Replacing the wheel bearing Niva Chevrolet

Chevrolet Niva is a serial Russian off-road SUV with an all-wheel drive system. At the same time, various elements of the device of this car are designed for heavy loads. For example, a wheel bearing (rear bearing or front wheel bearing of a Chevrolet Niva), a Chevrolet Niva hub, a rim (front or rear), a brake drum or a brake disc, etc.

However, despite the quality and reliability of parts, over time they wear out and require repair or replacement. The service life of each element depends on several factors. The Chevrolet Niva hub, like the wheel bearing, is no exception. Next, we'll see how to replace a Chevrolet Niva wheel bearing.

Chevrolet Niva wheel bearings: signs of malfunctions and causes of failure

Thus, the hub allows the wheel of the car to rotate. The part itself is quite durable and rarely fails.

In turn, a bearing is installed inside the hub. This part is most susceptible to overload and periodically fails, requiring replacement.

In fact, Chevrolet Niva wheel bearings provide mechanical connection, alignment and free rotation of the car's wheel hubs on the axle. The Chevrolet Niva hub, together with the bearing, retaining rings, nuts and other elements that make up the hub assembly, can withstand the entire weight of the car.

It turns out that although the hub itself is quite resistant to wear, wheel bearings that are under heavy loads wear out faster. In turn, the wear of the part depends on many factors:

• high mileage (70-80 thousand kilometers);
• active operation of the car in off-road conditions (driving a car on bad roads);
• uneven support pressure during repair (skewed parts);
• loss of tightness (destruction of rubber or plastic covers, ingress of water and dirt into the bearing grease);

As a rule, certain signs of malfunction indicate that the Chevrolet Niva wheel bearings need to be replaced. At the same time, the symptoms should not be ignored.

If the hub provides rotation of the wheel, then the bearing fixes the entire structure in the suspension. Bearing failure can have undesirable consequences. When the first signs of breakdown appear, it is necessary to immediately start repairing and replacing worn parts.

The main symptoms of malfunctions:

• during the movement of the car, the appearance of extraneous noise (crackling, buzzing, knocking of metal) is noted - the destruction of load-bearing walls;
• while driving, the car begins to pull to the side, a vibration appears in the cabin, which is felt in the steering wheel and in the body (wedging of the wheel bearing;
• the appearance of play relative to the axis of the bearing (the wheels rotate perpendicularly), indicating wear and other defects.

How to change a Niva Chevrolet wheel bearing: replacing a front wheel bearing and a rear wheel bearing

We note right away that the replacement process is not simple and requires certain knowledge, as well as experience. Let's take a closer look at how to change the wheel bearing on the front axle of the Chevrolet Niva. To replace the front wheel bearings, you will need the following tools:

• torque wrench, hexagon “30”, flat screwdriver “minus”;
• keys "17" and "19";
• extractors, pressing mandrel, press, hammer;
• penetrating grease, new bearing;
• wrench, chisel.

To replace the Chevrolet Niva wheel bearings, it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory work:

• put the car on a flat surface, placing it on a pit or lifting it on a lift;
• loosen the nuts and bolts of the front axle rim;
• remove the wheel rim together with the hub nut cap.

The Chevrolet Niva front wheel bearing is replaced as follows:

• having removed the decorative cap and torn off the hub nut (front hub on the Chevrolet Niva), holding the hub with a suitable handle, preventing turning, unscrew the nut;
• separate the brake pads with flat screwdrivers and unscrew the mounting bolts from the bar;
• having disconnected and moved aside the brake caliper, tie it with wire to the suspension elements so that it does not load the brake hose, and also to protect the non-adjustable bearing;
• remove the brake disc, lightly tapping with a rubber hammer from the eye on the steering knuckle, pressing your finger to the steering tip, after disconnecting the tip, take it to the side and fix it at a certain distance; Next, you need to unscrew the bolts of the suspension strut and the kingpin and unscrew the bolts of the fastening connecting the fist and the ball joint, using the “19” wrench (we used penetrating grease).
• loosen the drive shaft from the hub nut, then do the same with the thrust washer;
• to remove the hub from the steering knuckle, use a press to compress the part with an extractor, focusing on the special holes provided specifically for it;
• using a lifter, remove the two retaining rings from the neck and remove the bearing;
• clean the seat for the new ring (the front hub of the Niva Chevrolet and the rotating washer are cleaned);
• install a new bearing support ring;
• using a special type of lubricant, lubricate the seat and the bearing itself;
• having installed the bearing on the spacer ring, press it into the steering knuckle bushing;
• Install the steering knuckle in reverse order and adjust the clearance in the hub bearing.

Now let's move on to how to change the Chevrolet Niva wheel bearings on the rear axle. Replacing the rear wheel bearing is similar, but slightly different from similar work on the front. To replace the rear wheel bearing on a Chevrolet Niva, you will need the following tools: a flat screwdriver, a 24 socket head, extractors, pliers.

We also recommend reading an article on how to lubricate a wheel bearing. In this article, you will learn about the types and types of wheel bearing lubrication, as well as what to consider when choosing a lubricant. As in the case of replacing the front bearing, the car must be prepared by putting it on a pit or on a lift. Next, remove the wheel and brake drum, remove the axle shaft and separate it from the bearing and ring. The general sequence of work performed when removing the rear bearing is the same as when removing the front bearing.

We also add that when disassembling and installing the bearing, it is necessary to pay attention to the condition of the seals, protective covers, anthers, etc. The slightest damage to the protective elements is not allowed, since water and dirt in case of contact with the bearing will quickly disable even a new element.

To summarize

Given the above information, it becomes clear that you can replace the Chevrolet Niva wheel bearing with your own hands in an ordinary garage. However, before starting work, you must have all the necessary tools, as well as follow the instructions above for removing and installing a new bearing. After replacement, it is also necessary to check new bearings for the presence of extraneous sounds.

We also recommend reading the article about what signs of CV joint failure indicate a malfunction. In this article, you will learn how to check the internal and external CV joints, as well as what symptoms you should pay attention to in order to independently determine the need for a CV joint test. Finally, we note that when choosing wheel bearings for a Chevrolet Niva, it is necessary to separately take into account operating conditions and loads. If the car is actively used for off-road driving, it is necessary to purchase the highest quality parts (both original and analogues of well-known world manufacturers).