can i replace front bearings without hub 97 chevy c1500?

[bode winham]

took my 97 chevy silverado c1500 in for an alignment and he told me my wheel bearings are loose, and they need to be fixed to get an alignment. am i able to replace just the bearings without having to purchase a new hub assembly? i’ve been scouring youtube and i can’t find a video/answer to this. if so is there a video someone can reference?

 

[SUBURBAN5]

took my 97 chevy silverado c1500 in for an alignment and he told me my wheel bearings are loose, and they need to be fixed to get an alignment. am i able to replace just the bearings without having to purchase a new hub assembly? i’ve been scouring youtube and i can’t find a video/answer to this. if so is there a video someone can reference?

Yes but you'll have to remove the races and install new ones. The 5 lug hub is connected to the rotor and I would also order new wheel seals

 

[SUBURBAN5]

Heres a pic

 

[bode winham]

Heres a pic

thank you for your response. i’m not a very good mechanic so have patience with me here while i try to sort out the process. so i take the hub assembly out, and do the bearings slide off the back of it? is that picture of the back of the hub with the bearings out? and is the racer installed into the middle hole of the hub?

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

Yes but you'll have to remove the races and install new ones. The 5 lug hub is connected to the rotor and I would also order new wheel seals

Agreed.

The seal and old races can be tapped out of each hub with a drift / punch and a hammer... a press isn't necessary, it's just "handy".

Clean the old grease from the hub and spindle.

Get new races and bearings (4) and seals (2).

The new races and seals can driven in with a hammer, using a socket to facilitate.

You'll have to pack the bearings with grease as well. Grease the spindle and interior of the hub.

Install on the spindle and set the bearing preload.

I've been sketchy in my description, so reply if you need more specifics. I don't know your level of experience

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

he told me my wheel bearings are loose, and they need to be fixed to get an alignment

If you're confident in what he's told you, good.

If you have doubts, then check for play in the bearings yourself. Who knows, the alignment guy may have been fishing for business.

Too, if you care to replace the entire hub (e.g., because you decide to replace the brake rotor), you'll find that most hubs come with bearing races pre-installed. As such, you'll only need to buy bearings and not races.

Ask questions here if you need more help.

 

[bode winham]

Agreed.

The seal and old races can be tapped out of each hub with a drift / punch and a hammer... a press isn't necessary, it's just "handy".

Clean the old grease from the hub and spindle.

Get new races and bearings (4).

The new races and seals can driven in with a hammer, using a socket to facilitate.

You'll have to pack the bearings with grease as well. Grease the spindle and interior of the hub.

Install on the spindle and set the bearing preload.

I've been sketchy in my description, so reply if you need more specifics. I don't know your level of experience

thank you for your response, my experience is pretty low. normally i figure things out as they go wrong through youtube, but i think that all the youtube videos either are showing 4wd gmt400s or are just replacing the entire hub assembly instead of just the bearings, and i’ve never replaced wheel bearings before. i appreciate you helping me figure this out though.

pictured below is the assembly i see the technicians pull out in the videos, is this the same for my c1500 or is this just a 4wd assembly? because it doesn’t seem like you can take the bearings out. does my hub assembly look different?

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Hipster]

That's a 4wd or fwd style hub

 

[kennythewelder]

I work in a machine shop ( as a welder) and we press bearings all of the time. The owner of our shop ( it's a mom and pop place, only 12 employees) said one day, that, 90 percent of the bearings that front end mechanics say are bad, are not bad at all. If the bearings are loose, then the nut that holds them, is most likely loose just a little. Should you pull them and check, yes. There are a bunch of videos on wheel bearings on YouTube. Just type in c1500 wheel bearings. 2 WD front disc brake wheel bearing replacement is almost all the same. Doesn't matter what year.

 

[sewlow]

A front wheel bearing and race & seal kit will include everything you need to do both rotors, except for the keyed washers & spindle nuts.
Some kits are for both wheels. Some are for just one. Make sure the parts kid gets it right.
Under $40.00(?) for a both wheel kit.
+ two 1/8" cotter pins, at least 1.5" long.

I'll bet that the passenger side is more worn/loose than the other.