Wheel Hub: Service and Repair

Removal

1. Raise and support vehicle and remove front wheel.
2. Loosen tie rod end nut, then, using tool 490118850C or equivalent, separate tie rod end from knuckle. If removal is difficult, tap ball joint coupling with hammer.
3. Detach stabilizer bar control link from lower arm.
4. Uncrimp and remove driveshaft locknut. When removing nut, depress brake pedal to secure hub.
5. Remove flex hose clip and detach flexible hose from shock absorber.
6. Remove caliper assembly, leaving hose attached, and suspend out of way.
7. Remove ball joint to knuckle attaching nut and bolt, then push lower arm downward to disconnect ball joint from knuckle.
8. Remove shock absorber to knuckle attaching bolts.
9. Disconnect front hub and knuckle from driveshaft. If driveshaft cannot be separated from front hub, use tool 490839425C or equivalent.

Disassembly

Do not disassemble dust cover and disc plate unless necessary.
1. Mount tool 49G030725 or equivalent onto knuckle and tool 49G030727 or equivalent onto edge of wheel hub, then secure knuckle in suitable vise and turn bolt to disconnect wheel hub and disc plate assembly from knuckle. Use nut and bolt from vehicle to install and loosely tighten puller to knuckle ball joint.
2. Remove snap ring.
3. Mount tool 49G030728 or equivalent onto edge of wheel bearing inner race, secure knuckle in suitable vise and turn bolt to remove wheel bearing from knuckle.
4. Scribe alignment marks on disc plate and wheel hub, then remove bolts and disassemble wheel hub and disc plate. Use copper plates when securing disc plate in vise.
5. Remove wheel studs from wheel hub, then the dust cover from knuckle.

Inspection

1. Check for cracked or damaged knuckle, excessive rust at bearing coupling, rough rotation of or damaged bearing or damaged oil sea. Replace as necessary. Bearing is packed with grease, do not clean.
2. Check dust cover for deformation or poor fit to knuckle, replacing as necessary.
3. Check for cracked or damaged hub, heat damage or rust at coupling part of bearing or worn contact surface of oil seal, replacing as necessary.

Fig. 10 Installing dust cover in knuckle. 1984-87 626:

Assembly

1. Place piece of pipe with I.D. of 3.3-3.4 inches (85-87 mm) as shown, Fig. 10, and press fit dust cover into knuckle with suitable press. Dust cover should be in position shown, Fig. 10, with relation to knuckle.
2. Using suitable tool, press new wheel studs into hub. Do not reuse wheel studs, install new ones.
3. Align mating marks on disc plate and wheel hub and torque mounting bolts to 36-43 ft.lbs.
4. Place a piece of pipe with I.D. of 2.54-2.64 inches (65-67 mm) against wheel bearing outer race and use press to press bearing into knuckle. Press in until edge of wheel bearing contacts knuckle. The center of the part that supports the knuckle must be aligned with the center of the press spindle. Place knuckle so that it is straight on support plate. Before insertion, check to be sure that wheel bearing oil seal has not moved upward, pressing back into position as necessary.
5. Install snap ring.

Fig. 11 Pressing knuckle to front hub. 1984-87 626:

6. Position front hub and disc plate assembly and the knuckle as shown, Fig. 11, place tool 49G030728 or equivalent against wheel bearing inner race and, using press, press knuckle to front hub until edge of wheel bearing contacts wheel hub. Center part that supports front hub must be aligned with center of spindle.

Installation

1. Mount front hub and knuckle to driveshaft, then mount knuckle to lower arm ball joint and shock absorber. Torque knuckle to shock absorber bolts to 69-86 ft.lbs. and the knuckle to ball joint bolt to 32-40 ft.lbs.
2. While checking wheel bearing preload, tighten driveshaft locknut as follows:
a. Manually tighten new driveshaft locknut.
b. Attach pull scale to front hub wheel stud and measure rotation starting torque when no preload is applied to wheel bearing.
c. Temporarily attach caliper assembly, depress brake pedal to secure disc plate and torque locknut to 116-124 ft.lbs.
d. Remove caliper assembly, then measure front hub rotation torque, ensuring it does not exceed 4.4 lbs. on 1984-86 models or .44 lb. on 1987 models when no preload is applied.
e. Connect magnet base to shock absorber and dial gage connected to magnet base to wheel hub, then push and pull wheel hub in axial direction to measure axial play of wheel bearing. If play exceeds .0079 inch (.2 mm), replace wheel bearing.
3. Install caliper assembly, torquing upper bolt to 12-18 ft.lbs. and the lower bolt to 14-22 ft.lbs.
4. Connect flexible hose to shock absorber and attach clip.
5. Align driveshaft locknut with driveshaft groove and crimp securely. Do not use pointed object to crimp locknut. Ensure at least .16 inch (4 mm) of tip of nut is in groove.
6. Mount stabilizer bar control link to lower arm. Torque nut to 9-13 ft.lbs. and ensure 1 inch (25.5 mm) of thread is exposed.
7. Mount tie rod end to knuckle, torquing to 22-33 ft.lbs.
8. Install wheel, torquing lug nuts to 65-87 ft.lbs.