How to Fix the Front Wheel Bearing in a 1999 Nissan Altima

The 1999 Nissan Altima was a front-wheel drive vehicle with independent front suspension. The Altima has sealed wheel bearings pressed into the steering knuckles. If these bearings become worn and are left in disrepair for too long, it may result in serious damage to the components on the front of the vehicle. Replacing a front wheel bearing on a 1999 Altima is not a task for an amateur; it is rather detailed and requires a wide array of specialty tools, including an arbor press or hydraulic shop press, to complete the task successfully.

Instructions

Loosen the front lug nuts with a ratchet and socket, and raise the front of the Altima with a floor jack. Position jack stands under the vehicles subframe and lower the Altima onto the jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheels from the hub.

Instruct an assistant to press and hold the brake pedal as you remove the axle nut from the side with the failed wheel bearing using a ratchet and socket. Tell your assistant to release the brake pedal.

Remove the two caliper bolts using a ratchet and socket and pull the caliper from its bracket. Hang the caliper from a nearby suspension component, using a bungee strap. Pull the brake pads from the caliper bracket. Remove the caliper bracket bolts with a ratchet and socket, and pull the caliper bracket from the steering knuckle. Pull the brake rotor from the hub. If it does not pull off easily, lightly tap the rear of it with a rubber mallet to free it.

Pull the cotter pin from the tie-rod end stud with needle nose pliers. Remove the tie-rod ends castellated nut using a ratchet and socket. Position a tie-rod end puller so its screw part contacts the tie-rod end stud and its claws wrap around the steering knuckle, where the tie-rod end stud goes through. Tighten the tie-rod end puller until the tie-rod end pops free from the steering knuckle.

Slide a jack stand under the middle of the CV axle to keep it as straight as possible. Pull the cotter pin from the lower ball joint with needle-nose pliers and remove the castellated nut from the lower ball joint stud with a ratchet and socket. Position a ball joint fork between the lower control arm and steering knuckle and strike the rear of the fork with a hammer until the ball joint pops free from the lower control arm. Be careful not to damage the ball joint boot.

Pull outward on the steering knuckle and tap the outer part of the CV axle with a rubber mallet to free it from the steering knuckle.

Remove the strut-to-steering knuckle nuts with a ratchet and socket as you hold each bolt steady with a combination wrench. Pull the bolts from the strut and remove the steering knuckle.

Position the steering knuckle in a bench vice with the ball joint pointing upward.

Select a bearing driver from the bearing driver set that matches the circumference of the inner bearing race. Position the bearing driver on the inner bearing race, and drive the inner bearing race and wheel hub from the steering knuckle by striking the bearing driver with a hammer.

Pull the inner and outer grease seals from the steering knuckle using a grease seal puller. Remove the inner and outer snap rings from inside the hole in the steering knuckle using snap-ring pliers.

Set the steering knuckle on an arbor press with the outer part of the knuckle facing up. Select a bearing driver that closely matches the circumference of the outer bearing race and fits snugly in the steering knuckle. Set the bearing drive in the hole in the center of the knuckle and drive the wheel bearing out of the knuckle with the arbor press. Remove the knuckle from the press.

Place a bearing splitter on the wheel hub so it is between the old wheel bearing inner race and the outer part of the wheel hub. Close the bearing splitter so its inside diameter is smaller than that of the race. Set the bearing splitter and hub onto the arbor press, with the nubs wheel studs facing down. Select a bearing drive that is slightly smaller in circumference than the wheel hub and set that on top of the hub. Press the hub from the race with the arbor press.

Compress the inner snap ring with the snap-ring pliers and align it with its groove on the inner part of the steering knuckle. Release the snap-ring pliers to seat the snap ring.

Clean the hole in the center of the steering knuckle with parts cleaner and clean, lint-free cloths. Set the steering knuckle on the arbor press with its outer part facing up. Set a new wheel bearing in the hole in the center of the steering knuckle and press the bearing into the steering knuckle until it is just beyond the outer snap ring groove, using the bearing driver that matches the diameter of the outer bearing race and the arbor press. Install the outer snap ring using snap-ring pliers.

Press new inner and outer grease seals into the steering knuckle using a bearing driver and hammer.

Align the wheel hub with the hole in the center of the new wheel bearing and press the hub into the wheel bearing until it seats into place using the largest bearing driver that will fit between the wheel studs on the wheel hub and the arbor press.

Position the steering knuckle back onto the Altima and guide the outer part of the CV axle through the steering knuckle. Hand-thread the nut onto the axle.

Guide the ball joint through its hole on the bottom of the steering knuckle and hand-thread its castellated nut. Insert the outer tie rod end through its hole in the top of the steering knuckle and hand-thread its castellated nut.

Press the lower strut mount onto its mounting position on the steering knuckle. Slide the strut-to-steering knuckle bolts through their holes and hand-thread the nuts on to the bolts.

Torque the lower ball joint nut to between 52 and 63 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket. Check that a valley in the castellated nut aligns with the hole through the ball joints stud. If they do not align, tighten (do not loosen) the nut until they line up. Slide a new cotter pin through the hole in the stud and bend the pins legs in opposite directions to lock it into place.

Tighten the outer tie-rod ends castellated nut to between 22 and 29 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and socket. If a valley in the castellated nut does not align with the hole in the tie-rod ends stud, tighten the nut until they line up. Slide a new cotter pin through the hole in the tie-rod ends stud and bend its legs in opposite directions with needle-nose pliers the lock it into place.

Apply 127 to 137 foot-pounds of torque to the lower strut nuts as you hold the lower strut bolts from turning with a combination wrench.

Set the caliper bracket on the steering knuckle and hand-thread its retaining bolts. Torque the caliper bracket bolts to between 53 and 72 foot-pounds. Slide the brake pads into the caliper bracket. Position the brake caliper on the caliper bracket and hand-thread its retaining bolts. Torque the caliper bolts to between 16 and 23 foot-pounds.

Reinstall the front wheel onto the front hub and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the Altima off the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground and tighten the lug nuts to between 72 and 87 foot-pounds.

Take the vehicle to a nearby auto repair facility to have an alignment performed.