I need to replace my left front so ive decided to do em both...y question is, how do it do it? they way ive done it in my buddys durango is we took the cv and the axle all the way out. im not sure how to approach it with my 2001 2wd dakota. no ABS

 

Are you replacing just the bearing or the entire hub?

 

The whole hub.

 

From the FSM:

REMOVAL
(1) Raise and support vehicle.
(2) Remove wheel and tire assembly.
(3) Remove brake caliper, rotor, and ABS wheel speed sensor if equipped.
(4) Remove hub/bearing spindle nut and discard nut.
CAUTION: The hub/bearing spindle nut can not be re-used.
(5) Slide hub/bearing off spindle.

INSTALLATION
(1) Slide hub/bearing on spindle.
(2) Install new spindle nut and tighten to 251 N·m (185 ft. lbs.).
(3) Install brake rotor, caliper, and ABS wheel speed sensor if equipped.
(4) Install wheel and tire assembly.
(5) Remove support and lower vehicle.

 

Thank you! I wanted to just make sure i didnt have to take the axle out!

 

You will need the axle nut socket, it should be a 35 mm socket, I bought mine at Advance for about $10.00. Before I removed my wheels I popped out the plastic center caps from the wheel and put the socket on the axle nut with the wheels on the ground, parking brake on and wheel chocks on the front tires. I put a 1/2" breaker bar on the axle nut socket and stood on the end of the breaker bar, bounced up and down a time or two to break the axle nut loose. After that it is just like the manual says. Remove the wheel, brake caliper and rotor and loosen the axle nut, the hub should slide right off the spindle. Coat the spindle and the inside of the new hub with a thin coat of high temp grease. I used National brand hubs on my truck. They came with a new axle nut in the box. Saved me a few bucks and a trip to Napa. I bought mine at Advance, used an online discount code, did two separate transactions and saved $80.00 on the pair.

Jimmy

 

hey not to jack anyones thread or anything but is it easier to change the whole hub than the bearing? and is the bearing right inside the hub? i know newbie questions but i just wanted to make sure

 

MUCH easier to change the whole hub.

 

yes its much easier to change to whole hub! i will be doin this project this week! got the parts ordered.

 

i have an impact wrench so i will have it easy on taking the axle nut off