Wheel Bearing - Press-In Rear

This procedure covers removal and replacement of a press-in style rear wheel bearing on a 2007 Ram 3500 with 4WD, including hub removal, bearing press-out/press-in, and reinstallation.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear wheel bearing (press-in type) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Rear axle seal × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Wheel studs (if damaged) × 8 — Use OEM specification
• Brake hardware kit (if servicing) × 1 — Use OEM specification

Fluids

• 75W-90 synthetic gear oil — 6 qt

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake
2. Loosen rear wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground
3. Raise rear of vehicle and support securely on jack stands at frame rails
4. Remove rear wheel completely
5. Place drain pan under differential to catch gear oil
6. Mark brake caliper position relative to axle flange for reinstallation reference

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove brake caliper and rotor
   Remove the two brake caliper mounting bolts and carefully support the caliper with wire or bungee cord to avoid hanging on brake hose. Do not disconnect brake line. Remove caliper bracket bolts and set bracket aside. Slide brake rotor off hub studs.
   ⚠Do not let brake caliper hang by the brake hose as this can damage the hose internally
2. 2

   Remove ABS sensor
   Disconnect the ABS wheel speed sensor electrical connector. Remove the single mounting bolt securing the ABS sensor to the axle housing and carefully extract the sensor. Inspect sensor tip for damage or metal debris.
   ℹ️Clean ABS sensor with brake cleaner and inspect tone ring on axle shaft for damage during reassembly
3. 3

   Remove axle shaft retaining hardware
   This is a full-floating axle (AAM 11.5"). Remove the axle shaft flange bolts (typically 8) on the outboard end of the hub that secure the axle shaft to the hub. The axle shaft can then be withdrawn from the axle tube by hand once the flange bolts are removed.
4. 4

   Extract axle shaft from housing
   After removing the flange bolts, grasp the axle shaft flange and withdraw the axle shaft straight out of the axle tube by hand. On this full-floating axle the shaft is not press-fit and requires no puller. Inspect the axle shaft splines and flange for wear or damage.
   ⚠Have drain pan positioned to catch differential fluid that will flow from axle tube
5. 5

   Remove hub assembly from axle flange
   With axle shaft removed, remove the spindle nut retainer/lock and the large spindle nut(s) securing the hub to the spindle. Slide the hub assembly straight off the spindle, taking care to catch the outer bearing. Inspect hub and spindle for cracks or damage.
6. 6

   Press out old bearing from hub
   Using a hydraulic press or appropriate driver, drive out the inner and outer tapered roller bearing cups (races) from the hub. The tapered roller cones are removed with the hub seal. Contact only the bearing cup during removal. Remove any remaining race material from the hub bore.
   ⚠️Always wear safety glasses when using a press. Ensure hub is properly supported and press tooling contacts bearing race only, not the hub material
7. 7

   Clean and inspect hub bore
   Thoroughly clean the hub bearing bore with brake cleaner and wire brush. Inspect bore for scoring, corrosion, or damage. Measure bore diameter if possible to verify it is within specification. Check hub face for warping or damage. Any cracks or severe damage requires hub replacement.
8. 8

   Press in new bearing
   Press or drive the new inner and outer bearing cups (races) squarely into the hub bore until fully seated against their shoulders, contacting only the cup during installation. Then thoroughly pack the tapered roller cones with wheel bearing grease and install the inner cone and hub seal. Verify each cup is fully seated and square.b shoulder. Verify bearing is fully seated and square.
   ⚠Never press on the inner bearing race during installation. Only press on the outer race to avoid bearing damage
   ℹ️Freezing bearing and heating hub can ease installation and reduce risk of cocking the bearing during press-in
9. 9

   Install new axle seal
   Clean the hub seal bore thoroughly. Apply a small amount of grease to the new hub seal lip. Using a seal driver of appropriate size, drive the new hub seal squarely into the hub after installing the packed inner bearing cone. Ensure seal is installed squarely and fully seated.
10. 10

    Reinstall hub assembly to axle housing
    Carefully slide hub assembly with new bearing back onto the axle housing, aligning with mounting points. Ensure hub is fully seated before proceeding. Thread fasteners by hand initially to ensure proper alignment.
11. 11

    Install axle shaft
    Lightly coat axle shaft seal surface and splines with fresh gear oil. Carefully insert axle shaft straight into axle tube, avoiding contact with new seal lip. Push shaft in until it fully engages with differential side gear splines. Align axle flange bolt holes with hub.
12. 12

    Secure axle shaft to hub
    Torque the hub spindle nut(s) to the factory-specified sequence (consult FSM; typically involves seating torque then back-off and final torque) and install the spindle nut lock/retainer. Then reinstall the axle shaft and torque the axle shaft flange bolts to factory specification in a star pattern. Do not use estimated torque values for these critical fasteners.
    ℹ️Consult factory service manual for exact torque specification as it is critical for proper hub retention
13. 13

    Reinstall brake components
    Slide brake rotor onto hub studs. Install caliper bracket and tighten mounting bolts securely. Position brake caliper over rotor aligned with reference marks made during disassembly. Install and tighten caliper mounting bolts.
14. 14

    Reinstall ABS sensor
    Clean ABS sensor mounting hole and ensure sensor tip is clean. Apply light coating of anti-seize to sensor threads if desired. Insert sensor into mounting hole until seated and install mounting bolt. Reconnect electrical connector.
15. 15

    Refill differential and final checks
    Refill rear differential with approximately 3.4-4.4 quarts of 75W-90 synthetic gear oil (AAM 11.5" axle) to proper level at the fill plug — verify exact capacity in the FSM. Reinstall fill plug. Reinstall wheel and torque lug nuts to specification (approximately 145 ft-lbs for SRW — verify exact value and DRW spec in the factory service manual). Lower vehicle and perform final torque check on lug nuts in star pattern.

Reassembly

1. Ensure all fasteners are tightened to specification
2. Verify differential is filled to proper level before operating vehicle
3. Check that ABS sensor is properly seated and connector is secure
4. Verify brake caliper bolts are tight and brake operation is normal before driving

Verification

• Rotate hub by hand to verify smooth bearing operation with no grinding or roughness
• Check for any differential fluid leaks around axle seal after installation
• Test drive vehicle at low speed and verify no abnormal noise from rear axle
• Verify ABS warning light is off and system is functioning properly
• After 50-100 miles, recheck differential fluid level and top off if necessary
• Listen for any humming or growling noise that would indicate bearing installation issue

Related trouble codes on this vehicle

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