Wheel Bearing - Press-In Rear

Replacement of a press-in rear wheel bearing/hub assembly on a 2024 Tesla Model S Plaid. The rear hub on Plaid uses a pressed bearing in the knuckle with a splined half-shaft; this job requires removing the rear half-shaft from the hub and pressing the old bearing out and the new one in.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear wheel bearing (press-in) — manufacturer-specified for Model S Plaid × 1 — Refer to VIN-specific Tesla parts catalog
• Axle nut (single-use) or new cotter pin if staked-nut design × 1 — OEM single-use fastener
• ABS sensor (only if damaged during removal) × 1 — OEM rear ABS sensor

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
2. Exit ALL doors with the key fob away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize, even on this non-HV job.
3. Disconnect the 12V low-voltage battery in the frunk (under the nose cowl panel). If this Plaid is equipped with the 16V lithium unit under the rear seat, disconnect that instead per the architecture notes.
4. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage and lethal.
5. If at any point you encounter an orange cable, an HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized: STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
6. Place the vehicle in Jack Mode via the touchscreen BEFORE shutting down to prevent the air suspension from auto-leveling during the lift (Plaid air suspension).
7. Loosen the rear lug nuts a quarter turn while the wheel is on the ground.
8. Loosen the rear axle nut a quarter turn while the wheel is on the ground (it is under high torque — do not attempt to break it loose in the air).
9. Lift the vehicle using Tesla-approved lift points and puck adapters; support with rated stands.
10. Remove the rear wheel.

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove rear brake caliper and rotor
   Unbolt the rear brake caliper bracket from the knuckle and suspend the caliper with a hook or strap — do not let it hang by the flexible brake hose. Remove the rotor retaining clip if present, then slide the rotor off the hub. If the rotor is seized, tap with a rubber mallet only — do not strike the aluminum knuckle.
   ⚠Do not press the brake pedal with the caliper removed.
2. 2

   Disconnect ABS sensor and parking brake
   Unclip the rear ABS wheel speed sensor harness from the knuckle and remove the sensor bolt. Carefully extract the sensor from its bore — corrosion can seize it; twist gently, do not pry on the tip. Disconnect the electric parking brake motor connector at the caliper if not already done with the caliper removal, and route the harness clear.
   ⚠ABS sensors are fragile — replace if the tip is damaged during removal.
   Torque spec

   ABS Sensor Bolt11 Nm (8 lb-ft)
3. 3

   Remove axle nut and free half-shaft from hub
   Remove the cotter pin (or unstake the nut, depending on Plaid configuration) and remove the axle nut. Discard the cotter pin / stake nut — these are single-use. Push the half-shaft splined stub inward through the hub. If it does not move freely, use a hub puller — never hammer on the threaded end of the axle.
   ⚠️Never reuse the cotter pin or stake nut. Improper retention can cause wheel/hub separation.
   Torque spec

   Axle Nut250 Nm (184 lb-ft)
4. 4

   Separate suspension links to access the knuckle
   To gain clearance to remove the knuckle (or to use an on-car bearing press), disconnect the necessary rear suspension linkages from the knuckle per the manufacturer-specified sequence (typically the toe link and upper control arm). Support the knuckle so it does not hang on the air strut. Mark any eccentric alignment cams before loosening so alignment can be approximated on reassembly.
   ⚠An alignment is required after this job regardless of how carefully cams are marked.
5. 5

   Remove the half-shaft from the differential (if required)
   If shop-press removal of the bearing is required, fully extract the inner CV stub from the rear differential by prying carefully at the inner joint housing. Cap the differential opening to prevent gear oil loss. If using an on-car bearing tool, the half-shaft may only need to be swung out of the way.
   ℹ️Some rear gear oil may drip — have a catch pan ready. Top off rear differential to spec on reassembly if loss occurred.
6. 6

   Remove the hub flange from the knuckle
   Unbolt the hub flange from the rear of the knuckle. Note bolt orientation. Remove the hub flange. The bearing inner race may remain on the hub flange — it must be cut off (carefully) or pulled with a bearing separator before pressing in a new bearing.
   ⚠If cutting an inner race off the hub flange, do not nick the hub seat — score the race only and split with a chisel.
   Torque spec

   Hub Bolts102 Nm (75 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Press out the old bearing
   Remove any internal snap rings retaining the bearing in the knuckle bore. Support the knuckle in a press with the correct receiver, and press the old bearing out from the inboard side using a driver matched to the OUTER race only. Do not press on the aluminum knuckle face. Clean the bore thoroughly and inspect for scoring or out-of-round; replace the knuckle if the bore is damaged.
   ⚠Pressing on the inner race of a sealed bearing during removal is acceptable only because the bearing is being discarded. NEVER press a new bearing in by its inner race.
8. 8

   Press in the new bearing
   Lightly lubricate the knuckle bore with clean assembly grease. Orient the new bearing per its sensor/seal markings (magnetic encoder ring faces the ABS sensor side — installing it backward will disable ABS). Press the new bearing in by its OUTER race only, fully seated. Install retaining snap ring(s) if equipped, ensuring full seating in the groove.
   ⚠️Bearing orientation is critical — reversed installation disables ABS, traction control, and stability control on the Tesla.
9. 9

   Press the hub flange into the new bearing
   Support the new bearing's INNER race on the press receiver and press the hub flange through the bearing until fully seated. Do not press through the outer race — this will destroy the new bearing. Spin the hub by hand to confirm smooth rotation.
10. 10

    Reinstall hub flange to knuckle
    Reinstall the hub assembly into the knuckle and torque the hub bolts.
    Torque spec

    Hub Bolts102 Nm (75 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Reinstall the half-shaft into the differential (if removed), ensuring the inner circlip seats — verify with a gentle outward tug.
2. Pass the outer splined stub through the hub. Install a NEW axle nut. Do not fully torque yet.
3. Reconnect the suspension links removed for clearance. Torque all suspension fasteners to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual.
4. Reinstall the ABS sensor and torque to spec (ABS Sensor Bolt: 11 Nm).
5. Reinstall the brake rotor, caliper bracket, and caliper. Torque caliper and bracket fasteners to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual. Reconnect the electric parking brake connector.
6. Reinstall the wheel; snug lug nuts in a star pattern.
7. Lower the vehicle so the tire just contacts the ground (loaded enough that the hub will not spin), then torque the axle nut to 250 Nm and install a new cotter pin or stake the nut as applicable.
8. Fully lower the vehicle and torque the wheel lug nuts to 140 Nm in a star pattern.
9. Top off rear differential gear oil with 75W-90 GL-5 if any was lost during half-shaft removal.
10. Reconnect the 12V (or 16V) low-voltage battery.

Verification

• With the vehicle awake, confirm no ABS, traction control, stability control, or EPB warnings on the touchscreen — a warning here usually indicates the bearing's encoder ring is installed backward.
• Slowly drive the vehicle in a safe area at 5–10 mph and confirm wheel speed is reported correctly (no ABS fault). Verify regen braking is available (regen is disabled if ABS is faulted on a Tesla).
• Test brake function and parking brake engagement/release.
• Listen for bearing noise (humming that changes with road speed or under cornering load) on a road test.
• An alignment is required after disconnecting the rear suspension links — schedule a four-wheel alignment.
• Recheck axle nut staking / cotter pin retention before returning the vehicle to service.
• While the rear wheels are off, inspect the rear differential for leaks; Tesla now recommends rear drive unit gear oil service rather than treating it as 'lifetime' — recommend service if not done within the last 50,000 mi.

More procedures for this vehicle