DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
#1
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Thread Starter
DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
I did a search and didn't find anything. You can probably use this writeup for rear disc too, but you'll have to move the caliper out of the way and remove the rotor instead of dealing with the drum. I didn't have an issue with the inner race of the bearing on my rear disc car.
Tools:
Jack/jackstands
Socket wrench
12mm socket
14mm socket
32mm axle nut socket (you can rent from Advance Autoparts for free)
New wheel bearing hub assembly (Buy the non-ABS one, even if you have ABS. Knock the ABS ring off your old one and put it on the new one. Tadaa, saved you $10!)
Hammer
Various flathead screwdrivers to pry with
Start by cracking loose your lugnuts.
Jack the car up, then remove your lugnuts/hubcap/wheel.
This should be what you're looking at
Use a screwdriver and a hammer to pop the center cap out. Or according to mcvtec, You can use 2 8mm bolts to press the drum off of the hub, instead of hitting the drum with a hammer.
It reveals the staked 32mm nut.
Use a screwdriver to push the stake back out or in my case jump on your breaker bar to remove the 32mm nut (I didn't have a screwdriver small enough to fit in the notch)
Hit the hub a couple times with a hammer/mallet, then pry from both sides until it comes loose.
Pull it out, this is what you're left with if you're unlucky
This is what the hub looks like now, notice the inner race is still stuck on the hub. Sometimes if you're lucky it will come off with the bearing, so if that's the case skip down a couple pics
Hit the studs with a hammer and the whole bearing assembly will pop out
Old s new. I compared them and the new one looked taller, about 5mm from the ABS ring.
Take off the 4 14mm bolts around the hub
Take off the 2 12mm bolts that hold the hard brake line to the trailing arm. USE 6 PT SOCKETS! I almost stripped the head on one and one head snapped off. PB blast is your friend
Push the brake assembly to the side, so that it's off center from the thing sticking out in the middle.
Poke your head to the side and look toward the front of the car, you'll see that the inner race is now exposed. Take a screwdriver and hammer it at the end of the bearing race. You'll slowly see a crack begin to appear, do this from both sides to get the race to come out.
Now you can take it off! Also put the 4 14mm bolts back on.
This was what was wrong with my bearing, something ate away at the metal.
Clean this thing up with some chemicals
Slide your new bearing on to check fit. MINE WAS THE WRONG ONE, EVEN THOUGH PART NUMBER WAS CORRECT! It slid on there but the center hole was much too big, it wasn't a snug fit at all. I had to go back and get one without the ABS ring, this one fit perfect. Take a screwdriver/hammer and hammer the old ring off, then center it on the new bearing and use a piece of wood in between to ensure it goes down evenly.
Put your brake drum over it
Put everything back the way you took it off, including the washer thing, axle nut, brake hardlines, and the cap. Torque everything down, put your wheel back on, and enjoy a ride without the hum!
Here's a nice video done by rgillin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyeekUF-LyE
Tools:
Jack/jackstands
Socket wrench
12mm socket
14mm socket
32mm axle nut socket (you can rent from Advance Autoparts for free)
New wheel bearing hub assembly (Buy the non-ABS one, even if you have ABS. Knock the ABS ring off your old one and put it on the new one. Tadaa, saved you $10!)
Hammer
Various flathead screwdrivers to pry with
Start by cracking loose your lugnuts.
Jack the car up, then remove your lugnuts/hubcap/wheel.
This should be what you're looking at
Use a screwdriver and a hammer to pop the center cap out. Or according to mcvtec, You can use 2 8mm bolts to press the drum off of the hub, instead of hitting the drum with a hammer.
It reveals the staked 32mm nut.
Use a screwdriver to push the stake back out or in my case jump on your breaker bar to remove the 32mm nut (I didn't have a screwdriver small enough to fit in the notch)
Hit the hub a couple times with a hammer/mallet, then pry from both sides until it comes loose.
Pull it out, this is what you're left with if you're unlucky
This is what the hub looks like now, notice the inner race is still stuck on the hub. Sometimes if you're lucky it will come off with the bearing, so if that's the case skip down a couple pics
Hit the studs with a hammer and the whole bearing assembly will pop out
Old s new. I compared them and the new one looked taller, about 5mm from the ABS ring.
Take off the 4 14mm bolts around the hub
Take off the 2 12mm bolts that hold the hard brake line to the trailing arm. USE 6 PT SOCKETS! I almost stripped the head on one and one head snapped off. PB blast is your friend
Push the brake assembly to the side, so that it's off center from the thing sticking out in the middle.
Poke your head to the side and look toward the front of the car, you'll see that the inner race is now exposed. Take a screwdriver and hammer it at the end of the bearing race. You'll slowly see a crack begin to appear, do this from both sides to get the race to come out.
Now you can take it off! Also put the 4 14mm bolts back on.
This was what was wrong with my bearing, something ate away at the metal.
Clean this thing up with some chemicals
Slide your new bearing on to check fit. MINE WAS THE WRONG ONE, EVEN THOUGH PART NUMBER WAS CORRECT! It slid on there but the center hole was much too big, it wasn't a snug fit at all. I had to go back and get one without the ABS ring, this one fit perfect. Take a screwdriver/hammer and hammer the old ring off, then center it on the new bearing and use a piece of wood in between to ensure it goes down evenly.
Put your brake drum over it
Put everything back the way you took it off, including the washer thing, axle nut, brake hardlines, and the cap. Torque everything down, put your wheel back on, and enjoy a ride without the hum!
Here's a nice video done by rgillin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyeekUF-LyE
Last edited by sde780; 10-20-2011 at 06:26 PM.
#4
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
#6
#1 Super Guy
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Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
Wow. I didn't know Honda made ABS cars with rear-drums. What year/model/trim is this car?
I'm amazed at how easily the rear comes off for you. I'm currently working on a front bearing of a 94 and it's been a total PITA!
I'm amazed at how easily the rear comes off for you. I'm currently working on a front bearing of a 94 and it's been a total PITA!
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#8
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
Thanks!
1997 Civic sedan, EX model. I did my front too, it took a while to pound the old one out. However I needed a machine shop to press the new front one in because I couldn't get it to go in straight. You can take the front hub out without undoing any brake lines, it's just upper balljoint, tie rod, and lower balljoint. Then take that to machine shop and have them do it, it was soooo much easier.
Press out old, press in new. Why are you changing just the bearing? The whole hub assembly cost less than $50 for me...also when you change the hub I do believe the bearing goes with it
Press out old, press in new. Why are you changing just the bearing? The whole hub assembly cost less than $50 for me...also when you change the hub I do believe the bearing goes with it
#10
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Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
Press out old, press in new. Why are you changing just the bearing? The whole hub assembly cost less than $50 for me...also when you change the hub I do believe the bearing goes with it
#11
#1 Super Guy
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Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
***edit: After looking closely at the pics, it's obvious the rear bearing is a separate piece, I just have no idea how you would get it out. Can you post part number if you find the bearings separately?
#15
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Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
For the rear, I'm pretty sure the bearing is an integral part of the hub itself. I haven't taken one apart myself, but I know the rear bearing is not sold separately. I've always been under the impression that the hub is actually the outer race of the bearing. Please correct me if I'm wrong...
***edit: After looking closely at the pics, it's obvious the rear bearing is a separate piece, I just have no idea how you would get it out. Can you post part number if you find the bearings separately?
***edit: After looking closely at the pics, it's obvious the rear bearing is a separate piece, I just have no idea how you would get it out. Can you post part number if you find the bearings separately?
#16
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
Thanks for the tip, I'll add it into my post. I had no idea how to do the rears so I winged it, using bolts never occured to me.
#17
#1 Super Guy
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Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
FYI: For a stubborn inner-bearing-race, break out the Dremel and go to town. With a regular cutoff wheel and a little patience, you can grind a deep groove across the thing at an angle. Take your time and make sure not to go all the way through. Try to make the groove V shaped so you can fit your chisel or screw-driver blade in there. When it's deep enough, a good blow with a chisel & hammer will crack the race the rest of the way through because it's hardened steel. Then it will slide off with a little work from your screw-driver.
I just managed this over the past weekend on one of my front wheel-hubs. Now I've just gotta get someone to press out the bearing for me. 5lb hammer isn't getting it done.
Generic picture for reference:
I just managed this over the past weekend on one of my front wheel-hubs. Now I've just gotta get someone to press out the bearing for me. 5lb hammer isn't getting it done.
Generic picture for reference:
#18
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
^ I actually did that on my front hub...cut too far (they said it turns blue/purple) when you get close to the hub...mine never did. mine now has a groove in it but thankfully it's not very big, machine shop said it shouldn't matter.
#19
#1 Super Guy
iTrader: (2)
Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
Yeah, There was definitely no change in color when I was cutting mine. I didn't go all the way through, but one spot was really thin.
I watched a demo on youtube from a mechanic who used an air powered tool to make a quick cut across the race. He left a big scar on the hub underneath, but said it's not a problem at all. Just clean up the hub afterwards with some sand paper to round off any edges.
I watched a demo on youtube from a mechanic who used an air powered tool to make a quick cut across the race. He left a big scar on the hub underneath, but said it's not a problem at all. Just clean up the hub afterwards with some sand paper to round off any edges.
#20
Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
A thousand thank-yous. I took my civic in because of annoying hum coming from the rear right wheel. Turned out to be a bad wheel bearing. The shop wanted like 300 to do it. Found your page and and pretty confident i can change out the bad hub with freakin' $50 replacement part and save the $250...
#21
Honda-Tech Member
Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
That's a good example of raceway flaking. It's usually caused by impact loading (hitting a curb, bottoming the suspension too much..) or from rust/contamination. I had similar signs of failure on my input shaft bearing in the gear box.
#22
Honda-Tech Member
Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
In the case of the rears the terms "bearing" and "hub" can be used synonymously. The hub has the lugs in it. These are a Double Angular-Contact bearing with a Flange.. technially speaking. Because the lugs are in the flange it's a bearing and a hub. The shaft in the rear would be called a spindle.
The fronts are a little different. The hub (with the flange and the lugs) is the inner shaft with splines for the axle. The bearing presses onto this and although it also has a flange, the flange holds it to the knuckle and doesn't hold the lug studs.
Hope that's helpful.
disclaimer: I'm not some brainy nerd... I just work in hub bearing manufacturing.
#23
Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
Great Pics sde780... Here is a video as well to go along with it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syeek...&feature=feedu
or just look up "How To Replace a Honda Civic Rear Hub Bearing" on Youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syeek...&feature=feedu
or just look up "How To Replace a Honda Civic Rear Hub Bearing" on Youtube...