I guess age and lousy roads have taken a toll on the right front wheel bearing. I'm fairly sure it'* the right side becuase when I go towards the left I hear the wheel hummm. So the question is, can I replace the wheel bearing assembly without an impact wrench or is this job better left to the pro'*?

1st - do you have a manual ?
#55 torx
large socket to fit driveshate bolt (I forget the size)

I've never replaced a front hub/bearing but I pulled them to aid in driveshaft removal on my Regal. You can get the large nut on driveshaft off with breaker bar. As I recall when doing my Regals driveshaft my 120PSI compressor would not bust it loose anyhow. Wheel still need to be on ground just like for loosening lug nuts. Shaft needs to be removed, caliper need to be hung, rotor should come right off Then three bolts and the hub & bearing assembly. comes out of the knuckle. For some reason the H body book says you need to separate control arm from steering nuckle at ball joint and disconnect stabilizor. Dont know why but like I said I never did H body driveshat or hub.Now, Im not sure how the bearing comes. I would not be surprised if today you get the entire hub/bearing assembly and bolt it right in , reassemble and drive away. I do know they are expensive. I consider it a easy job. I have done the rears on the 86 LeSabre.

Had to do this myself a year or so ago--check this thread for the stuff I posted:

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...436&highlight=

You can use a blow-torch to get those bolts off if nothing else works...

The biggest problem can be getting the rusted bearing off the rusted knuckle.

I had no problem w/bolts on 91 Regal but that car was garaged and immaculately kept. For tuff bolts I :

try to wire brush any exposed threads sticking out on back side. Drill w/brush, or hand brush.
use pointed dentist thingy to clean torx or allen hole
put torx on extension and rap it in good in the first place
plus 3 or 4 more good raps to show iron you mean business actually it shocks the rust and grip somewhat just like a impact only not as good. (This works great for those pesky phillips head body trim screws)
I try things quick if I dont like the feel I go for torch immeadiatly, small propane torch back before I got my acetalene. Just takes longer.
heat the area the bolt threads into not the bolt. You want to expand the housing or nut not the bolt
You also dont want the bolt soft hot that will ruin the torx or allen socket your trying to hold
Turn a grade 5 or 8 bolt blue and youve reduced it to nearly one of those grade 2 wanna be bolts. Turn it red and its soft. You will round out the head of one of these softened bolts lickity split.
I also never heat when tool is in place. You dont want to soften and remove temper from tool or expand the fit of the tool (can of cold water to keep tool cool isnt a bad idea) sure everything will be hot by the time your done but you mainly want to expand the item the female threads are on.
You also need to hold center of ratchet or extension with other hand so you dont twist crooked on socket,torx or allen. It makes me nuts when I see people do that. Your just looking to mess up the head of said bolt or break socket or snap torx or allen. One hand on each end of ratchet or breaker bar.

Thanks jimzdat for that link. Your procedure is a LOT clearer than the Olds manual. l might attemp this job latter this week and start soaking the bolts with PB Blaster. I know their must be a logical reaon for this but why can't you break that 1-5/16" axle nut while the wheels are still on the ground? I'll need my assistant, "Bruno", anyway becuase the manual calls for shaft/axle nut to be tightened to 192 ft lbs. Thanks again for your input.

In my case, it was because the socket would not fit thru the center hole of the wheel--it was about a 1/16 inch too big. If you were able to find a thin wall socket, or if your wheels are different, then it wouldnt be an issue

Here'* a post script to this thread. I, along with my rather large friend, was able to successfully replace the right front wheel bearing assembly without too much of a problem in about one-and-a-half hours just as jimzdat said it took him. I just want to update the jimzdat procedure, somewhat, from my experience.

Well, just like jimzdat said this job on my 91 Olds 88 Royale really was not as hard as I was expecting.

Here'* what it took for me.

Replacement Hub/Bearing assembly. I paid $130 for mine but it came with a new Bearing Seal and a shiney new Hub Nut(woo-hoo)
Jack & jackstands
1-5/16 socket
Torx T-50 & 55 sockets


(These instructions are not meant to be taken as gospel, just my experience, and information from the 1991 Eighty-Eight Royale manual. Please work safely, and don't sue me if I missed something in here and your car ceases to function)

1. It might help you to liberally spray around the large(1-5/16") nut at least a few hours(even a day) before you "do the deed". I used PB Blaster but just about any penetrating oil should do if you can't find this stuff.
2. IF you can insert the 1-5/16" socket(like I could) thru the center hole of the wheel, then you can keep the wheels on the ground for now and with a Breaker Bar(and maybe a strong assistant) you should be able to loosen the nut without any heavy duty equipment.(I truly believe that PB Blaster stuff helped)
3.. Jack up the front of the car, and support it safely
4. Remove the wheel from the offending hub
5.Use the 1-5/16" socket to remove the loosened the nut on the end of the halfshaft.
6. The manual says to use a gear puller to push the halfshaft inboard slightly to break it free from the hub. Tapping with a hard rubber mallet worked for me--use a block of wood to protect the threads if you don't have a soft-faced mallet
7. Use the 50 Torx to remove the caliper bolts--use a piece of wire to hang the caliper from the spring, so it doesn't strain the hose
8. Pull the rotor off the hub, set aside
9. Use the Torx T-55 socket to remove the three bolts holding the hub assembly to the steering knuckle.
10. Remove the Dust Shield.
11. At this point, the hub assembly should slide right out--if it needs some persuasion, carefully pry it out of the steering knuckle. Also remove the old Bearing Seal
12. After the hub and seal are removed, you'll notice a fair amount of dirt built up in the steering knuckle housing it fits into--make sure you clean that all out
13. Press the new Bearing Seal about 1/4" into the steering knuckle housing.
14. Install the new hub assembly into the steering knuckle housing and using the new shiney nut(I thinkd there was a washer too), get it started.
15. Install the Dust Shield. Careful, make sure you face it the correct way(guess what I did...d'oh!)
16. Install Torx bolts into hub assembly - torque spec for the Torx bolts was 70 ft-lbs (according to my manual)
17. Put the brake rotor back on the hub, and reinstall the caliper
18. Snug the big shiney new nut up to the hub.
19. Put the tire back on the car and lower the car to the ground.
17. Torque the 1-5/16" nut 192 ft-lbs(again according to my manual). Please note that my torgue wrench only went up to 150 ft lbs. We made our "best press" on the final 42 ft lbs.
19. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs
20. Test drive car to make sure you replaced the correct wheel bearing. No noise? You're Done!!!

Also remember that my car does not have ABS which may add a step or two to your particular car.