bullrider

Hi - I'm a very new owner of a used Lexus (2005 ES 330) and have a quick question. I have downloaded a service manual for it but it doesn't have photos and I am totally new to these cars.

This evening darn the luck I got a piece of metal in a front tire and it went flat. When I replaced it with the spare, I noticed that there was the usual nut on the front hub or spindle or whatever you'd call it but there was no grease cap (cup?) over it to seal it shut. I've never worked on a car like this before and don't know if it is missing something or if there's just not supposed to be one.

This car was bought from a Lexus dealer which has done most of the service on it since new and which went over the whole car before they put it on their lot; I find it hard to believe that if there was supposed to be a grease cap or cup that they wouldn't have noted that and fixed it, but I want to be sure. Hopefully someone can tell me. Thanks very much.

LeX2K

You are thinking of a hub that has serviceable wheel bearings, the bearings on these cars are self contained sealed units plus they have dust shields and inner/outer seals to keep the elements out. The nut you see is there to hold the axle in place.

bullrider

Great - thanks for your reply. My only experience was with serviceable wheel bearings, you're right. Now I know all is well. Much appreciated.

ES300NZ

The CV cup extends out with a splined spindle that has a thread on the end. The nut then clamps down with about 200lbs to compress the wheelbearings and hold the hub/cv unit together. No dust cover required.

FYI: The nut can be undone with a very long power bar and either a 32mm or 34, or 36 mm 3/4 drive power bar, when the car is on the ground. It un does by turning to towards the back of the car.

bullrider

Thanks for the additional info. I'm glad to hear there is a way of keeping the bearing sealed, just not what I expected based on prior experience. The car has always been serviced by Lexus apparently based on all the records, and I couldn't believe that someone would have let it go with anything missing, but I wasn't sure what I was seeing.