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
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6291068_n.jpg

Use a screwdriver and a hammer to pop the center cap out. Or according to mcvtec, http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...s/viewpost.gif 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.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2867688_n.jpg

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)
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...2_879554_n.jpg

Hit the hub a couple times with a hammer/mallet, then pry from both sides until it comes loose.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7948650_n.jpg

Pull it out, this is what you're left with if you're unlucky
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3325630_n.jpg

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
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2123980_n.jpg

Hit the studs with a hammer and the whole bearing assembly will pop out
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1812909_n.jpg

Old s new. I compared them and the new one looked taller, about 5mm from the ABS ring.
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1781519_n.jpg

Take off the 4 14mm bolts around the hub
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2894417_n.jpg

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
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6198827_n.jpg

Push the brake assembly to the side, so that it's off center from the thing sticking out in the middle.
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...9_148658_n.jpg

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.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1154711_n.jpg

Now you can take it off! Also put the 4 14mm bolts back on.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6700520_n.jpg

This was what was wrong with my bearing, something ate away at the metal.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6834364_n.jpg

Clean this thing up with some chemicals
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3087906_n.jpg

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.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5228865_n.jpg

Put your brake drum over it
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5772550_n.jpg

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

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

do you know if the bearing is the same for both drums and disc at the rear?

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

YES, i have such a bad bearing gonna def do this before the winter roll in.

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

I don't know. Check part numbers, any autoparts store should be able to tell you

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

awesome write up, should be in the FAQs unless there is one already

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!

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

thats just changing the hub.. what about the actual bearing in the hub

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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 ;)

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

Helpful thread added to FAQs sticky.

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

just saying. my buddy wants me to change the bearing bc he got them for free. i advised him that it would be easier if he just bought the hub since it comes with one and its cheap. it looks tough anyways just to change out the bearings since i dont have a press.

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?

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

Correct

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

Does this diy the same for integra?

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

You can use 2 8mm bolts to press the drum off of the hub, instead of hitting the drum with a hammer.

It's best to adjust the the shoes after final installation of the drum.

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

i will see if my buddy still have the part still in original box or package.

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.

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:

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101...c9471efc58.jpg

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.

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.

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...

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.

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

like others have confirmed, the bearing is not separate from the hub.

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. ;)

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...

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

Nice video, thanks for posting that up. I'll add it to the original post

Re: DIY: How to replace rear wheel bearing (drum brakes)
 

Replaced the hub and rear drum brakes last weekend. I was amazed at how easy every thing went.

Big thanks sde780...