Mitsubishi Rear Wheel Bearing Replacement

Is there a whining noise as your Mitsubishi speed increases, and when turning it, there’s also a whining noise? Learn how to fix the problem by replacing the rear wheel bearing of your Mitsubishi. This guide provides instructions on replacing the rear wheel bearing on a Mitsubishi Outlander.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of bad wheel bearings are:

• Whining noise as speed increases.
• Whining when turning (front bearing).

What you will need

Parts

• Mitsubishi Outlander Rear Bearing

Tools

• Torque Wrench
• Flathead screwdriver
• Ratchet
• Ratchet extensions
• Center punch tool
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 30,32 or 36 mm socket
• Center punch tool

Procedure

1. Park the vehicle on level ground. Block the front wheel using wheel chocks to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
2. Loosen the lug nuts.
3. Jack up the vehicle and secure it with jack stands. Put the vehicle on a jack stand to support the frame for added safety. Do not rely on the jack alone.
4. For rear-wheel and four-wheel drive types, remove the center nut by popping out the nut indent with a flat head screwdriver and a hammer, then turning the nut counterclockwise; you may use a 30,32 or 36mm socket and a breaker bar and/or ratchet handle.
5. Loosen the brake caliper bracket by removing two bolts on the back using a 17mm socket.
6. Slide the brake caliper away to remove it completely.
7. Take extra precautions not to stretch the flexible brake hose.
8. Disconnect the electric parking brake by pressing the lock and pulling it.
9. Spray penetrating oil on studs to loosen its grip on the rotor and wait for fifteen minutes.
10. Put the transmission in neutral, release the parking brake, and rotate the wheel while gently tapping the inner side of the rotor with a rubber mallet. This would loosen the rotor’s grip. Caution: The vehicle may roll if not secured properly. 
11. Remove the rotor completely by hand.
12. Put the parking brake in the park position.
13. Remove four bearing housing flange retaining bolts using 14mm socket, ratchet wrench, and different extensions (1 to 6 inches).
14. Disconnect the bearing from the wheel spline using a center punch tool and a hammer. Avoid hitting the center thread.
15. Remove bearing assembly by hand.
16. Be careful not to damage the dust shield.
17. Prepare the new bearing assembly.
18. Take the wheel speed sensor out of the way.
19. Install the dust shield.
20. Line up and install the bearing assembly on top of the dust shield using the old impression on the dust shield as a guide. It is recommended to install new bolts on the bearing housing flange.
21. Install the bolts initially by hand.
22. Use a 14mm socket, ratchet wrench, and different extensions to fasten bearing housing flange retaining bolts. Torque to specs. It is recommended to use anti-seize compounds on the threads.
23. Reinstall the rotor.
24. Reinstall the brake caliper.
25. Reinstall brake caliper bracket bolts by hand, then torque to spec. 
26. Fasten the bolts using a 17mm socket and a ratchet. Torque the bolts to specs.
27. Reconnect parking brake electrical connector.
28. Reinstall the center nut by hand.
29. Fasten center nut using ratchet and 32mm socket.
30. Torque to specs, spin 90 degrees, and re-torque. You may put the vehicle in park and have someone press on the brake while applying torque to the nut.
31. Using a flat-head screwdriver, tap the nut to lock it on.
32. Reinstall the wheel, install lug nuts, remove the jack stands, lower the jack, and fasten the wheel’s lug nuts.

While not required, it is recommended to perform an all-wheel alignment after replacing the wheel bearing on a Mitsubishi.

Frequently Asked Question

How do you know your wheel bearing is bad?

• One of the common symptoms of a bad wheel bearing is a whining noise when the vehicle moves.

Can you drive a Mitsubishi with a bad wheel bearing?

• It is not recommended to drive any car with a bad wheel bearing, for it may cause an accident.

Applications

• Mitsubishi Outlander
• Mitsubishi Endeavor

We hope you find the Mitsubishi Rear Wheel Bearing Replacement guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your Mitsubishi.