Changing front hubs....

[steveyd]

Hi All,

Looks like I have to put new front hubs on my Bongo (see my abs post!) - - apart from all removing the brake calipers etc, it just looks like a darn great clamp on the bottom of the suspension strut - do they come out easily? Would I have to take the strut off to remove the hub? I need a new bottom wishbone too, so this is all getting expensive! So keen to do it myself to save the £££'s!

Cheers,

Steve

[wormey]

Steve,

I've never done bongo hubs, but I have done other vehicles. Get a good work shop manual (I don't do the H$ynes one) and think about it as one bolt at a time.

It can be done, the only thing you may have to do is get new wheel bearings pressed into the hub by a local friendly garage. My land rover wheel bearings are great because there not pressed in.

It can be done by diy and the task is a medium in my book to do, you'll need the torque settings for certain bolts and a lock thread from halfords is good, its like a lip stick tube.

you'll prob need

1. Torque wrench
2. thread locker
3. new wheel bearings
4. work shop manual (bongo shop)
5. new brake shoes/pads

I hope this helps, I stand to be corrected on the bearing being pressed in.

[steveyd]

Hi,

Thanks wormey - I'm intending on replacing the entire hubs I've got on the bongo right now with abs ones (some numpty put the wrong ones on before I got it) - Bellhill have got the complete hub assemblies on ebay with bearings included, I'm just wondering if it was easier to change the whole strut with the hub attached at the bottom - all I would then have to undo is the 3 nuts on the top of the strut, track rod and of course the bottom ball joint - this would mean I wouldnt have to wrestle with those 2 big rusty bolts plus prising the hub assembly off the strut. I would have to ensure the strut came with a good shock & spring though...

cheers,

Steve

[321Away]

remove the lower ball joint first, thats my advice! then the 32mm CV nut, castle for the track rod end, then the entire caliper assembly, do the big 21mm nut/bolts last, theyre not as much grief as you'd think.
Julian

[rita]

remove the lower ball joint first, thats my advice! then the 32mm CV nut, castle for the track rod end, then the entire caliper assembly, do the big 21mm nut/bolts last, theyre not as much grief as you'd think.
Julian

Hi steveyd,

Is it 2WD or 4WD..

Cheers..

[steveyd]

Hi,

Sorry - its a 2wd. In fact I was looking at the lushprojects diagram - not as bad as I thought, the hub pulls away from the strut -I thought it clamped around the strut, so its just a case of the balljount castellated nut, trackrod, caliper and then the 2 21mm nuts and the pulling the hub off..

So yes, I dont think I'll have to change the whole strut for ease - the only fly in the ointment is getting the disks off - old disks are always sods to get off, but depending on how I'm feeling I might buy new discs too.

cheers,

Steve

[wormey]

I'd prob go the new disks, you know what will happen if you don't, they'll go in three weeks time. can I ask how much the discs with the bearing in are,

[steveyd]

Hi,

BellHill had the hubs without disks up for £58, new disks are anything from 40 per pair, 45 each on bongo shop.. Probably best to go for new discks.

I've heard said that you dont need a toolbox with a bongo--just a small square plastic card with a 16 digit number... too true! Though, I am surprised to find the Bongo is much more DIY friendly than I thought before getting one!

cheers,

Steve

[wonkanoby]

disks came of easy on mine and best im aware were first time ever changed,both front and rear