The 2002 Chevy Impala is equipped with independent rear suspension that features a sealed hub and wheel-bearing assembly. Since this is a front-wheel drive car, the rear hub and wheel bearings do not have to handle the torque loads from the power train and can be made lighter and more compact than rear-wheel-drive versions of the Impala. Replacing the assembly when the bearings fail can be done in about an hour by the average home mechanics.
Block the front wheels with wheel chocks placed in front of and behind the wheels. Lift the rear wheel that has the faulty wheel bearing with a jack, and place a jack stand under the rear lower control arm. Remove the lug nuts using a lug wrench and lay the wheel aside.
Remove the two 15 mm brake caliper bolts that attach the caliper to the rear axle using a socket and ratchet. Lift the caliper up over the rotor. Hang the caliper from the rear strut using a piece of stiff wire. Slide the rotor off the hub assembly.
Unplug the blue-colored ABS connector from the back of the hub assembly. Insert a T-45 Torx socket and 3-inch-long extension bar through the largest hole in the hub face and into one of the Torx bolts that attach the hub assembly to the axle. Remove the four T-45 Torx bolts that attach the hub to the axle using the socket, extension, and a ratchet.
Slide the old hub assembly from the axle and lay it aside. Wipe off any dirt and grease that may be on the axle and slip the new hub into the axle. Torque all four bolts to 44 ft-lb. using a torque wrench and plug the electrical connector into the hub assembly.
Reinstall brake rotor and caliper. Tighten the 15 mm caliper bolts securely. Install the wheel and tighten the lug nuts. Raise the wheel up and remove the jack stands before lowering the car to the ground. Re-tighten the lug nuts, in a star pattern, to 80 ft/lbs using a torque wrench.
