Funmart6
my name is mud
Just arrived today, new Moog front wheel bearings. My son and I will install them next weekend. I've been watching lots of videos about how to do the job but if anyone has any tips, please share, lol. 
Moog Front Wheel Bearings
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gamefanatic
SHO Member
Sort of did this a few weeks ago when getting an axel from the junk yard a few weeks ago.
You are going to need access to the bolts on the back side of the hub. You can get to two of them just turning the wheel left to right, but the one above the axel needs the axel out.
1) Remove the axel nut (28 to 32mm). You can put a flat head screw driver through the middle of the caliper through one of the vanes of the rotor to keep the assembly from wanting to turn. Use a 1/2" 18" or larger breaker bar to break the nut loose.
2) Remove the brake caliper bracket bolts and secure out of the way. Remove the rotor.
3) Remove the castle nut from the steering rod. You may need a ball joint press to remove the bolt from the knuckle.
4) Disconnect the swaybar endlink either at the shock or swaybar side.
5) Remove the shock pinch bolt. You may want to loosen the top 3 bolts of the shock to allow a little more movement.
6) Remove the control arm bolts.
7) Use a medium to large pully puller to push the axel through the spindle hole.
8) Slip the strut out of the hub assembly.
You should have enough access to get to all three bolts. Reverse the process to put it back together. I don't have the torque specs, but be sure to torque everything back.
Hope this helps!
You are going to need access to the bolts on the back side of the hub. You can get to two of them just turning the wheel left to right, but the one above the axel needs the axel out.
1) Remove the axel nut (28 to 32mm). You can put a flat head screw driver through the middle of the caliper through one of the vanes of the rotor to keep the assembly from wanting to turn. Use a 1/2" 18" or larger breaker bar to break the nut loose.
2) Remove the brake caliper bracket bolts and secure out of the way. Remove the rotor.
3) Remove the castle nut from the steering rod. You may need a ball joint press to remove the bolt from the knuckle.
4) Disconnect the swaybar endlink either at the shock or swaybar side.
5) Remove the shock pinch bolt. You may want to loosen the top 3 bolts of the shock to allow a little more movement.
6) Remove the control arm bolts.
7) Use a medium to large pully puller to push the axel through the spindle hole.
8) Slip the strut out of the hub assembly.
You should have enough access to get to all three bolts. Reverse the process to put it back together. I don't have the torque specs, but be sure to torque everything back.
Hope this helps!
Last edited:
luigisho
SHO Member
Yeah, it's a pain in the b utt but not difficult conceptually. If you can access brake rotors quickly by now, then this a few extra steps.
Funmart6
my name is mud
Cool, thanks for the tips. I have an impact gun also and I'm sure it will come in handy. It seems there are different ways of doing this. The videos I have watched show some people removing "this and that" while others may not remove "this and that" at all, such as ball joints. The description above says to remove the sway bar end links and I haven't seen or heard of having to do this. Anything to make the job easier is always a plus.
gamefanatic
SHO Member
Removing the ball joint is a way, but I found most times they don't want to come out. I'd go the ball joint route if you are looking to replace them.
Norlen Dalton
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This may help though it seems a bit more complicated. Good luck.
Funmart6
my name is mud
Thanks. So, I found a video showing that once you remove the brake caliper, caliper bracket, rotor and of course the hub nut, you should be able to push the axle back far enough to get to the 3 bolts on the back of the steering knuckle/spindle. Well, that didn't work for me. I could get to the bottom bolts, no problem, but the top one is not accessible due to the ABS ring not allowing to get a socket on the bolt. Also, the strut is down into the steering knuckle/spindle not allowing access to the bolt either. So, we removed the strut bolt on the spindle as well as the brake line retainer bracket and was able to push the strut up to get it out of the way. We disconnected the sway bar end link and the tie rod also. Still cannot push the axle back far enough so we are going to disconnect the lower ball joint and go from there. Hopefully, with all this stuff disconnected we will be able to push the axle back far enough to gain access to the one nut that is holding up this process. The good thing is, there is no rust at all on the parts so, things have been easy, just time consuming and a learning process. I've got to go pick up a "pickle fork" in order to separate the lower ball joint.
It's a process for sure.
gamefanatic
SHO Member
If you don't have success going the ball joint route, keep in mind you can get the axel off by removing the control army bolts. You only need to loosen the one that is the front (north/south), but remove the rear bolt (front/back direction). This will allow the control army to swing out and give the room needed to get the axel out and get at the last bolt.
luigisho
SHO Member
It's been a while and I've had to do it to different cars but can you get more room to access bolts by turning the wheel?
Funmart6
my name is mud
Yeah, we have tried turning the whole thing. I watched a video where the guy removed the tie rod end and the sway bar end link, then he hammered on the steering knuckle/spindle and it slid down far enough that the strut could be removed from the steering knuckle/spindle which allowed the steering knuckle/spindle to drop down enough to slide the axle back and out of the steering knuckle/spindle. I am not having any success with this at all. I am wondering if the struts on the SHO are longer than the typical Taurus?
Funmart6
my name is mud
Add to the above also removed the strut punch bolt to separate it from the steering knuckle/spindle.
luigisho
SHO Member
I'd have to see it but I don't think so. I used to use an extra jack and finagle the strut up and out. I bet one time I used a piece of 2x4 against the spring perch to get it where I wanted it. This can get a little wobbly depending on the angle so Not my 1st recommendation but if it were just me..maybe.
Really if you remove all attaching arms/links etc it should be able to drop out far enough to clear the strut. Even if you have to raise the car more??? trouble shooting from old memories of different jobs
I might have used a small 2x4 leftover maybe 4-6" and a mini sledge to pound the knuckle down and get the bottom of the strut briefly free from pinch bolt area and pushed over to allow it to clear.
I've wrestled with all kinds of suspension configs.
Really if you remove all attaching arms/links etc it should be able to drop out far enough to clear the strut. Even if you have to raise the car more??? trouble shooting from old memories of different jobs
I might have used a small 2x4 leftover maybe 4-6" and a mini sledge to pound the knuckle down and get the bottom of the strut briefly free from pinch bolt area and pushed over to allow it to clear.
I've wrestled with all kinds of suspension configs.
Funmart6
my name is mud
I'd have to see it but I don't think so. I used to use an extra jack and finagle the strut up and out. I bet one time I used a piece of 2x4 against the spring perch to get it where I wanted it. This can get a little wobbly depending on the angle so Not my 1st recommendation but if it were just me..maybe.
Really if you remove all attaching arms/links etc it should be able to drop out far enough to clear the strut. Even if you have to raise the car more??? trouble shooting from old memories of different jobs
I might have used a small 2x4 leftover maybe 4-6" and a mini sledge to pound the knuckle down and get the bottom of the strut briefly free from pinch bolt area and pushed over to allow it to clear.
I've wrestled with all kinds of suspension configs.
Thanks. I went to Harbor Freight and got a big ol honkin pickle fork and was able to remove the ball joint and now the axle is free from the steering knuckle. I ran out of daylight so, we will continue with this project tomorrow when I get home from work. I had loosened up the two bolts that I could get to but dang they are still tight as all get out, my impact wouldn't budge them so I have them soaking in some PB Blaster overnight.
Thanks to everyone for helping me figure this stuff out.
Funmart6
my name is mud
Success. I found the reason my impact would barely move the bolts was because they had blue loctite on them. I was able to break them free with a 1/2 breaker bar and then used the impact the rest of the way. I got the old hub/bearing assembly out with no problems, it slid out without a fight and there was zero corrosion. When I spun the old bearing I could hear the click-clacking of the bearings, the new one is nice and smooth. Going tomorrow to get some brake pads and some blue loctite. 
luigisho
SHO Member
Yeah suspension parts usually get the blue or red. Wheels not a place for a fastener to come loose. That is why i always have a BFH and cheater pipe to put over rachet or breaker. Lots o' leverage. Glad you got it back on track. Next time will go faster.
Funmart6
my name is mud
Yep, still have the other side to do also. Lol.
luigisho
SHO Member
Looking at that pic. It's been so long I forgot about the plastic endlinks!
No need to push out axle completely, just enough to get to full access to bolts. Cool trick i did was once i had bearing bolts out of knuckle, lightly tapped bearing creating a gap, took a claw hook hammer and pulled it right out. Now when you get to rear bearings, it's best to get drunk the night before. And no need for pickle bar, there is an indent on top of ball joint for control arm, use a center punch and just tap it right out of knuckle, But if you removed the strut, it will allow the knuckle to tilt forward enough to remove axle from bearing. Good to clean hub remove any built up crap and use high temp grease before reinstall of new bearing. Hope this helps.
gamefanatic
SHO Member
So the next time your strut is causing you grief, try one of these. I have used it a number of times with my old stock struts to compress the spring while still in the car. So much better than the OEM versions I used to rent from the autozone...
8MILELAKE Macpherson Strut Spring Compressor Kit Interchangeable Fork Coil Extractor Tool Set
8MILELAKE Macpherson Strut Spring Compressor Kit Interchangeable Fork Coil Extractor Tool Set
Funmart6
my name is mud
Yep, we decided to go ahead and replace ball joints on both sides as well as replacing this plastic end links with steel ones.
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