A wheel hub assembly wears over time, leaving the bearings inside the assembly dry and worn. The worn bearings create a low grinding sound, especially noticeable at high speeds. The hub assembly should be replaced at the first sign of wear. Rather than taking the car to a service center, most Oldsmobile Alero owners can change the hub assembly themselves. The replacement of a wheel hub assembly is the same for all models years of the Alero, from 1999 to 2004.
Loosen the lug nuts and hub nut in the center of the rim with a socket wrench. Turn the socket wrench until the nuts break free, but do not loosen the nut any further until the car is lifted from the ground.
Guide the vehicle jack under the center of the frame rail near the front of the car. Pull down on the handle to raise the lift plate. Steadily pump the handle until the car is lifted from the ground. Place jack stands under the vehicle to secure it while replacing the hub assembly.
Remove the lug nuts with a socket wrench. Pull the rim and tire off of the wheel studs.
Remove the hub nut and washer with a socket wrench.
Remove the mounting bolts on the top of the brake caliper with a socket wrench. Support the brake caliper while lifting it from the brake caliper bracket, ensuring the brake hose isn't stretched. Hang the caliper by a piece of wire. Unscrew the bolts holding the brake caliper bracket together and pull the bracket and the brake pads from the brake disc. Guide the brake disc off of the wheel hub.
Unplug the ABS speed sensor coming from the wheel hub.
Remove the wheel hub retaining bolts from the rear of the steering knuckle with a socket wrench. You may need a swivel socket attached to the socket wrench to access the bolts with the socket wrench.
Attach a hub puller to the wheel hub and drive axle shaft. The ends of the hub puller should be attached to the wheel hub, while the center bolt of the hub puller should be aligned with the drive axle shaft. Turn the center bolt on the puller clockwise with a socket wrench to dislodge the wheel hub from the shaft. Remove the puller from the wheel hub and pull the wheel hub from the drive axle shaft.
Guide the drive axle through the center of the new wheel hub while positioning the wheel hub against the steering knuckle. Guide the ABS speed sensor wiring from the wheel hub through the opening next to the steering knuckle. Install the retaining bolts holding the wheel hub to the steering knuckle, using a torque wrench and swivel socket to install the bolts on the rear of the steering knuckle. Tighten the bolts to 70 foot-pounds.
Plug in the ABS speed sensor coming from the wheel hub.
Slide the brake disc over the drive axle shaft. Place the brake pads and brake caliper bracket over the brake disc. Install the brake disc caliper bolts with a torque wrench. Tighten the brake disc caliper bolts to 85 foot-pounds. Remove the brake caliper from the wire and place it into the brake caliper bracket. Install the brake caliper bolts with a torque wrench, tightening them to 23 foot-pounds.
Guide the washer and hub nut on the drive axle shaft. Tighten the hub nut to 150 foot-pounds with a torque wrench, unless the manufacturer requires a different torque setting. The torque setting is included with the paperwork included with the new hub.
Place the wheel onto the wheel studs. Install the lug nuts with a torque wrench, tightening them to 100 foot-pounds.
Remove the jack stands from underneath the vehicle. Rotate the handle on the hydraulic jack counterclockwise to lower the car.
