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On the 3rd gen Tacoma the front bearing is a sealed hub unit, so you are not pressing races — you are unbolting a cartridge from the back of the steering knuckle. That sounds easy, and on a clean southern truck it is. On a salted truck the four 17 mm bolts and the hub's press fit in the knuckle bore are the whole job, and a slide hammer type puller plus a long breaker bar are what get you through it.
The mistake people make is skipping the cleanup. Rust scale left in the knuckle bore holds the new hub slightly crooked, and you get bearing noise again within a few thousand miles. The other one is fudging the 30 mm axle nut torque to make the cotter pin hole line up — always go tighter, never looser.
| Item | Type | Product search |
|---|---|---|
| Floor jack 2-ton minimum 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; never work under a jack alone. | Safety | search retailer |
| Lug nut socket 21 mm, 1/2 in drive (impact type) Removes the road wheel; all 3rd gen Tacoma lugs are 21 mm. | Required | search retailer |
| Breaker bar 1/2 in drive, 24 in Cracks the 30 mm axle nut and the seized hub bolts loose. | Required | search retailer |
| Needle-nose pliers / side cutters Removes the cotter pin from the front axle nut (4WD). | Required | search retailer |
| Axle nut socket 30 mm, 1/2 in drive, 6-point Front drive shaft nut on 4WD models. | Required | search retailer |
| Socket set 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21 mm, 3/8 and 1/2 in drive ABS sensor bolt (10 mm), dust shield bolts (10 mm), caliper bolts (14 mm slide bolts / 19 mm bracket), hub bolts (17 mm). | Required | search retailer |
| Deep 17 mm socket with wobble extension 17 mm deep, 1/2 in drive, wobble/swivel extensions 3 and 6 in The four hub mounting bolts sit behind the knuckle with very little room. | Required | search retailer |
| Impact wrench 1/2 in drive, 500+ ft-lb Makes short work of the axle nut and rusted hub bolts. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Hub puller / slide hammer kit 5-lug bolt-on puller, 5x150 or universal 5-lug plate Pulls the seized hub flange out of the knuckle bore without damaging it. | Required | search retailer |
| Dead blow or 3 lb hammer Taps the CV shaft out of the hub splines and shocks the hub loose. | Required | search retailer |
| Brass drift or soft punch Drives the axle stub without mushrooming the threads. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Pry bar 18 in Separates the hub/rotor and levers the CV shaft clear of the knuckle. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 30-250 ft-lb Axle nut, hub bolts, caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts are all torque-critical. | Required | search retailer |
| Torque wrench (small range) 3/8 in drive, 5-80 ft-lb ABS sensor and dust shield bolts thread into aluminum/thin steel. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Wire brush and small file Cleans rust and burrs from the knuckle bore so the new hub seats flat. | Required | search retailer |
| Penetrating oil PB Blaster or equivalent Soak the hub bolts and axle nut a day ahead; these seize badly in salt states. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Brake parts cleaner Non-chlorinated Cleans grease and rust dust off the rotor, hub and knuckle. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Anti-seize compound Nickel or copper based Light film on the knuckle bore and hub pilot only — never on bolt torque faces. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Cotter pin New pin for the front axle nut (4WD) Cotter pins are single-use; the axle nut must be re-pinned. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Front hub/bearing assembly Sealed unit with ABS ring; 2WD and 4WD part numbers differ The bearing is not serviceable separately on this generation. | Parts | search retailer |
| Bungee cord or wire Hangs the brake caliper so the hose is not stressed. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Safety glasses and mechanic's gloves Rust and metal fly when hammering and pulling the hub. | Safety | search retailer |
| Wheel chocks Chock the rear wheels before lifting the front. | Safety | search retailer |
Socket sizes are identical between the 2.7 L 2TR-FE and 3.5 L 2GR-FKS; the engine does not change anything at the hub. The real split is drivetrain: 4WD and 4x4-style trucks have a front drive shaft and need the 30 mm axle nut socket and a new cotter pin, while 2WD/PreRunner trucks have no axle shaft at the hub, so you only deal with the four 17 mm bolts. Hub part numbers also differ between 2WD and 4WD, so order by drivetrain, not just year.
| Wheel lug nuts (21 mm) | 83 ft-lb (113 Nm) |
| Front axle (drive shaft) nut, 30 mm, 4WD | 174 ft-lb (235 Nm) |
| Hub/bearing assembly bolts to knuckle (4 x 17 mm) | about 68-77 ft-lb (92-105 Nm) — verify in the service manual for your VIN |
| Brake caliper bracket (torque plate) bolts to knuckle | 87 ft-lb (118 Nm) |
| Caliper slide/guide bolts | 25 ft-lb (34 Nm) |
| ABS wheel speed sensor bolt (10 mm) | appr. 71 in-lb (8 Nm) — verify in the service manual |
| Brake dust shield bolts (10 mm) | verify in the service manual |
30 mm, 1/2 in drive, on 4WD models. Torque it to 174 ft-lb (235 Nm) and secure it with a new cotter pin. 2WD trucks have no front axle nut.
Yes. The four 17 mm hub bolts are reachable from behind the knuckle with a deep socket and a wobble extension; turning the steering to full lock helps. You do not need to touch the ball joints or tie rod.
No programming is needed. The ABS ring is part of the hub, so just make sure the speed sensor seats fully; if the ABS/VSC light stays on, scan for a wheel speed sensor code and check sensor seating and wiring.
Bearing noise is a hum or growl that rises with speed and changes when you load the bearing by swerving left and right. Rotate the tires first — cupped Tacoma tires make almost the same sound — and check for play by rocking the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock with the truck lifted.