How to Replace the Front Wheel Hub Assembly in a 2000 GMC Yukon

The base model GMC Yukon was designed with a 4.8-liter eight-cylinder engine, an automatic transmission and two-wheel-drive. The front wheel bearing is sealed, requiring that the entire hub be replaced in the event of failure. The biggest thing to remember when replacing a front hub assembly is that the mounting bolts must be torqued properly to prevent premature wear and early failure.

Instructions

Removal

1

Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel to be serviced with the lug wrench.

2

Lift the vehicle with the floor jack. Place jack stands under the front frame rails and lower the floor jack until the vehicle rests securely on the jack stands.

3

Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench. Remove the wheel and tire assembly.

4

Remove the bolt securing the rubber brake hose and the wheel speed sensor to the steering knuckle, using a socket and ratchet. Remove the caliper bracket bolts and remove the caliper and caliper bracket from the steering knuckle. Hang the caliper and bracket from the suspension with the mechanics wire.

5

Remove the rotor from the wheel hub. If the rotor is seized to the wheel hub, thread the M10 x 1.5 bolts into the small holes on the rotor and tighten them evenly with the socket and ratchet until the rotor breaks from the wheel hub.

6

Disconnect the wheel speed sensor pigtail from the vehicle wiring harness.

7

Remove all four hub mounting bolts with the socket and ratchet. Thread the mounting bolts back into the hub assembly at least four full turns. Strike the bolt heads with the hammer, working from one corner to the other, until the hub assembly is free from the steering knuckle.

8

Support the hub assembly with one hand while removing the bolts from the rear of the steering knuckle. Remove the wheel hub and rotor backing plate from the steering knuckle.

9

Remove the wheel hub o-ring seal from the steering knuckle bore and inspect it for any cracks, tearing or compression and procure a replacement if necessary.

Installation

10

Clean any corrosion on the wheel bearing mounting surface of the steering knuckle with a wire brush. Coat the inside of the steering knuckle bore with wheel bearing grease and set the wheel bearing o-ring into the bore of the steering knuckle.

11

Set the wheel hub and rotor backing plate on to the steering knuckle. Install the hub mounting bolts through the steering knuckle and into the wheel hub. Tighten the wheel hub bolts to 133 foot-pounds with the torque wrench, working from corner to corner every two full bolt rotations as the hub is drawn into the bore of the steering knuckle.

12

Install the brake hose and wheel speed sensor bracket to the steering knuckle. Tighten the bracket mounting bolt to 106 inch-pounds. Plug in the wheel speed sensor pigtail.

13

Set the rotor onto the new wheel hub, being careful not to drag the rotor over the wheel studs.

14

Support the brake caliper and caliper bracket by hand and remove the mechanics wire from the suspension and caliper.

15

Set the caliper and caliper bracket over the rotor and onto the steering knuckle. Install the caliper mounting bracket bolts and use a torque wrench to tighten the bolts to 129 foot-pounds if a 1500 model and 221 foot-pounds if a 2500 model.

16

Set the wheel and tire assembly onto the wheel hub and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Lift the vehicle off the jack stands with the floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.

17

Tighten the lug nuts to 140 foot-pounds with the torque wrench.