rkw77080

Here's a quick write-up on how I replaced the rear wheel bearing hubs on my 04 base model LS430

Step 1 - Put car on jack stands and remove rear wheels.

Step 2 - Remove axle nut cotter pin, lock cap, and apply lubricant to the axle threads.

Step 3 - Remove brake pads and pad wear indicator cable.

Step 4 - Remove rear disc brake caliper (2 bolts), and remove the disc.

rkw77080

Step 5 - Remove the speed sensor.




Step 6 - Remove the 32mm axle nut. Important - you will need a 12-point 32mm socket.

Step 7 - Use a gear puller to push the axle into the wheel hub.




Step 8 - Using a large blade screw driver, pry the dust deflector away from the back of the wheel hub. You can access the back of the dust deflector through the speed sensor hole, and the brake caliper’s lower bolt hole.




Step 9 - Here’s a picture with the axle pushed back. You can see the dust deflector is obstructing access to the 4 wheel hub bolts. The dust deflector is pressed into the back of the wheel hub. You need to pry it off so you can access the bolts.

rkw77080

Step 10 - Insert a large blade screw driver into the speed sensor hole and pry against the back of the dust deflector.




Step 11 - Insert a large blade screw driver into the brake caliper’s lower bolt hole and pry against the back of the dust deflector. Alternating prying from the 2 locations (speed sensor hole and brake caliper's lower bolt hole) until the dust deflector pops out.




Step 12 - Remove the 4 wheel hub bolts and tighten the gear puller to detach the old wheel hub.




Step 13 - Here’s a picture of the old wheel hub and the replacement wheel hub.

rkw77080

Step 14 - Leave the 4 wheel hub bolts in place, and re-install the new wheel hub. Torque bolts to 48 ft-lbf.

Step 15 - Carefully align the sensor hole on the dust deflector with the hole on the axle carrier.




Step 16 - Re-install the axle nut and slowly tighten to seat the dust deflector into the back of the new wheel hub. The axle can only seat the dust deflector partially. To fully seat the dust deflector, I used the gear puller to push the axle back once again. I inserted 2 small strips of wood between the axle and the rim of the dust deflector and tighten the axle nut to press the dust deflector completely in.




Step 17 - Loosen the axle nut to remove wood strips. Re-tighten the axle nut to check clearance between axle and dust deflector.

Step 18 - Torque axle nut to 214 ft-lbf, re-install lock cap and cotter pin.




Step 19 - Re-install rear disc brake caliper and torque bolts to 58 ft-lbf.

Step 20 - Re-install disc brake pads and wear indicator cable.

Step 21 - Re-install speed sensor.

Step 22 - Re-install rear wheel and torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbf.

Gs3500

Wow 214 lbft? How long of a break bar should I use?

jackies

iTrader: (5)

Great write up thanks!
One question though - why did you replace them? How many miles on the car?
What were the symptoms of those needing replaced?

rkw77080

If you use a 1-foot bar, you will need to apply 214 lbs at the tip. If you use a 2-foot bar, 107 lbs. 3-foot bar, 71 lbs. I have a 2-foot piece of pipe that I used regularly on things like this.


I started hearing a whining sound from the rear. It gets louder as the car goes faster. This happened to me at around 110K miles.

semar

Where did you buy the hubassemly from?
Did you go OEM or aftermarket? I checked at RockAuto and the pricedifference was huge. From 78 to 460
Autohaus AZ has one from Koyo for 168. Is Koyo the OEM supplier?

rkw77080

I believe Koyo (42410-50010) is the OEM manufacturer. I have no problem with mine.

svlexus

It looks like Im having to do my rear bearing again after a few months? It was a genuine lexus/koyo part but I guess they can fail.
It was very stiff to turn prior to install, I figured it just had very heavy grease inside, ive never done a hub assembly before.

sjzack

Does anyone have a diagram for rear hub bearing assembly replacement on the 2008 LS460?

sjzack

Hi,
I'm trying to replace the rear bearing hubs on my 2008 LS460 (which I will document separately with photos as I do the job). But I'm embarrassed to say I'm stuck at the first step. I see what appears to be a spindle nut cover (because the edges are sloped - not perpendicular. I assume this is supposed to slide off to allow the nut to turn. But despite liberally spraying it with penetrating oil, opening the notch indentation and gripping it with vice grips and even tapping it with a hammer, it won't budge. Is there some simple trick to getting this off?
Thanks,
Steve

rkw77080

What is shown on the picture (with notch indentation) is not a cover, IT IS THE NUT. You will need a 12-point socket to remove it, and it is very tight (LS430 is 214 ft-lbs).

sjzack

Thanks rkw77080! That's exactly what I needed to know! I picked up a 1/2" 32mm 12 pt deep well socket that fits the nut at AZ.
Now as soon as I can just get the parts company to send me 2 of the SAME hub bearings, I can pick up the job again. They sent me 2 different hubs with the same box number ~:^[

zapola6

RKW - I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to do this tread.

You Sir have made your contribution to mankind.

My story:
I used a 1 3/8 6 point Snap-On socket (perfect fit) for the axle nut, with a 6 foot cheater pipe to break the torque, and needed the cheater and it required effort. The axle nut is standard left handed treads on both sides, lefty loose. I ran a heavy duty 4 foot crow bar through the lugs on the hub to the floor to hold the hub while torqueing both off and on. Removed the axle nut, installed the puller and pushed the axle back before prying on the dust shield. The dust shield on the first hub gave me some hassles, I was bashful. I wasn’t the least bit bashful on the other side, it popped it out without going through either hole. It’s just stamped steel that is not pressed very far into the back of the housing. It requires force and leverage of screwdrivers to get it free, also working from side to side on the dust shield helps. This thread is perfect, there is no need to remove any other parts than what is shown.

The secret to this project is the puller, actually a pusher, rent it free from your auto parts store. It pushes the axle through the wheel bearing hub to give you access to remove the 4 bolts from behind. After getting the bolts started on the install of the new hub. I also used the puller when putting the new ones on to keep the axle pushed through to give me the room to re-install the bolts.

Re-installing - For the dust deflector, after 4 mounting bolts were torqued, I took the puller off. The axle is still somewhat moveable, while laying underneath the car, I just moved the axle and the dust shield around the force of the axle wanting to go through the wheel hub self- centered the dust shield, tightened and torqued the axle nut. Spun the axle after everything was tight looked at the dust shield when spinning and it was centered on the axle with no rubbing. Good to go...

I replaced both front and rear wheel bearing hubs, brakes and rotors in 4 hours…. If you are thinking about doing rear wheel bearing hubs, it’s not that it’s a tough of a job, it’s a fiddley job, there’s just not a lot of room for the 4 mounting bolts. Get the puller, be prepared to break 215 foot lbs. of torque.

For the front, if you can remove your brake rotor and calipers - you can do the front wheel hubs without a problem. There are 4 bolts and the speed sensor connector to the wheel hub. A big hammer / persuader helped to get the front hubs out.

The 2001 LS has just 240,000 on it. I thought I was getting noise and vibration out off the right rear. After getting the hub out it was rough. Figured that I want the car to get to at least 300,000 miles. The right rear hub was bad, the brakes were installed over 120,000 ago and pulsating, I thought just change everything out and be done with it.

For the hubs I went with MOOG for the rear and Koyo that came in the MOOG boxes for the front. Got the 4 hubs off Amazon for around $620 plus $300 for Power-Stop rotors and pads for the front and back. I know not OEM, another thread.....

Just got back from the first test drive, I’m incredibly happy with the difference. Hi-way vibrations are gone, the rear hub was making noise that I didn’t realize, fresh brakes got rid of the pulsation.

I couldn’t be happier with the way the work turned out especially the replacement of the rear bearing hubs. And then we can talk about the money saved over the dealer or the shop……

Thanks Again RKW……