I have a 90 civic si with a 91 b18a. I purchased new DA axles to replace the old ones but, the problem that I ran into is that when installed on the passenger side my wheel does not spin as freely as on the driver side. I thought it was maybe a bad caliper took it off but still the same thing. Thought it was the transmission pulled the axle out of the hub and turn it by hand with the axle still in the transmission it spun just like the other side. The only thing that i can think of right now is that maybe the wheel bearing is going out. Threw everything back on and drove it and it drive pretty much the same. Am I missing something here? What can it be?

 

honestly the wheel bearing would have been one of my first guesses

 

were both the tires off the ground?

 

Did you remove the rubber O-ring on the new axles?

 

did you remove the dust ring not sure if it has to be done with that set up but am pretty sure it does had same problem on my swap i just spaced out on removing them

 

^ above remove dust rings

 

As for that rubber ring, can I just use a flat screw driver to pry it off? What are the cons of leaving it on?

 

You can use whatever you want to take it off... A screwdriver, knife, stick, fork, bolt, fingers, ect ect just take the thing off. How would there be any Cons? It wasn't designed to be on that car otherwise your stock axles would have them.

For those saying the dust cup: most of the time your axle will not spin at all with it left in. His axles spin so most likely it is the rubber O-ring that comes on some new axles. Either way OP if you left the metal dust cups on take them off any way... (see above list for things you can use)