Over the last few days I replaced my front bearings. Wanted to post some details that may help the next guy who takes this on the first time.

I use the term Vertical Plate. This is Jaguar's term for the plate that contains the wheel bearings, the spindle, and attaches to the car via the 3 ball joints (upper, lower, Tie Rod).

Remove Wheel Place nearby, you may choose to use this to hold the vertical plate as you unscrew the ABS sensor.

Remove Brake hardware

1) Use screwdriver to unhook the brake pad spring clip.

2) Unscrew the caliper (Hex #7 bit) - Take the bolt covers off (on back side) This bolt has many turns, grab your air powered ratchet to save time here.

3) Remove caliper and pads - loosen bleed screw. Use flat head screwdriver to wedge the caliper forewards (one end on rotor, other on caliper) this presses the rear pad in. Plan for brake fluid to come out. This gives you enough room to get it off the rotor.

ReTighten the bleed screw.

4) Hang the caliper securely from the spring around the shock. (old hanger, wire ties)

5) Remove the caliper bracket bolts (17mm on front, 15mm on back)
I found these to be real tough to loosen. Hard to get enough leverage sometimes and they can be real tight. Here is a trick:

Separate the Tie Rod ball joint You're going to do this next anyway. Once this is separated you can move the assembly without having to touch the steering wheel. Point the front edge of the rotor as far to the outside as it will go. Put your 17mm socket on the bolt. Use a 3 or 4 foot pipe (mine is the pipe to control the hydralic jack). The bolt will loosen with little effort with leverage like this.

6) Remove the Rotor

7) Disconnect the ABS Wire, place out of the way

Remove Vertical Plate Assembly

There are 3 ball joints to seperate: Upper, Lower, and Tie Rod

Ball Joint Seperator Tools:

Scissor Type - These are available for loan from Autozone. On one hand they are probably the easiest, and quickest, providing the ball joint isn't frozen. But you must be careful not to push them too far.

They are made from aluminum, use them on a frozen ball joint with an air wrench and you can bend them. Once they are bent they are not going to line up properly for any joints any more. Press them too hard, they will crack.

OTOH, there is nothing wrong with giving them a try. Lord knows they are the fastests when they work. Just don't bend them and ruin them for yourself.

I should note that the lower ball joint practically demands this type of tool. The other side of that ball joint is your brake's dust shield. No room to press a fork through that one without removing the dust shield in place. As noted below the dust shield screws are locktighted in. You need to apply heat to remove them. I had no luck with a propane torch.

Pickle Fork Tool
Short of an air hammer, these seem to be regarded as the best tool to separate a tough ball joint. However: Not All Pickle Fork Tools are created equal!




Above is Autozone Fork. See photo2 below for Snap On Fork

I had an Autozone aluminum Fork. I spent hours (and hours) hammering it into a stuck upper ball joint - no joy! Then I spoke to a friendly mechanic who pulled out his fork from Snap On and lent it to me. The slope was clearly differnet on the fork. In use it is a world of difference. The snap on stayed in one place, the autozone seemed to move around. Unfortunately ( or finally?) my ball joint broke in half with 60 whacks from a 12 pound sledge hammer with the snap on.

At least I could now move forward. I bought a new ball joint.

I wanted to point out the vast differences in quality and effectiveness of different ball joint separators. Don't forget to grease your pickle fork to try to save the rubber boot if you use one.

Once the ball joints are seperated the vertical plate is free. Be careful, the lower ball joint can release: pop - and the vertifcal plate will fall to the ground.

Press out and install new bearings

Note in your mind which side of the vertical plate is up and which is down when installed (hint: down is the longer leg where the dust plate attaches through the lower ball joint bolt) You will need this in #6 below.

1) Unscrew the ABS

Remove the safety spring sitting inside the spindle, with two protrusions through the spindle into the Abs. A regular screwdriver will help here (press on the protrusions for fastest removal)

Finding: Yes you can use the wheel to imobilize the hub. Just be sure to tighten 3 bolts so it will not move and ding the wheel. I used the Rotor as a spacer. You need Full Air pressure to get your impact wrench to move this baby, it's on tight. The machine shop will do this for free as it turns out.

2) Take the Dust Sheld off (need to remove it for your press to have unfettered level access to the vertical plate while pressing the spindle out). There are 3 T30 screws under the overhanging hub. Looks like it'd be a miracle to get them all out with a 1/4 inch driver and a T30. They are in there with Locktite. You need to heat them or they will strip and you'll be extracting.

3) Press out the spindle (press #1) Timesaver: I used one 2x4 on one side, and one 4x4 on the other side of the press to support the vertical plate. The 2x4 goes under the shorter leg and leaves just enough room to extend the spindle head downward. If the spindle comes out with old bearing inner race attached, just hammer that off with hammer and chissel.

4) Remove Circlips on each side of the bearing. Have a Circlip tool ready. Would sure be a PIA without one.

5) Press Bearing out (press#2) Choose a "pusher" that rests on the outer edge of the old bearing. It is scary to watch this slide by the $$$expensive ABS sensor, but don't worry its been done before. Orientation: Press out from back to front just like the spindle.

6) Insert newcirclip #1. The new bearing is inserted from back to front, so insert circlip in the front (cleaned out) groove. NOTE: Both circlips must be positioned so that the "opening" is facing downward. This allows water to drain - it is important.

What if I have a circlip tool, but the new circlips (like the Timkens) don't have a little hole to grasp? Get a huge channel lock wrench (I know them as welder's wrench). Place Circlip in between jaws, tighten a bit once or twice. This somehow makes them easier to manage.

Place one end of the circlip as close to the groove (proper orientation - gap downward) as you can. Take a small screwdriver and wedge it in between the circlip an inch or so from the other end and the vertical plate. Leverage the screwdriver and the circlip collapses a bit. This gives you enough room/leverage to start to press the other end of the clip into the groove with your fingers. Work your way around, keeping the leverage on the clip with the screwdriver and you'll be done in no time.

7) Press the bearing in. Use a pusher that rests on the outer edge of the bearing. It will go in in "steps" with a bang (pow pow pow). You are using a lot of pressure (6 tons according to Jaguar).

Stop and monitor your progress after the bearing is below flush. You will get to a point where there is just a tiny bit of room between the circlip (your stopper) and the bearing. One more press should seat it nicely.

8) Install circlip #2

9) Press the hub in. (press #3) IMPORTANT: you need a support on the bottom that will support the inner race, and allow the hub to protrude through it. If your kit doen't have one, go to local plumbing store. Try a 2 1/8 inch steel union (male threads on outside) for this. Of course it stands on the metal plate to support the pressure.

The bearing CANNOT tolerate any downward pressure here without supporting the inner wall of the bearing.

10) Install ABS ring. Good news, it's easier to install than remove!




Snap On brand Pickle Fork - Note slope of tangs; this is forged steel

 

 

Pickle fork from mechanic. Looks like it dropped from my original post.