The wheel bearings in your 2000 Chevy Cavalier serve two purposes: The first purpose is to support the weight of the car and allow the wheel to roll smoothly; the second purpose is to allow torque from the engine to be applied to the front wheels, without binding, when the wheel is turned left or right around a corner. The wheel bearing in the Cavalier is housed in a sealed and non-serviceable hub and bearing assembly and must be replaced as a complete unit.
Apply the parking brake and secure the rear wheels with wheel chocks. Lift the front wheel, on the side that has the faulty wheel bearing, using a floor jack placed under the lower rocker panel pinch weld. The reinforced lifting point on the Cavalier is located a few inches behind the front wheel opening. Place a jack stand under the rocker panel for safety.
Remove the wheel, using a lug wrench. Remove the brake caliper bolts, using a 3/8 Allen socket and ratchet. Lift the caliper up and off the brake rotor. Hang the caliper from the front coil spring, using a piece of stiff wire. Pull the brake rotor off the hub to expose the hub assembly.
Remove the axle nut from the center of the hub, using a 36 mm axle nut socket and breaker bar. Install the hub puller onto three of the wheel studs and secure it with lug nuts. Twist the center bolt of the puller and tighten it against the axle protruding through the hub. Continue tightening the center bolt until the axle is pushed into the hub assembly.
Remove the puller. Unplug the ABS wiring harness from the hub assembly speed sensor harness. Spray penetrating oil onto the hub bolts from the back of the spindle. Clear any debris from the hub assembly bolts and insert a T55 socket, extension and ratchet through the large hole in the hub flange and into one of the Torx bolts that attach the hub to the steering knuckle. Remove the bolt. Repeat for the remaining two hub bolts.
Knock the old hub out of the spindle, using a hammer. Clean the hub mounting surface, using a wire brush. Install the new hub assembly into the steering knuckle. Torque the three hub bolts to 70 foot-pounds. Reinstall the axle nut and torque to 185 foot-pounds. Plug the ABS sensor electrical connector into the ABS wiring harness.
Reinstall or replace the brake rotor. If a brake job is being completed in addition to the hub assembly replacement, install new pads in the caliper. Slide the caliper over the rotor and install the caliper bolts. Torque the caliper bolts to 40 foot-pounds.
Reinstall the wheel. Remove the jack stand, lower the floor jack until the wheel touches the ground and torque the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds. Lower the car completely and pump the brake pedal several times.
Raise and support the wheel in the same manner used for the front wheel. Remove the wheel. Slide the brake drum off the rear brake assembly to expose the hub assembly. If the drum is stuck on the hub because of rust, a few sharp blows with a hammer, on the face of the drum near the hub, will loosen it from the rust and it will slide off.
Unplug the ABS electrical connector on the back of the hub assembly. Spray penetrating oil on the bolts from the back of the hub. Insert a T45 Torx socket, extension and ratchet through the hole in the hub flange. Use a 15 mm wrench to hold the hub assembly nuts, on the back side of the axle carrier, and remove the four hub bolts.
Slide the hub out of the axle carrier. A few sharp blows with a hammer, if necessary, will remove a suck hub assembly from the axle carrier. Clean the dirt, rust and debris from the mounting surface with a wire brush.
Install the new hub assembly into the axle carrier. Reinstall the hub assembly bolts and nuts. Torque the bolts to 44 foot-pounds. Slide the brake drum onto the hub assembly and reinstall the wheel.
Remove the jack stand and lower the jack. Torque the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds. Test drive the Cavalier to verify any noise and vibration problems are resolved.
