Front Wheel Bearing Excessive Play Inspection

Remove the wheel and tire. (See WHEEL AND TIRE REMOVAL/INSTALLATION .)
Remove the clip from the front shock absorber.

Fig 1: Front Brake Hose And Front Shock Absorber With Clip
Courtesy of MAZDA MOTORS CORP.
Remove the front brake hose from the front shock absorber.
Remove the front brake caliper component installation bolts.

Fig 2: Front Brake Caliper Component And Bolts With Torque Specification
Courtesy of MAZDA MOTORS CORP.
Remove the front brake caliper component and suspend it out of the way using a cable.

Fig 3: Suspending Front Brake Caliper Component Using Cable
Courtesy of MAZDA MOTORS CORP.
Remove the front disc plate. (See FRONT BRAKE (DISC) REMOVAL/INSTALLATION .)
Install the magnetic base and dial gauge as shown in the figure and measure the wheel bearing axial excessive play.

Fig 4: Installing Magnetic Base And Dial Gauge
Courtesy of MAZDA MOTORS CORP.
- If it exceeds the maximum specification, replace the wheel hub bearing. (See WHEEL HUB, STEERING KNUCKLE REMOVAL/INSTALLATION .)
  Front wheel bearing maximum play
  
  0.05 mm {0.002 in}