Front wheel hub and bearing (Renault Espace III)

Note: Since considerable force is required to press in the outer race of the hub bearing, if this race has been removed, the entire bearing must be replaced, as the bearing race will be damaged.

Removal

• Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal.
• Raise the car on a lift and remove the wheel from the required side.
• Using the Tav. 476 puller, disconnect the steering tie rod end from the steering knuckle (fig. 10.7).
• Remove the two bolts securing the brake mechanism to the steering knuckle.
• Disconnect the brake hose and brake pad wear indicator lamp wire from the holders on the shock absorber strut and secure them to the front suspension spring.
• Remove the caliper bracket assembly, caliper holder and brake pads and, without disconnecting the brake hose, secure them to the front suspension strut with soft wire. Be careful not to damage the brake hose.
• Remove the ABS sensor.
• Use special tool Rou. 604-01 to lock the hub from turning.
• Loosen the nut securing the drive shaft to the hub.

Text provided by an online resource (www.renaultbook.ru)

Caution: Do not block the hub from turning by pressing the brake pedal, as this may damage or shear the brake disc mounting bolts.

• Remove the two Torx T30 bolts securing the brake disc to the front wheel hub.
• Remove the brake disc.

Attention. The splines of the drive shaft joints are glued to the front wheel hubs, so a special puller must be used to remove the drive shafts.

• Using the T. Av. 1050-02 puller, secured to the brake disc, push the drive shaft out of the front wheel hub.
• Install the protective cover onto the outer joint boot of the drive shaft
• Loosen the lower arm ball joint pin nut as much as possible and use a ball joint impact remover to press the joint out of the steering knuckle (fig. 10.8).
• Loosen the bolts securing the shock absorber strut to the steering knuckle and remove the steering knuckle.
• Using the Rou. 1392 tool and a press, press the hub out of the steering knuckle (fig. 10.18).
• Using a puller with jaws and the Rou. 15-01 tool, remove the inner bearing race from the hub (fig. 10.19).
• Remove the bearing retaining rings (fig. 10.20).

• Using a press and a Rou. 1392 mandrel of the appropriate diameter, rest the steering knuckle on the T. Av. 1230 mandrel and press the outer bearing ring out of the steering knuckle (fig. 10.21).

• Clean and inspect the condition of the steering knuckle and front wheel hub. Make sure that the bearing seat surface in the steering knuckle is not damaged.

Installation

• Apply a thin layer of Loctite SELBLOC around the circumference of the bearing outer race.
• Using the mandrels used for removal, press the outer bearing race into the steering knuckle (fig. 10.22).

• Install the second bearing outer race retaining ring.
• Install the inner bearing race onto the Rou. f392 tubular mandrel and press the front wheel hub into it.
• Check the correct placement of the parts and the smooth rotation of the hub.
• Use the end of the old drive shaft to clean the hub splines of any remaining Loctite SELBLOC adhesive. To remove the old SELBLOC adhesive, insert the mandrel into the hub several times.
• Connect the lower control arm ball joint to the steering knuckle and tighten the new ball joint pin nut to the specified torque.
• Apply Loctite SELBLOC to the splined end of the drive shaft outer joint
• Insert the splined portion of the drive shaft into the front wheel hub. The drive shaft should fit freely into the front wheel hub until a thread appears to screw on the drive shaft mounting nut.
• Install a new nut securing the drive shaft to the front wheel hub.
• Install the steering knuckle.
• Further installation is carried out in the reverse order of removal.
• Install the wheel and lower the vehicle.
• Press the brake pedal several times to press the brake pads against the brake disc.
• Check the front wheel alignment angles.