I believe I commented in one of your other posts. My recommendation is using an air hammer.
Per the GM shop book, they tell you to use a puller type device. I've changed many a front wheel hub with an air hammer (I never tried the puller just because I don't have one available). Using the air hammer, from getting tools out and putting them away doing the job in my drive way takes me an hour flat.
Don't try to use a hammer and a chisel and manually pound it out, you will more then likely end up frustrated and sore.
ALSO, important note, the bracket that holds the caliper and has two bolts that connect it to the spindle.... Per GM, those bolts require GM's version of loctite. I highly recommend using some form of loctite (I've had these bolts come loose and found without loctite, it can be a common problem). I used red loctite on mine. Before anyone makes a statement, yes, I can remove the bolt with hand tools and no need to use heat. When you replace that caliper bolt, GM includes a dry version of their red loctite on them.

 

I got back to work on the rear hub assembly. I don't know what I was doing wrong last night (maybe Iwas tired and frustrated) but today a 10 mm socket fit over the hub bolts that go into the knuckle.
I was able to break those loose with a half inch drive. If you notice in the picture above my hub has holes in it. The new one has 3 holes in it. I used the biggest one and turned it around till it was over the bolt I wanted to loosen.
Well I got all four bolts out and then I had to deal with the parking brake.
Don't know if I did it right but I got a pair of pliers and pulled on the
spring and then pushed the other part with cable out of the parking brake bracket.
Well now to getting the hub off. I didn't know the rear hub was sort of encased in the parking brake thing (maybe its called some sort of shroud ). Anyways we have air so I took Maniacs advice and went to Northern Tool and got a cheap air hammer and it came with a chisel. Hooked it up when I got back and in
30 seconds the hub and all the parking brake stuff fell out.
I air hammered behind the hub assembly where it meets the knuckle.
I've got it all apart and it was like a puzzle getting the hub out from the parking break stuff.
That's where I'm at right now. Need to get it all back together. Taking a break I saw in an earlier post someone mentioned about putting red locktite on hub to knuckle bolts. Does everyone do this?

 

You can put them on the hub bolts (I never have, but I have not done rear hubs, I have only had to do front hubs).

I mentioned the use of red loctite on the bolts that hold the caliper bracket to the spindle. No bull, I've had those bolts come out on more then one car. The last time I was about to hang up my ratchets and never do mechanic work again (I was seriously beside myself and depressed). Here, I checked the shop book and it clearly tells you that you need "GM Thread Locker" (aka - LocTite).

 

I tackled this job this weekend, thanks for the write up, it gave me some idea of what to expect when I was jumping in to this. Even though my front wheel bearing was fine, the speed sensor was throwing a code and messing with my traction control and ABS. Having an impact wrench definitely made this job 100X easier, I don't think I could have gotten the 36mm bolt off the end of the drive shaft without it. Also, I can see how difficult getting the bearing out could be for some. Mine was in there pretty good, but I used my 5lb slide hammer with the hub puller on the end of it. A few hard hits with that and it popped right out. Highly recommended, even if you don't own one, you can usually get one through the auto zone loaner tool program. It will save you a ton of effort.

 

I'm gonna do it by hand, I can't wait. Unless there is a way I could coax you to come to Akron.


I have to go to Sears to get a socket.
To anyone should I get the standard socket or is that to cheap?
Or should I get axle nut because it is high impact.

 

RocknSS04; Also, at least on my car I used 33 mm socket, not a 36mm. DON'T FORGET THE THREADLOCKER ON THE BOLTS PUTTING THEM BACK IN!!

Are the 2001 Monte Carlo's 33mm or 36mm?

 

When I did my 2001 a few weeks ago, it was def a 36mm. I borrowed the socket from auto zone with their loaner tool program. Borrow a slide hammer with the hub puller attachment while you are there too, it will save you a lot of headache.

 

In this pic is the new hub with ABS sensor. If you don't have ABS sensor this part will still work.
In the pic of hub and parking assembly it says there are 3 10mm bolts there is actually 4.
Once you have your tire off you use a 10mm socket to loosen these bolts. Use the hole that fits the size of your wrench/socket.
On this model 2003 3.4 LS there was no axel nut.
Once the bolts are loose you will still have to separate the hub and parking brake assembly from the knuckle. Will post pics of this later.
........to be continued

 

Does this job get ANY easier if you are just doing the Drivers side rear wheel hub? I know I don't have the axle to contend with, but does the hub come out any easier?
I am planning on doing this job this weekend. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-Pete

 

Great writeup, gonna try this out in the next week or two