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On the T1 Silverado 1500 the front hub is a sealed bolt-in cartridge with the ABS wheel speed sensor built into it, so there is no pressing and no bearing race work. Three bolts through the back of the steering knuckle hold it in, and on 4WD trucks the CV stub axle passes through the middle of it. The mechanical part is straightforward; what makes it a two-hour job instead of a one-hour job is rust holding the hub flange in the knuckle bore.
The thing people get wrong is the ABS harness. It is not separate from the hub, so you must unplug it at the knuckle and unclip the loom before you pull the old unit, and you must route the new one exactly the same way. A harness routed over the CV boot or left out of its clip will chafe through in a few thousand miles and give you an ABS, traction and stability light all at once. Second most common mistake is pounding the new hub in over a rusty bore, which cocks the bearing and gives you a fresh growl.
| Item | Type | Product search |
|---|---|---|
| Floor jack 2.5 ton minimum, low profile Lift the front of the truck at the frame or lower control arm. | Required | search retailer |
| Jack stands 3 ton pair Support the frame while the wheel is off. | Safety | search retailer |
| Wheel chocks Pair Block the rear wheels before lifting. | Safety | search retailer |
| Impact socket 22 mm 6-point, 1/2 in drive, deep Removes the M14x1.5 lug nuts on all T1 1500 trims. | Required | search retailer |
| Breaker bar 1/2 in drive, 24 in Cracks the axle nut, caliper bracket bolts and rusted hub bolts. | Required | search retailer |
| Axle nut socket 36 mm 6-point, 1/2 in drive (4WD only) Removes the front CV axle nut on 4WD/AWD trucks. | Required | search retailer |
| Socket set 1/2 in drive metric, 13-24 mm, 6-point Caliper bracket bolts and hub mounting bolts (21 mm typical on T1). | Required | search retailer |
| Socket set 3/8 in drive metric, 8-18 mm Splash shield screws, ABS harness bracket bolt, caliper guide pins. | Required | search retailer |
| Extensions and swivel/wobble adapter 1/2 in drive, 3 in, 6 in and 10 in Reaches the three hub bolts behind the knuckle around the CV shaft and control arms. | Required | search retailer |
| Torx bit socket T30 / T40, 3/8 in drive Some trucks use Torx-head brake rotor retaining screws and shield fasteners. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Impact wrench 1/2 in drive, 700+ ft-lb, cordless or air Makes the axle nut and seized hub bolts far easier. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Penetrating oil Aerosol Soak hub bolts, axle splines and the hub-to-knuckle joint the night before. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Bungee cord or wire hook Heavy duty Hangs the brake caliper so the flexible hose is not stressed. | Required | search retailer |
| Dead blow or brass hammer 2-3 lb Drives the CV stub through the hub splines and shocks a stuck hub loose. | Required | search retailer |
| Front hub puller / slide hammer kit 3-jaw slide hammer or bolt-on hub puller with 5-lug plate Pulls a corroded hub flange out of the knuckle bore without damaging it. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Pry bar 18 in Works the hub free and pushes the CV axle back out of the way. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Wire brush and emery cloth Steel wire brush, 80 grit Cleans rust out of the knuckle bore so the new hub seats flat. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Brake cleaner Aerosol, chlorine-free Cleans the knuckle bore, rotor and axle splines. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Anti-seize compound Nickel or copper based Thin film on the knuckle bore and hub pilot so the next replacement is easier. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Threadlocker Medium strength, blue On hub bolts if the new hardware has no factory patch. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 30-250 ft-lb Axle nut, hub bolts, caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts all have specs. | Required | search retailer |
| Torque wrench 3/8 in drive, 10-80 ft-lb Caliper guide pin bolts and small shield fasteners. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Front hub/bearing assembly T1 Silverado 1500 2WD or 4WD specific, with integrated ABS sensor The replacement unit; 2WD and 4WD hubs are not interchangeable. | Parts | search retailer |
| Hub mounting bolts Set of 3, OE replacement Cheap insurance if the originals are stretched, rusted or damaged on removal. | Parts | search retailer |
| Axle nut New OE nut, 4WD The staked/prevailing-torque axle nut is a one-time-use item. | Parts | search retailer |
| Nitrile gloves and safety glasses Rust, brake dust and penetrating oil spray. | Safety | search retailer |
Hub and fastener sizes do not change between the 2.7L turbo, 5.3L L84, 6.2L L87 and 3.0L Duramax. The real split is drivetrain: 2WD hubs have no center splines and no axle nut, 4WD hubs do and require the 36 mm axle nut socket. Trail Boss, Z71 and 22-inch-wheel trucks use the same 22 mm lug nuts and the same hub part families, but always order the hub by VIN since GM revised the assembly mid-generation.
| Wheel lug nuts (M14x1.5) | 140 ft-lb (190 Nm) |
| Hub/bearing assembly-to-knuckle bolts | verify in the service manual (typically around 130-150 ft-lb on this platform) |
| Front CV axle nut (4WD) | verify in the service manual |
| Brake caliper bracket bolts | verify in the service manual (high spec, roughly 160 ft-lb on this platform) |
| Brake caliper guide pin bolts | verify in the service manual |
36 mm, 1/2 inch drive, 6-point. Break it loose with the wheel bolted on and the truck on the ground, and always fit a new nut on reassembly.
No. The hub bolts to the knuckle at fixed points and nothing in the camber, caster or toe adjustment is disturbed. Only if you also separate a tie rod or control arm would an alignment be needed.
No. The T1 uses a sealed hub/bearing unit with a pressed-in flange and integrated ABS encoder; it is replaced as a complete assembly. Any bearing sold for this truck comes as a hub.
Listen for a growl or hum that changes when you sway the truck left and right at 40-50 mph: loading the bad side usually makes it louder. Jack the wheel up, rock it at 12 and 6 o'clock for play, and spin it by hand feeling for roughness. An ABS or traction light with a wheel speed sensor code on one corner is another strong clue.