Guide: Replacing a 07-14 Cadillac Escalade Wheel Bearing & Hub

Sep 08, 2022by Max Johnston - Gearhead

Your Cadillac Escalade is no ordinary SUV—it’s a luxury vehicle that deserves to be kept functional and in great shape. But if you want your Escalade to keep driving like the high-performance piece of heavy machinery it is, you’ll occasionally need to replace a wheel bearing and hub for it. Fortunately, purchasing high-quality aftermarket wheel bearings and hubs for your Escalade and learning how to install them yourself is easy, and it can save you considerable amounts of money.

Replacing Your 2007-2014 Cadillac Escalade Wheel Bearing & Hub? This is the part you need!

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Below, we’ve put together a guide on how to install new wheel bearings and hub assemblies for Cadillac Escalades. Follow these instructions to ensure your premium SUV is well-equipped to tackle your next road trip in comfort, safety, and style.

Required Equipment

2007-2014 Cadillac Escalade wheel bearing & hub assembly
Floor jack & jack stands
Lug wrench
Caliper hanger
A torque wrench in ft-lbs
18, 22, T-30, and 36mm sockets
Hammer
Screwdriver
Needle nose pliers
Anti-seize
Wire brush

Before You Start

Use a 22mm socket to loosen the wheel nuts of your Cadillac Escalade, then use your floor jack to hoist it off the ground and mount it on your jack stands.

Next, take off the wheel nuts completely and take the hubcap off, putting both the cap and nuts in a safe place so you don’t lose anything. Use a plastic pry bar or a screwdriver wrapped with a cloth to remove the hubcap to avoid scratching.

Once the hubcap is off, you should be able to view the following (matched by number to the image below):

ABS cable (9)
Brake calliper (4)
Brake rotor (1)
Wheel hub with wheel bearing inside (2)

Diagram showing parts of the front brake and hub assembly for 2007 Cadillac Escalade

Diagram showing key parts of front brake assembly for 2007 Cadillac Escalade.

Step 1: Remove the Brake Caliper & Bracket

You’ll need to remove the bolts holding your brake calliper and bracket in place. To do this, use an 18 mm socket.

Next, slide the caliper off and use a brake caliper hanger to secure it out of the way. Ensure this does not place tension on the brake hose.

Step 2: Remove the Brake Rotor

Use a T-30 socket to remove the screw holding your rotor in place. Once the screw is out, grab the rotor with both hands and gently but firmly slide it off. Set it aside.

Step 3: Remove the Wheel Hub

Use a 36mm socket to remove the nut underneath the rotor that holds the hub in place. Remove the washer underneath the nut as well. Tap the axle with a hammer to ensure that the axle is loose from the hub, but be careful not to damage the splines.

Take the ABS harness off and use a pocket screwdriver or needle nose pliers to disconnect the cable.

Remove the three bolts that hold the hub’s housing in place. Use a 15mm socket to remove the bolts from the rear of the knuckle.

Once the bolts have been removed, grasp the hub with both hands and slide it off as well. If it isn’t coming off easily, use a hammer to gently tap it loose. Once the hub is off, gently pry the shield off by hand.

Step 4: Clean the Area around the Axle

Using a wire brush, scrape rust and debris out of the area. You’ll also want to apply a little anti-seize, which will help lubricate your new hub and protect it from corrosion, lowering the likelihood that it will seize up during use.

Step 5: Replace the Hub

Insert the ABS wire through the dust shield and place the shield on the new hub. Slide your new hub and bearing back into position on the axle.

Start the three bolts that go into the hub’s housing. Then use a torque wrench to torque each of them to 133 lb-ft. Note: always consult your owner’s manual to double-check your torque specs and make sure they do not vary depending on your Escalade’s model year.

Replace the washer and nut that holds the hub in place. Tighten the nut and torque it to 177 lb-ft, inserting a pry bar between the lugs to stop the hub from rotating during this process.

Replace the ABS wire and put the harness back into its original position, pressing firmly to lock it in place.

Step 6: Reinstall the Brake Rotor

Apply a small amount of anti-seize to the hub, then slide the rotor back onto the lugs, lining the threaded hole up so that the screw can go back through. Replace the screws that hold the rotor in place.

Step 7: Replace the Brake Caliper

Take the caliper off the hanger and slide it back onto the rotor. Start the bolts that hold the caliper in place, then tighten them to 148 lb-ft each.

Step 8: Replace the Wheel & Center Cap

Replace the wheel and use a cross-pattern to torque the lug nuts to 140 lb-ft each, ensuring that the wheel is evenly tightened. Finally, replace the center cap.

Step 9: Prepare to Drive

Lower your Escalade to the ground and pump the brakes several times to get rid of the air gap between the rotor and brake pads. Congratulations: you’ve successfully installed a new wheel hub and bearing on your 2007 - 2014 Cadillac Escalade!

Video Walkthrough for Replacing Bearings on Your 2007 - 2014 Cadillac Escalade

If you need more of a visual aid to make sense of the instructions above, we recommend watching the following video:

Use Reliable Bearings & Hubs for Your Cadillac Escalade

Your Cadillac Escalade deserves diligent care, regular maintenance, and high-quality aftermarket parts to ensure that it keeps on ruling the road. Find replacement wheel bearings and hubs for your 2007 - 2014 Cadillac Escalade here, and browse our other posts to learn more about when it’s time to replace them.

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