🔧 Tacoma - Front Wheel Bearing Replacement

This repair covers replacing both front wheel bearing/hub assemblies on your Tacoma. On the PreRunner 2WD front suspension, the bearing is serviced as a bolt-on hub assembly, so you do not need a hydraulic press.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 3-5 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat, solid surface and support your Tacoma with jack stands before removing wheels.
• ⚠️ Never rely on a floor jack alone. A floor jack lifts the truck; jack stands hold it safely.
• ⚠️ Wear safety glasses and gloves. Brake dust and rust flakes can fall while working.
• ⚠️ Do not let the brake caliper hang by the rubber brake hose. Support it with wire or a bungee cord.
• ⚠️ Keep grease, oil, and cleaner off the brake pads and rotor friction surfaces.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not normally required for this repair.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm lug nut socket
• 1/2-inch drive breaker bar
• 1/2-inch drive torque wrench
• 3/8-inch drive ratchet
• 12mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 19mm socket
• 10mm wrench
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Dead blow hammer
• Rubber mallet
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Bungee cord
• Hub puller (specialty)
• Anti-seize compound
• Mechanic gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front wheel bearing and hub assembly - Qty: 2
• Front hub mounting bolts - Qty: 8
• Front brake rotor retaining clips - Qty: 2
• Brake cleaner spray - Qty: 1
• Anti-seize compound - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park your Tacoma on level ground and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Loosen the front lug nuts slightly before lifting the truck.
• Do one side at a time so the other side can be used as a visual reference.
• A hub assembly is the part that contains the wheel bearing and the flange the wheel bolts to.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the Front Lug Nuts

• Use a 21mm lug nut socket and 1/2-inch drive breaker bar to loosen each front lug nut about half a turn.
• Do not remove the lug nuts yet.
• Loose first, lift second.

Step 2: Lift and Support the Front of the Truck

• Use a floor jack under the front crossmember to raise the front of your Tacoma.
• Place jack stands under the frame rails.
• Lower the truck gently onto the jack stands.
• Lightly shake the truck to confirm it is stable before working underneath or near the wheels.

Step 3: Remove Both Front Wheels

• Use the 21mm lug nut socket to remove the loosened lug nuts.
• Remove both front wheels and set them flat on the ground.

Step 4: Remove the Brake Caliper

• On the first side, use a 17mm socket or 19mm socket to remove the brake caliper bracket bolts.
• Lift the caliper and bracket assembly off the rotor as one piece.
• Use a bungee cord to hang the caliper from the suspension spring or upper control arm.
• Do not stretch, twist, or pull on the brake hose.

Step 5: Remove the Brake Rotor

• Slide the rotor straight off the hub by hand.
• If it is stuck, use a rubber mallet to tap around the rotor hat until it loosens.
• If rotor retaining clips are present on the wheel studs, remove them with needle-nose pliers.
• Tap evenly, not aggressively.

Step 6: Disconnect the ABS Wheel Speed Sensor Wire

• Use a 10mm wrench or 10mm socket to remove the small bolts holding the ABS wire brackets to the knuckle.
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to gently release the electrical connector lock.
• Move the wire safely out of the way.
• The ABS sensor reads wheel speed for anti-lock braking and traction control.

Step 7: Remove the Hub Mounting Bolts

• From the back side of the steering knuckle, use a 14mm socket or 17mm socket to remove the four hub mounting bolts.
• Keep the socket fully seated so you do not round the bolt heads.
• If the bolts are rusty, use slow steady pressure with the 3/8-inch drive ratchet.

Step 8: Remove the Old Hub Assembly

• Pull the hub assembly straight out of the steering knuckle by hand.
• If it is stuck from rust, install a hub puller (specialty) and use a 1/2-inch drive breaker bar to pull it free.
• You may also tap the hub flange with a dead blow hammer while pulling outward.
• A dead blow hammer reduces bounce and helps avoid damaging nearby parts.

Step 9: Clean the Mounting Surface

• Use a wire brush to clean rust and dirt from the steering knuckle where the hub seats.
• Spray the area with brake cleaner spray and wipe it dry.
• Apply a very thin coat of anti-seize compound to the knuckle bore.
• Do not get anti-seize on the brake rotor or wheel studs.

Step 10: Install the New Hub Assembly

• Place the new front wheel bearing and hub assembly into the steering knuckle.
• Start all four hub mounting bolts by hand first.
• Use a 14mm socket or 17mm socket to snug the bolts evenly in a crisscross pattern.
• Use a 1/2-inch drive torque wrench to tighten the hub mounting bolts to Torque to 59 Nm (44 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Reconnect the ABS Wheel Speed Sensor Wire

• Reconnect the ABS electrical connector by hand until it clicks.
• Use a 10mm socket or 10mm wrench to reinstall the ABS wire bracket bolts.
• Make sure the wire is routed the same way as before and cannot rub the tire or rotor.

Step 12: Reinstall the Brake Rotor

• Clean the rotor friction surfaces with brake cleaner spray.
• Slide the rotor onto the new hub by hand.
• If using new rotor retaining clips, install them onto the wheel studs with needle-nose pliers.

Step 13: Reinstall the Brake Caliper

• Remove the bungee cord and place the brake caliper and bracket assembly over the rotor.
• Start the caliper bracket bolts by hand.
• Use a 17mm socket or 19mm socket to snug the bolts.
• Use a 1/2-inch drive torque wrench to tighten the caliper bracket bolts to Torque to 123 Nm (91 ft-lbs).

Step 14: Repeat on the Other Side

• Repeat Steps 4 through 13 on the opposite front wheel bearing and hub assembly.
• Use the same tools and torque specs on the second side.
• Work slowly and match both sides.

Step 15: Reinstall the Front Wheels

• Place each wheel back onto the hub by hand.
• Thread the lug nuts on by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Use the 21mm lug nut socket to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.

Step 16: Lower the Truck and Torque the Lug Nuts

• Use the floor jack to raise your Tacoma slightly off the jack stands.
• Remove the jack stands.
• Lower the truck fully to the ground.
• Use a 1/2-inch drive torque wrench and 21mm lug nut socket to tighten the lug nuts to Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

---

✅ After Repair

• ✅ Press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm before driving.
• ✅ Start with a slow test drive in a safe area.
• ✅ Listen for humming, grinding, clicking, or scraping noises.
• ✅ Make a few gentle stops to confirm normal brake operation.
• ✅ After 25-50 miles, recheck the front lug nut torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).
• ✅ If the ABS warning light stays on, recheck the sensor connector and wire routing first.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $550-$900 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$380 (parts only)

You Save: $370-$520 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2.5-4 hours.

---

🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.