. Road test the car on a level road. Make several sharp turns to the right and left.

• Installing a new bearing on the left front wheel may be necessary if the vehicle makes abnormal noises when turning right.
• Installing a new bearing on the right front wheel may be necessary if the vehicle makes abnormal noises when turning left.
• If noise is heard from the wheel bearings when making either right or left turns, the wheel hub and front wheel bearing assembly on the side with the higher noise level should be disassembled and inspected.

3.

NOTE: Be careful not to confuse the slack in the lower control arm ball joint with the slack in the bearing.

Raise and support the front of the car and check the front wheel bearings for slack by shaking the wheel up and down.

4. Spin the wheel quickly by hand and make sure that the wheel rotates smoothly without any noise from the bearings.


5. Remove the front brake caliper mounting plate. Refer to Section 206-03 for additional information.

6. Place the 100-D004 (D78P-4201-F) tripod or equivalent with the 100-D005 (D87P-4201-G) dial indicator or equivalent mounted on it against the wheel hub, then pull the wheel hub toward you and away from you. Measure the end play of the wheel hub and front wheel bearing assembly. There should be no end play. If there is end play, install new front wheel bearings.

7. The tightening torque of the wheel hub nut limits the relative movement of the bearing/hub and maintains the axial position of the wheel hub. Due to the importance of the tightening torque of the wheel hub nut during repair, observe the following precautions.

8. Since the wheel bearing cannot be adjusted, the wheel hub mounting nut should not be loosened after reaching the specified tightening torque during installation.

9. The wheel hub nut can be reused four times. If the front wheel hub nut has been loosened or removed, check the marking on the nut and install a new nut if necessary.

10. Do not use power tools to tighten or loosen the front wheel hub nut, otherwise the bearing may be damaged.

11. To remove the front wheel hub mounting nut, apply sufficient torque to it to loosen the nut.