FWD Rear wheel hub bearings

[wtruck]

I have been searching for wheel bearings for the rear wheels of a 2007 RX350 FWD, but, can only find the wheel bearing hub/and bearings together.

 

Has anyone ever pressed out the rear wheel bearings from the hubs and just replaced the bearings and not replace the entire hub?

[RX400h]

Did you find new bearings? Most auto parts stores do not carry them for the rear. 
If you have to buy both, rockauto.com has some great prices.

If you do find the bearing, you may need a hydraulic press and special tools.

[wtruck]

Yes, I have a 12-ton hydraulic press.   I've used it to press bearings in a Saturn front wheel hub assembly. 

I was thinking that I could just pull the rear hub assemblies to press out the old bearings, and, press in the new bearings. 

 

But,  I cannot find just the rear bearings.    I keep finding (online) just the wheel hub assembly with the bearing (1AAuto, RockAuto, Napa, O'Reily's, Autozone)

[RX400h]

I searched as well and came up empty. There may be a good reason why the two components are sold together. 

[lenore]

I have replaced the bearings on the front hubs, I just ordered from Rockauto for the rear hubs with bearings.  

[MattRX]

The rear wheel bearings are not press-in like the fronts, they are bolt-in which are supposed to be easier, but I found them to be worse up here in Canada where they seize up to the rear of the backing plate and have to be chiselled out.  I got NSK ones from Rockauto.   Same part number and engravings as the OEM one which surprised me.  You have to buy them as a complete assembly with a hub and the bearing itself, this was even the way they came when I worked at Toyota and we had to pop them into customer's cars.

[wtruck]

I found a sway bar on Ebay, in Texas (rust-free).....[16MM.  Part Number: 48812-48060], and, less than 1/2 price of a new one.

After installing the sway bar and new sway bar links, I took a few test drives and continued to hear a slight humm from the rear.   I wasn't sure if it was tire noise due to needing an alignment or possible rear wheel bearing.

I removed the LH rear caliper & rotor and gave the hub a spin.   I could hear the ever so low tone of the bad bearing.  I ordered and replaced both rear wheel hubs/bearings.

This ranks with one of the worst mechanical maintenance chores I can remember !!

Of course, the wheel hubs were frozen/rusted into the knuckles and dust shields.  After unbolting the hubs I used my Thor hammer and removed them from the knuckles, but, they were both still stuck/rusted into the dust shields.

I removed all the emergency brake components (shoes, springs, pins, adjusters) and then took the hub & dust shields to the workbench.   I used a bolt & nut/washers to make a press between the hub and dust shield.  But, the 3/8 bolt & nut I used only lasted a few turns before stripping.

Off to the hardware store, I purchased a #8 grade bolt & nut, then I used an old 1/4" drive socket as another spacer against the dust shields.   I also knocked out all the lug studs, I didn't have to but it felt good!

I used the #8 bolt/nut/washers/socket to press the hubs out of the dust shields. 

I put the bolt/nut/washers into one of the lug studs holes and would place the 1/4 socket against the dust shield and tighten the bolt/nut, then, I would loosen and rotate the rub move the nut/bolt/washers/socket to an alternate position....I generally used 3 different points (like a triangle) and pressed the hubs out of the dust shields.

If you notice the 1/4" socket in the photo, it is pretty much destroyed from the pressure/stress.  The #8 bolt/nut held up but certainly took a beating.

Yes, the hum noise is now gone and the ride does feel much better.