2004 Suzuki Verona Replacing hub bearings

COCOA217

MEMBER
2004 SUZUKI VERONA
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
157,000 MILES

Hello, I am going to try to attempt to replace the hub bearing assembly on my 2004 suzuki verona. I was wondering if you have any tips on how I can tell exactly which hubs are bad. I try to listen while driving and cannot pinpoint where noise is coming from. I was also wondering if you have any tips on the replacement. I have changed the pads and rotors so it seems like there are just a few more bolts to take off to replace the hubs? I was also wondering if you happen to know the torque specifications for this job or were I should go to find them. Thanks

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,871 POSTS

Hi cocoa217. Welcome to the forum. With the older Chrysler style pressed-in bearings from the 1980s, you could tell which one was noisy by observing which direction you turned to make them louder or quiet. That doesn't work with the bolt-on style. With the pressed-in bearing, you had to destroy it to remove it but luckily there was never a need to remove it except to replace it. The good news with the bolt-on style is if you replace the wrong one, you can put the old one on the other side.

The only way I found to tell for sure which one is noisy is to raise the vehicle off the ground, run it in gear, and listen next to each one with a stethoscope. One of them will seem to be making a light grinding noise, (remember, there won't be any vehicle weight on them), but then the other one will obviously be louder. I had to do this many times as the alignment specialist at a very nice family-owned Chrysler dealership. It always worked on the various trade-in cars too.

The torque spec for the axle nut is in the service manual but the new hub assembly will come with a sheet of instructions too that lists the value they want you to use. A typical value is 180 foot pounds, but a lot of GM vehicles go as high as 240 foot pounds. Don't put any weight on the wheel / bearing until that nut is tightened or the new bearing will instantly become noisy too.

Caradiodoc