C5 Wheel Hub Replacement

[MidNiteFury01]

C5 Rear Wheel Hub Replacement Procedure

Complete at your OWN Risk

Torque values can be obtained from numerous sources and will not be included here.

Tools

•  Floor Jack
• Wheel Chocks
• PB Blaster® or other penetrating lubricant.
• Vaseline®
• LockTite®
• Tie Rod Puller (AutoZone #27016 – Rent it).
• 8mm – Battery Disconnect
• 6mm Allen Head Socket
• 9/16” Combination Wrench
• T55 Torx
• 15mm Socket
• 16mm Combination Wrench
• 18mm Socket
• 19mm Socket
• 21mm Socket & Wrench
• 33mm or 34mm Socket
• Various socket extensions
• Jack Stands
• Breaker Bars (3/8 & 1/2)
• Torque Wrench (Calibrated) up to 125lbs-ft.
• Torque Angle Meter

There are a few write ups on this topic, this is my experience and what I did to complete the task in quality manner following what I consider safe, best practices. I break it out virtually step by step.

How long will it take you; It will take you as long as it takes you.

 

1. Chock the front wheels.
2. Disconnect the battery using the 8mm. Negative first, then positive.

REMOVING THE SPINDLE NUT & TIRES

1.  Place car in 1^st gear & engage the parking brake.
2. Remove the center cap of the rims, exposing the axle nut.
3. Spray the spindle nut liberally with penetrating lubricant, and wait overnight to let it penetrate.
4. Using a 33mm or 34mm (mine had both as the axles had been replaced at different times), loosen the axle nut. Many times these are rusted on and will require considerable effort. Acquire new axle nuts.  
5. Raise the rear of the vehicle. I use a 2” x 6” under the K-member and raise the vehicle as high possible.
6. Using a 19mm, remove the lug nuts & tire from the vehicle.
7. Place vehicle in neutral and release the parking brake.

REMOVING THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY:

1. Remove the guide pin bolt on the caliper assembly. Find the two flat spots on the guide pin and slip on a 16mm open wrench, and using a 15mm socket, remove the brake caliper.
2. Hang the caliper off an available bracket somewhere out of the way, careful not to stretch the brake line.
3. Remove the brake bridge using a 21mm Socket. Use considerable effort as the manual indicates there are torqued to 125lb-ft. GM recommends these be replaced, along with the guide pin bolts.
4.  Remove the brake rotor. Seek other forum posts to determine the next steps for when the rotor will not release from the auxiliary drum brake assembly.
5. Remove the parking brake cable from the J style hook. Once the rotor is removed you can see the adjustment wheel for the drum brakes. This can be adjusted later.
6. Slip a 9/16” combination wrench over the parking brake cable and slide up to the bracket. It will compress the little tabs and allow the cable to come out.
7. Disconnect the toner ring wire from the wheel hub.

REMOVING THE AXLE

1. Use a jack to lift up on the LCA (lower control arm) underneath the ball joint. Lift until you see the vehicle raise slightly off the jackstand or wood, then lower until the car sets back down. The point is to get to the tie-rod into a more horizontal position.
2.  Loosen the tie-rod nut with an 18mm wrench. If it gets hung up, use a combination wrench and 6mm allen head socket and keep loosening. Do not strike the aluminum with steel hammer, it will easily deform.
3.  Using the tie-rod puller, move the c-arms beneath the aluminum, above the rubber boot, and center the pintle over the top of the ball joint stud. Tighten the pintle until the tie-rod stud pops out and move it out of the way. (Usually above the anti-torsion bar).
4. Lower the jack until the LCA is at its lowest point, then raise it slightly to alleviate pressure on the UCA (upper control arm) bolts.
5. Remove the UCA bolts with an 18mm socket and slide the UCA out of the brackets.
6. Pull back on the knuckle and tap the spindle end, careful not to strike the threads. You should see the axle and CV joint compress and slightly slip back toward the differential. If using a 3lbs mallet, be careful not to damage the threads. Do not hit too hard or you can jam the CV into the differential components.
7. Lower the jack and move it near-by.
8. Pull the knuckle (where the hub is) toward you, watching the UCA. Manipulate the knuckle, axle and UCA to get the axle out. It will be tight. Once out, move axle aside and support as necessary.

REMOVING THE KNUCKLE:

1. The auxiliary drum brake mounting bolts are shown. Remove the lower one, and slightly loosen the top one. Swing the bracket until you can get the tie-rod puller flush with the knuckle, then retighten the top bolt just to secure the bracket. This allows you to get the tie-rod puller aligned on top of the lower ball stud.
2. Using a jack, lift the UCA and reinstall the UCA, hand tightening the bolts. Reinstall the tie-rod to the knuckle, just hand tight. This keeps the knuckle from flopping back and forth. It also maximizes the amount of room between the tie-rod puller, the rubber boots, and the knuckle. The knuckle swing front to back and easy access to the stud.
3.  Loosen the lower ball joint nut using a 21mm wrench. You may need the 6mm allen head socket to fully remove the nut to prevent the stud from spinning.
4. Disconnect the tie-rod end from the knuckle.
5.  Lift the jack to get the LCA about as horizontal as safely possible. This maximizes the room between the knuckle and ball joint rubber. Apply a light amount of Vaseline on the rubber boot.
6. Using the tie-rod puller or the specific GM tool (about $350 NIB, or $100 used or check Harbor Freight) and making sure the pintle is squared on top of the ball joint, the c-arms are NOT pinching the rubber, pop the ball joint. This is difficult without the GM tool, but is possible. Use your hand to hold the tie rod puller against the knuckle.
7.  DO NOT USE A PICKLE FORK!
8. Once the knuckle is loose, remove the UCA.

 

REMOVING THE WHEEL HUB

1. Now that you have the knuckle and UCA off, drink some water, stay hydrated.
2.  Make sure the surfaces where the ball joint & tie rods seat are smooth and not damaged by hammer strikes or other poor workmanship.
3. Place the knuckle in a vise with rags, flipping the vice bars so the smooth sides face each other, not the knurled sides which will damage the mounting surfaces. Place the rags over the vice and protect the knuckle.
4. 
5. Mark where the wire passes by the hub mounting bolt so you can line up right the first time and remove the connection from the metal tab.
6. Use a T55 Torx head to remove the bolts. These are mounted at 96lb-ft per the manual and are difficult to remove when not using a vice. GM recommends new bolts.
7. This a good time to clean all the remaining bolts with a wire brush.

INSTALLING THE WHEEL HUB

1. Insert the new hub into the knuckle, inspecting for quality before installation. Line up the three bolt holes and where you marked the wire, carefully slipping in the hub.
2. Torque the bolts in an incremental amounts to GM specifications in an alternating pattern.
3. Pull the wire and connect to the metal tab. It fits a certain way.
4. Torque the auxiliary parking brake bracket bolts we loosened earlier to GM specifications.
5. Inspect the lower ball joint and rubber boot for damage and tears. Super glue can repair small tears for a time…

INSTALLING THE KNUCKLE

1. Reinstall the knuckle carefully onto the stud of the ball joint. I kept the nut on the threads to protect them while jostling the axle, knuckle and other components. 
2. GM recommends a new nut for the ball joint, tighten, but do not torque.
3. Reconnect the UCA bolt to hand tight using 18mm sockets.
4. Reconnect the tie-rod to hand tight using 18mm sockets.
5. Tighten the lower ball joint nut to GM specifications. You will need a torque wrench and a torque angle meter to properly perform the sequence. The nut is 21mm.

INSTALLING THE AXLE

1. Disconnect the UCA from the frame brackets.
2. Disconnect the tie-rod end from the knuckle.
3. Pull the knuckle and the UCA toward you, then grasp the axle & splines and reinsert into the hub.
4. Rotate the new hub as necessary to align the splines of the hub with the axle. Adding some penetrant lubricant to the splines will help it slide in. As with removing, it will be a tight fit.
5. Using a new nut, start the spindle nut by hand and use a ratchet to tighten. Torque to 50% of the GM specification.

RECONNECTING THE ASSEMBLY

1. Reconnect the UCA and tighten the bolts using an 18mm socket in incremental amounts to GM specifications.
2. Reconnect the wheel hub toner ring wire.
3. Reconnect the parking brake cable to the j-style hook.
4. Swing the tie-rod back over, the knuckle will rotate, and torque following GM specifications. Again, as with the ball joint, a torque wrench and an angle meter will be necessary.

INSTALLING THE BRAKE COMPONENTS:

1. Install the brake rotor & drum combination. Use a lug nut or two to secure the rotor to the hub.
2. Rotate the hub or the other wheel and listen for any dragging. Use the adjustment wheel to adjust as necessary.
3. Using new bolts, reinstall the brake bridge with a 21mm socket. Torque to GM specifications in incremental amounts.
4. Reinstall the brake pads.
5. Inspect the guide pin bolts, rubber boots and making sure the lubricants is still good. A rebuild kit available from most auto supply stores.
6. Using new bolts, install the brake guide pin bolts with a 15mm socket. Use the 16mm open end wrench and find the flat spots on the guide pin to prevent from spinning. Torque to GM specifications.

FINAL INSPECTION:

1. Lower the jack.
2. Inspection the area for left over tools, whatever you used to hang the caliper, flashlights, and other items.
3. Place vehicle in park, or 1^st gear.
4. Install wheel using a 19mm on the lugs. Always hand start lugs and torque to 50% of GM specifications.
5. Lower the vehicle.
6. Engage the parking brake.
7. Final torque the axle nut to GM specifications.
8. Final torque the lugs to GM specification.
9. Remove the wheel chocks.

[Bigfoot]

Wow, nice write-up.

[P51tj]

4 hours ago, Bigfoot said:

Wow, nice write-up.

Yea no kidding, thanks and glad to know this....JIC!!!

[TheCMSH]

Well done!!

[Ted Y]

Excellent write up. Thank you. Two questions:

 

1) What symptoms or problems necessitated replacement of the wheel hubs? 

 

2) Do you need an alignment afterward? 

[HOXXOH]

Nice write-up. 

 

I wish I'd seen this 19 months ago, when I changed both my rear hubs. I spent several hours on the first side and a whole lot less on the second one. My biggest (the only one) problem was getting the tie rod end loose. I ended up using a pickle fork as the last resort.

Had to have one changed recently while on a road trip. Mechanic with all the right tools, did it in an hour.

 

Note to Ted: Alignment is not required.

[MidNiteFury01]

9 hours ago, Ted Y said:

Excellent write up. Thank you. Two questions:

 

1) What symptoms or problems necessitated replacement of the wheel hubs? 

 

2) Do you need an alignment afterward? 

 

1) I autocross the car a lot and noticed a funny sounding oscillation noise from the left rear getting more pronounced. Put it up on jacks and grasped the wheel at 9&3 position and it wiggled back & forth, the other side didn't. I also noticed the toe setting on the left was more whacked out every time than on the right when I was getting the alignment checked.

 

2) an alignment is not necessary unless you adjust the LCA cam bolt or the tie-rod ends.

[corvettech]

nice details, I wish gm was that thorough