Front Wheel Bearing Advice Required

[MarvinMitt]

Originally Posted by Dippydog

No ball joints were undone the two nuts/bolts that hold thetop of the knuckle to the strut were removed and the knuckle/hub levered out and down giving access to the four bolts.

Nice idea but you will loose the wheel camber alignment when undoing the strut to knuckle bolts.
Some people claim they put it back the same somehow but I prefer the alignment accuracy that my local indie Volvo does on a 3D machine.

[barrybritcher]

its a pretty straight forward job. I've done both sides. def DIYer job.

remember to order some of the cv dust seals before you begin the job

[bugeye]

Not a difficult DIY job. But, it took me four hours to remove the four wheel bearing bolts. I changed both sides in the garage sitting on the floor. Hard on the back and butt. Originals lasted ~ 150,000 miles. Within 5000 miles, the right rear wheel bearing started screaming. I added a little loctite to the bolts.

[barrybritcher]

Originally Posted by bugeye

Not a difficult DIY job. But, it took me four hours to remove the four wheel bearing bolts. I changed both sides in the garage sitting on the floor. Hard on the back and butt. Originals lasted ~ 150,000 miles. Within 5000 miles, the right rear wheel bearing started screaming. I added a little loctite to the bolts.

the trick is to remove the shaft then rotate the entire hub so the bolts are facing you then u can use the ugga dugga

[barrybritcher]

(remove the strut two big bolts, leave the LBJ) turn the hub around, remove bearing bolts and rubber mallet the bearing hub out

[barrybritcher]

Originally Posted by MarvinMitt

Please, don't order just any brand.
FAG bearing is the OE and is the one that lasts.

The Volvo workshop way and also my way to do it is:
Remove wheel, undo tie rod, undo driveshaft bolt, remove brake calipper and disk, put penetrating oil between the hub and spindle, separate ball joint from the control arm by pulling the control arm down with a ratchet strap attached to the other side control arm (both sides close to ball joint), separate the driveshaft, undo the hub bolts a few turns, knock the bolts from the back and see if hub starts coming out, just keep undoing the bolts and knocking the hub out and it should come.

Fairly simple job, no special tools.

I would say this is bang on - except don't undo the ball joint unless worn

[barrybritcher]

Originally Posted by MarvinMitt

Nice idea but you will loose the wheel camber alignment when undoing the strut to knuckle bolts.
Some people claim they put it back the same somehow but I prefer the alignment accuracy that my local indie Volvo does on a 3D machine.

haynes says scribe the position before removing so u can get it back where it was. I didnt bother and alignment is 99% there

[MarvinMitt]

Undoing the ball joint with the ratchet strap is an easy and accurate job.
That's 100,0% the alignment that the shop has done.
Smallest changes in front alignment effect the car handling so I don't see why you suggest others to not take the simple step of undoing the ball joint?

[barrybritcher]

because mine was in like a bstard! even with a lot of force. didn't try the ratchet strap method though.

[barrybritcher]

also my method you can rotate the hub knuckle to face you rather than it being stuck in "as is" vertically attached to the strut.