Chrysler Repair: 2005 Sebring front wheet stud replacement, upper control arm, center bolt

Question
Hi Roland, I need to replace a broken fron wheel stud have removed the caliper assy, the caliper mount bracket, removed the rotor. I have removed the large nut securing the hub onto drive shaft. Are there special tools needed or procedures to remove the hub holder from the drive shaft. seems stuck ; not sure if need a pulley or special tool. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Hi Tony,
The hub and bearing are an assembly that is bolted to the steering knuckle on the back side (3 bolts). First you have to separate the steering knuckle assembly from the end of the half shaft, and to do that you have to separate the upper control arm/steering knuckle connection at the upper ball joint. There is a tool (two-arm puller) whose ends are placed around the top of the knuckle and its center bolt is used to press on the end of the ball joint stud (whose nut you have already removed) so as to press the ball joint out from the hole in the top of the knuckle. You then separate the end of the axle from the hub by tilting the knuckle outward while pulling the axle inward so that the two slide apart. Support the half-shaft with wire. The you will see the three bolts to remove which once done will allow the hub to come out of the knuckle. It appears that you can't get to those bolts without doing that diassembly first. If the hub doesn't come out use a soft-faced hammer to tap it out.
In reassembly, torque the three bolts to 80 foot-pounds. Tighten the upper ball joint nut to 20 foot-pounds using a crow-foot wrench (or estimate it, should feel about as tight as a spark plug). Tighten hub nut to 150 foot-pounds.
Roland