Information on Brickboard relative to wheel bearings seems to be quite limited, unless I'm looking in the wrong places.

This might be because wheel bearings seldom need replacement or because of a lack of interest, but I'm concerned the front wheel bearings (at least one of the two) need replacement.

I've successfully prized off the bearing cap and see a very large nut which the Haynes manual describes as "probably very tight". I've had plenty of experience with very tight fastenings. So when the manual describes the nut this way it is a concern whether I should even consider this job. I have a 24" breaker bar that will break most anything I've encountered and in the case of my right front stay rod, it sheared the threaded portion of the rod right off with the bolt inside.

I'd like some suggestions from anyone who has done this job. Primarily, I need to know the socket size for the axle nut. The largest socket I own is 24 metric, but that's not even close. The nut looks like it must be 26 or larger.

Next problem is the Haynes manual says, "the hub and wheel bearings are a single assembly. If bearings are worn, the complete hub must be renewed." This looks like it would be an expensive item. I happen to have a donor car with 130,000 miles. It has a good sounding hub, so I could use that although I'd prefer new bearings.

Final problem has to do with the removal procedure. Haynes says nothing about needing a "puller", but the center of the axle is dimpled as if to receive the centering shaft of a pulling tool. I don't own one of these so that is another consideration. If the hub just pulls off the way the rotor does, that would be nice and easy.

Bob Franklin