wheel bearing saga -- UPDATE

Hello ALL,

First of all let me begin by saying THANK YOU to all who responded to
my original post.

I pulled the hub/knuckle/axle as a unit and replaced it with a
junkyard knuckle + new bearing + new CV shaft.

While shopping for the knuckle, I was looking for the newest knuckle I
could get my hands on -- however, there was one thing I did not
realize -- the ABS sensors are not the same on LH cars made in 98-01
and 02-04.

They changed the ABS module that the used and the sensors are NOT
COMPATIBLE (confirmed it with the dealer who pulled different part
numbers for the 01 and 02 and verified by checking the listing in
various parts stores -- also different parts). Since my "replacement"
knuckle came off an '02, I had to get a new ABS sensor (sure I could
have gone back to the yard and picked up one with the right sensor --
but I was really running low on time). As you can imagine the original
ABS sensor was also "frozen" to the knuckle -- having soaked the area
with penetrating oil, I attempted to remove it as per FSM by trying to
twist it using a puch against sensor head. However, what happened was
that the plastic part of the sensor (along with the coil inside)
separated from the metal cover that remained firmly stuck in the
knuckle. Just for fun I was trying to punch the cover out, but it was
so stuck that I ended up tearing the metal. The remaining pieces were
literally inseparable from the knuckle -- it was all so RUSTED.

Installed the mess and test drove the car -- runs great, the noise is
GONE.

Once again, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your help.

Thanks,

Alex

P.S. I used a new nut/bolt pair (ordered from the dealer) when
securing the new knuckle to the control arm as per FSM and Bill's
advice. I did not end up replacing the control arm since the boot was
actually intact -- there was a layer of rust caked on top of the
rubber that made it look like it was ripped -- but the rubber is still
OK (surprisingly).

P.S. II -- Before deciding to use a NEW CV shaft I took my old knuckle
with hub and CV shaft attached to a local shop. The agreed to TRY to
push it out for $40 (if they were successful). I told them that they
could risk destroying the unit in the process of getting it out. Well,
no such luck -- they tried heat & hydrolic press to no avail. At the
end they managed to break off 2 pieces of the knuckle (the parts that
attach to the strut and to the control arm) and bend the protruding
part of the CV shaft, but neither the bearing nor the shaft was
willing to budge. Before taking it to the shop I soaked the whole
mess in penertrating oil, but that did not help either.