Changing the front wheel bearings on a Renault Twingo 1

Use a heavy duty ratchet wrench with a 30mm socket and loosen this nut (along with the 4 wheel fixing bolts) before lifting the front of the car.

Securing the vehicle: removing and refitting the wheel

Place the front on jack stands , remove the wheel, remove the caliper assembly screws and attach the caliper to the suspension arm.

Remove the disc fixing screws then remove the disc

Extract the steering ball joint: If you do not have a ball joint extractor, heat the mating area with a hot air torch then strike (gently) laterally with a hammer; the cone will quickly come off.

Extract the wishbone ball joint axle Remove the tangential screw (16 socket wrench and a 16 socket). Insert the blade of a large flat screwdriver into the slot in the pivot then tap with a hammer to release the ball joint tail from the pivot

Remove the 2 shock absorber foot screws (18mm socket wrench and 18mm socket)

Remove the central transmission nut and remove the pivot/hub subassembly

Extract the hub using an extractor pushing a ring of Ø 34.8 max. The extractor legs are attached to the shapes of the hub

At this stage one of the inner rings remains in place on the hub. Use a separator coupled with an extractor or more simply grind the ring tangentially with the grinder to a few tenths of a millimeter from the hub. It is now easy to extract it.

Replace the ring (previously ground) on the bearing, remove the retaining ring, insert a M12 x350 threaded rod fitted with a ring resting on the inner ring + M12 nut.

On the other side of the hub place a tube Ø int. mini 66 lgr 50, a plate, a nut (see diagram)

Place the bearing in the freezer for 2 hours and heat the pivot with a hot air blowtorch to approx. 200°

Position the pivot and the bearing around a M12x350 threaded rod with a nut tightened in the jaws of a vice. (It is advisable to first coat the areas in contact with lithium grease)

Place a ring, a washer and a nut above the bearing

Tighten slowly until the bearing is seated at the bottom of the housing.

Position the pivot and the hub around a M12x350 threaded rod whose lower nut holds a ring resting on the hub

Then place a ring in support on the inner ring of the bearing, interpose a spacer, a washer and an HM12 nut, tighten gently

Before fitting, it is advisable to coat the hub and the bore of the bearing ring with lithium grease.

First insert the splined shaft, and approach the transmission nut. Check that all nuts are correctly tightened. All nuts will be coated with "thread lock" before assembly.

Fit the steering ball joint. Prevent the axle from rotating by holding it with a 7mm socket wrench. As soon as the cones are in contact, this operation is no longer necessary.

Assemble shock absorber foot screws

Fix the ball joint axis of the triangle

Install the brake caliper, then the disc

Reassemble the wheel to finish tightening the transmission nut.