How to Replace the Front Wheel Bearings on a 2000 Nissan Altima

The 2000 Nissan Altima was equipped with a 2.4-liter transverse mounted inline four-cylinder engine. The front-wheel-drive Altima used either an automatic, or manual transaxle. The front wheels are driven by two axle shafts with CV joints. A single wheel bearing is mounted in the wheel hub at the steering knuckle. Removing the knuckle and hub assembly is within the scope of the DIY mechanic, but the hub and knuckle must be sent to a machine shop to have the wheel bearing pressed off and on.

Instructions

Removal

1

Park the Altima on a level, paved surface and set the parking brake.

2

Remove the cotter pin from the front axle with a pair of pliers. Discard the pin. Remove the lockring from the hub nut. Use a breaker bar and socket to loosen the axle hub nut a couple of turns. Loosen the lug nuts.

3

Raise the front of the Altima with a jack and support the car with jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and wheel. Remove the hub nut with a ratchet and socket.

4

Unbolt the brake line from the strut with a ratchet and socket, and disconnect the ABS connector. Unbolt the caliper from the caliper bracket with a ratchet and socket. Tie the caliper to the strut spring with a piece of wire. Unbolt the caliper bracket with a ratchet and socket.

5

Remove the cotter pin from the tie-rod end with pliers. Loosen the nut with a ratchet and socket until it is most of the way off. Use a two-jaw puller to pop the tie-rod end out of the steering knuckle.

6

Remove the nuts from the two bolts that hold the bottom of the strut to the steering knuckle with a wrench, ratchet and socket. Do not remove the bolts.

7

Pull the cotter pin from the lower ball joint where it attaches to the steering knuckle. Loosen the nut with a ratchet and socket until it most of the way off. Slide a picklefork type ball-joint separator between the control arm and knuckle and hit it with a hammer. This will pop the ball joint out of the knuckle. Remove the nut and pry down on the control arm with a large flathead screwdriver to separate them.

8

Push the drive axle out of the hub. You may have to tap the axle with a rubber mallet to get it started. Remove the two bolts from the bottom of the strut and remove the knuckle and hub assembly. Tie the axle to the strut with a piece of wire to support it.

9

Take the knuckle and hub assembly to a machine shop to have the bearings pressed off and on.

Installation

10

Slide the knuckle and hub assembly onto the axle. Mount the knuckle onto the ball joint. Install the nut. Torque the nut to between 52 and 64 foot-pounds. Finish with the notches in the castle nut aligned with the hole in the ball joint. Install a new cotter pin.

11

Attach the strut to the steering knuckle. Install the bolts and nuts. Torque the nuts to between 123 and 137 foot-pounds. Install the hub washer and nut. Tighten the nut with a ratchet and socket to draw the axle onto the hub. Remove the jack from the lower control arm. Bolt the brake line to the strut and reconnect the ABS sensor.

12

Install the tie rod end in the knuckle. Install the nut and torque it to between 22 and 29 foot-pounds. Install a new cotter pin.

13

Mount the rotor on the hub. Bolt the caliper bracket to the knuckle. Torque the bolts to between 53 and 72 foot-pounds. Install the caliper onto the bracket. Torque the bolts to between 16 and 23 foot-pounds.

14

Install the wheel and lug nuts. Raise the front of the Altima, remove the jack stands and lower it to the ground. Torque the lug nuts to between 72 and 87 foot-pounds. Torque the hub nut to between 174 and 230 foot-pounds. Install the lockring and a new cotter pin.