[whatsawrench]

Just bought a new-to-me 2006 Tundra DC SR5 4WD with 161,000 miles. I'm redoing the frontend. The bearings are shot and the hub is pretty rusty, so I'm going to bite the bullet and replace them with some OEM love (along with the seals). I have both sets of knuckles out already and I am getting ready to order the parts.

I searched everywhere and couldn't figure out how to find a place that can do the work to press out the old hub and bearings and replace them with the new ones. Should I be looking at driveshaft shop? Or machine shops (they mostly do engine rebuilds around here)? Or (heaven forbid) Toyota dealers?

I would love to find a place that has done this before (read too many horror stories on bad press jobs). I'm in Houston, Tx. I would appreciate any recommendations in town or just where to look in general.

 

[xsnrg06Limited]

Knuckles out already?
Already have OEM Parts in hand?
Did you get new hubs as well?
You are next to done.
NAPA first call. If they don't they will know who does.
You should be able to get both done for a couple Benjamin's.
It is the one thing I wished I had done while had entire ft end Susp apart, but wasn't Cash Heavy and patience waned, had already had to buy $300+ of unexpected extras that my Parts In Hand list had wrong or insufficient or made extraneous by already pressed in new LCAs, for instance.
If I had a back up vehicle it would have all got done one shot.

And THAT is the Best Way!

 

[bob2929]

Make sure you know your bearings are bad first. Take off calipers and make sure backing plate is not rubbing rotor. I drive through water a lot and have gone through several bearing sets. Evidently these bearings are no shape or form waterproof.

Option1: buy spindle\hub\bearing combo from junkyard or ebay. The cheapest and easiest route.

Option2: buy parts on ebay and take to any shop with a press and pray they install ok.

Option3: buy a harbor freight 20 ton press and just go at it.

I have done all 3 in sequence.

There are kits on ebay with bearing/hub/locknut/seals.

Last time i bought Timken bearings and they came with Japan stamped on them, LOL.

 

[xsnrg06Limited]

#3.
When I have to.
Lots of fresh water drive thru here also so lucky this long I guess!
I watched the Mechanic Lady from A1, have used drum/rotors now a will go for it myself when time comes

 

[bob2929]

I wish i had some drums like she had. I ended up using 4x4's trimmed in the shape of the hub to build it up enough on the press.

 

[xsnrg06Limited]

Just put on new BREMBOS & Toyota shoes is how I got mine!
And a fresh bearing somewhere in the freezer.
Lol

 

[whatsawrench]

Knuckles out already?
Already have OEM Parts in hand?
Did you get new hubs as well?
You are next to done.
NAPA first call. If they don't they will know who does.
You should be able to get both done for a couple Benjamin's.
It is the one thing I wished I had done while had entire ft end Susp apart, but wasn't Cash Heavy and patience waned, had already had to buy $300+ of unexpected extras that my Parts In Hand list had wrong or insufficient or made extraneous by already pressed in new LCAs, for instance.
If I had a back up vehicle it would have all got done one shot.

And THAT is the Best Way! View attachment 152469
View attachment 152470 View attachment 152471

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll give NAPA a shout, along with some local independent shops.

The knuckles are out and ready to go. I just need to pull the trigger on the order. There's a bunch of other stuff I'm ordering (ball joints, LCA bushings, and maybe tie rods), so I will group the order to save some shipping.

I did get some good news today: I cleaned the knuckles and anything that looked like rust was actually dirt (packed red clay, from south Texas). I scrubbed the wheel hubs and most of the rust appears to be dirt as well. The hubs look pretty good, so I can skip them and just do the bearings and seals.

I'm sure one set of bearings is bad (maybe both). When I turn the hub by hand, one hub has more resistance than the other. The looser hub is making a soft grinding noise when it spins.

 

[whatsawrench]

Make sure you know your bearings are bad first. Take off calipers and make sure backing plate is not rubbing rotor. I drive through water a lot and have gone through several bearing sets. Evidently these bearings are no shape or form waterproof.

Option1: buy spindle\hub\bearing combo from junkyard or ebay. The cheapest and easiest route.

Option2: buy parts on ebay and take to any shop with a press and pray they install ok.

Option3: buy a harbor freight 20 ton press and just go at it.

I have done all 3 in sequence.

There are kits on ebay with bearing/hub/locknut/seals.

Last time i bought Timken bearings and they came with Japan stamped on them, LOL.

Haha I was hoping I wouldn't have to go #3. I don't have a truck at the moment (my DD is a Matrix); I don't know how to use a press; and my wife will kill me I was really hoping not to DIY this part, but I know what you are saying...if you want it done right...

I watched the A1 lady too. That's why I didn't want to DIY this part. She's got skillz.

 

[xsnrg06Limited]

On that same note, your LCAs may be better to buy whole already pressed in. My Alignment Cam Bolt sleeves were rust frozen so go Probem Solver MOOG both sides $210 & $60/full set SPC cambers. On install,
LUBE EM UP BABY! Saved lots of grief, pressing, and torch work.
Just a heads up!