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Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Roger2561
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Jul 9, 2012, 5:11 PM
Post #1 of 12
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Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Hi everyone. I'm new here. I need help with my 2006 Pontiac Vibe AWD 1.8L motor with 61,000 miles on it. The drivers side rear wheel bearing needs replacing. I've worked on many trucks in the past and the brakes usually came apart rather simple. However, I'm having trouble removing the brake drum so I can continue the disassembly process. On the trucks there is a "window" where a special tool is inserted to release the auto adjusting unit. However, I cannot seem to release the auto adjust so i can remove the drum. Any tool I have is for pickup trucks and they simply too big to fit in the access hole. Presumably I'll need a smaller one to fit the car. Once I have the drum off, I'm assuming the brake shoes and associated hardware removes the same as the pick up trucks. Any and all assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help. Roger
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 9, 2012, 5:56 PM
Post #2 of 12
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Unless your brake drums are grooved, the drum should slide right off. Sometimes rotating the drum will help. If you have to back off the adjuster, you will have to make a tool to lift the adjusting lever off the teeth to be able to rotate it backwards.It works like a ratchet and only tightens unless the lever is lifted off of it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 9, 2012, 6:19 PM
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Roger2561
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Jul 10, 2012, 4:40 AM
Post #4 of 12
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Hammer and Discretesignals; Thanks for the reply. Hammer - Unfortunately, they do not simply pull off. I have tried to pull them like I did on my pickups but without any luck. I'm assuming I'll have to purchase some kind of tool to fit through the access hole in the backing plate to back off the auto adjuster. I'll check with my parts guy this evening. Discretesignal; The diagram you provided is a huge help. It shows a slot through which a couple of screwdrivers are placed to manually loosen the auto adjuster. On the Vibe it only has a small hole not much larger than the finger nail on my index finger. I did not find a slot as shown in the diagram. Perhaps I didn't look close enough. I'll have another look this evening. Gentlemen - If you had your choice of repair manuals to purchase, which would you use? The Haynes or Chilten (I think that's the other one) manuals? Thanks for your expertise and assistance. Roger
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 10, 2012, 5:02 AM
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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If need be just get some cheap flat head screw drivers such that two fit in that small hole, bend one to act as a brake spoon for star adjuster and another small one so it can move the lever away (unseen really) such that adjuster can retract instead of only going in ratcheting direction to tighten it more. If drum is free from hub. If not get that and drum should wiggle but not come off if shoes too tight against a rust ring or area not worn from the shoes. Avoid plain prying or pullers as backing plate isn't as strong as you might think and can be damaged, T
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 10, 2012, 5:43 AM
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Yep, Alldata all the way. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Roger2561
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Jul 11, 2012, 3:06 AM
Post #8 of 12
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Okay, I signed on to Alldata DIY and it appears to be a great source of information. Thanks for the tip. Looking at the description for removal of the rear wheel hub and bearing, it says first to remove the knuckle. Is this the only way to remove the hub or can the hub be removed without removing the knuckle? I understand the ease it provides by removing the knuckle, I'm just curious if it can be done without removing the knuckle. Thanks for your help guys. I appreciate it. Roger
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 11, 2012, 3:12 AM
Post #9 of 12
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Maybe this job isn't for you. You have an AWD vehicle which means there is an axle going through that hub and the hub bolts from the rear. How do you propose you are going to get those bolts out with the axle in place? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Roger2561
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Jul 11, 2012, 4:42 AM
Post #10 of 12
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Hammer - It's not that I can't do the job - it's rather simple compared to some of the repairs I did on my trucks - I was just curiosity, thats all. Plus, this is a challenge because compared to the trucks, everything on the car is micro so locating things is a bit different. Once I found what I was looking for, the brake drum removed without any effort whatsoever. In the trucks, I was able to sit upright inside the wheel well and have a great view of everything behind the backing plate. That can't be done with the car so I have to adjust. This is my first car I have ever owned, so it's a learning curve for me. Plus, I never turn away from a challenge. Thanks for the concern and for the help. I appreciate it. Roger
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Roger2561
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Jul 12, 2012, 5:38 PM
Post #11 of 12
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Update - The new rear wheel bearing/hub assembly is in place. It went in much easier than the one that came out. All that remains to be done is re-install the brakes, bleed the system and go for a test ride. That'll happen in the morning. I want to thank you guys for the assistance with this project. I couldn't have done it without you. Thanks again. Roger
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jul 12, 2012, 7:11 PM
Post #12 of 12
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Re: Pontiac Vibe Wheel bearing replacement
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Glad it worked out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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