Money is tight and my 2002 Bonneville has been less thatreliable lately so I have had to go back to fixing my own car after 20+ years. Whiledoing some work that was out of my ability, my mechanic noticed that my frontleft wheel hub/bearing had some play in it and recommended it be replaced soon.Replacing my pads and rotors last weekend I felt the play for myself and wantto replace it before the weather sets in. You don’t get a string of 50 degreedays in December in Connecticut often. I have to take advantage while I can. Oncethe snow starts to fly car repairs are done till spring.
I have two questions I need help with. 1st If Ican swing it I want to stick with AC Delco parts. If I can’t afford that arethere any cheaper brands out there I should consider? 2nd although Iusually like to change things like this in pairs (Right/Left) is this somethingthat is ok just to change the one wheel? I don’t feel any play in the right oneright now.
Any advice would be helpful and appreciated. Also is the jobreally as easy as it looks? The last time I changed wheel bearings was 1983 andit was on a 78 Ford Fairmount Wagon.

I try to stick to ACDelco whenever possible, at least for all electrical items, you could go for another brand, save some money, and still get a quality hub.
Timken makes a good hub/bearing, I like you had money issue when I replaced my driver side hub, so I only replaced one side, normally I'd do both, but if money is tight you'll be ok replacing the one that is going bad, just replace the other when you can afford to.
Really the AC Delco hub is only a few dollars more than the Timken, either are quality hubs though.

ACDELCO FW293 $91.79

or

TIMKEN 513179 $86.79
Prices are for RockAuto


Even better for the ACDelco if you happen to have Amazon Prime, if not in the end after shipping it should still be cheaper.
http://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-FW293-...9616846&sr=1-1

Changing the hub is not to hard really, depending on how rusted the splines are, my drive shaft, and hub were severely rusted, I sprayed PB Blaster Heavy Duty Penetrating Solvent into the area and let it set a while, then resprayed, let it set a while longer, then sprayed it one more time and started banging.
I had a 5lb mallet and I had to whack the hell out of it to remove it, I was going to get a slide hammer, but I don't think it would have worked that well considering the rust.
I highly suggest ordering a new spindle nut to use once you are done, that way you can take the old one and thread it on so the top of it is flush with the top of the drive shaft, that way when you go to hit the drive shaft the nut will help protect it, that way you do not damage the shaft.
Hopefully what I am saying makes sense, if not I can try to find a video..
Here is the part number for the spindle nut. DORMAN 615144
When putting the new one on I would use some anti seize on the hub/spindles, also a little on the hub bolts.

I just got an e-mail from Amazon the AC Delco hub is on sale for $84.


not too sure I want to get into anymore wailing on things just yet. I just did my front brakes and had a caliper bolt that didn't want to come out. the head stripped on me. I tried getting it with my largest pair of vice grips but they just rounded the head even more or just plane slipped off. I called a friend for help and we ended up taking a torch to it then a little more wailing. I was just about ready to give up and just buy a new caliper when my friend got it to break loose.


I had already gotten a new set of caliper bolts but now I have to take them apart again because I didn't spring for the hardware kit with the clips and the rubber boots. unfortunately torching the bolt out we melted one of the boots.


thanks for the response on the wheel hub. I may be able to swing the $84 for the one this month but I defiantly can't do $170 to do them both.

In the future if any bolts give you trouble get some PB Blaster Penetrating spray, soak the bolt, come back later and spray it again, then try to break it free, that stuff works great!
Also on bolts that do not require loctite on them, I always use a little anti-seize on the threads before putting them back, it makes them so much easier to remove in the future.

If you have not gotten the caliper slide pin boots yet, Amazon also has them, they carry two brads, Raybestos, and Carlson, I recommend the Raybestos, they are only around 2.00 more.




You are welcome, always happy to help.
If you have issues when you do the hub just let us know, either way let us know how it goes.