How to Install a 2005 Chevrolet Colorado Front Wheel Bearing Assembly

When it arrived in 1982, the Chevy S-10 was the first true American pickup to provide competition for the Toyota, Mazda, Nissan and Mitsubishi compact trucks. The 2005 model year was the first solo year for the Colorado. This model year came standard with a 175-horsepower, 2.8-liter four-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive. Replacing the hub assembly on the base-level Colorado isnt for the inexperienced do-it-yourself mechanic, but it is possible to complete yourself, which will save you money.

Instructions

Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel that needs a new wheel bearing, using a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the truck with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the Colorados frame rails. Lower the truck onto the jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel off the vehicle.

Remove the two caliper bolts with a ratchet and socket, and pull the caliper off its bracket. Hang the caliper from a nearby suspension component, using a bungee strap. Pull the brake pads from the caliper bracket.

Insert a large flat-head screwdriver into the fins in the center of the rotor just above the caliper bracket. Rotate the rotor counterclockwise until the screwdriver hits the caliper bracket and holds the rotor from turning. Loosen, but do not remove, the six hub-to-rotor bolts in the center of the hub, using a ratchet and socket.

Remove the two bolts securing the caliper bracket, using a ratchet and socket, and remove the caliper bracket.

Look on the upper control arm and find the harness clipping the antilock brake system speed sensors wiring to it. Pull this harness away from the control arm sharply to remove them.

Remove the bolt securing the ABS speed sensors wiring bracket to the rear of the steering knuckle, using a ratchet and socket, and remove the bracket.

Trace the ABS wire until you find the wiring harness. Pull the harness from its mounting area sharply only two clips support this harness, no bolts or screws. Press and hold the unlocking button on the ABS speed sensor wiring harness and unplug the speed sensors wiring harness from the Colorados harness.

Remove the four steering knuckle-to-wheel hub bolts with a ratchet and socket, from behind the steering knuckle. Pull the hub-and-rotor assembly from the steering knuckle, guiding the ABS speed sensor wiring out with it.

Set the rotor and hub on two 6-inch-tall pieces of wood, so the wheel studs face up and the rotor rests on the blocks of wood. Remove the six rotor-to-hub bolts with a ratchet and socket, and pull the hub from the rotor.

Guide the new hub back through the hole in the center of the rotor. Align the bolt holes in the hub with those in the rotor. Hand-thread the six rotor-to-hub bolts, then torque them to 15 foot-pounds in a crisscrossing pattern, using a torque wrench and socket.

Reinstall the hub-and-rotor assembly into the steering knuckle, guiding the ABS speed sensor wire in with the assembly. Align the bolt hole on the rear of the hub-and-rotor assembly with those on the steering knuckle. Hand-thread the hub-and-rotor assembly mounting bolts, then torque them to 92 foot-pounds.

Plug the ABS wiring harness in to the Colorados harness. Align the clips on the rear of the ABS speed sensors wiring harness up with its mounting holes. Press the harness firmly to engage the clips in the holes. Position the ABS speed sensors wiring bracket on the rear of the steering knuckle and align its bolt hole with that in the steering knuckle. Hand-tighten the brackets retaining bolt, then torque it to 14 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

Align the three ABS speed sensor wire routing clips with their respective holes across the top of the upper control arm and press each clip into its hole to secure it.

Reinstall the caliper bracket and hand-thread its mounting bolts. Tighten the mounting bolts to 129 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

Insert a large flat-head screwdriver into the cooling fins in the center of the rotor just under the caliper bracket. Rotate the rotor clockwise until the screwdriver contacts the caliper bracket, which prevents the rotor from spinning. Tighten the six hub-to-rotor bolts, in a crisscross pattern, to their final torque value of 88 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and socket.

Slide the brake pads into the caliper bracket. Remove the caliper from the bungee strap and set it in the caliper bracket. Hand-thread the two caliper bolts, then torque them to 22 foot-pounds.

Reinstall the front wheel and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the truck off the jack stands, with a floor jack, and remove the jack stands. Lower the Colorado to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts, in a crisscross pattern, to 103 foot-pounds.