The previous owner of my 3rd gen Prelude hit a curb or something and bent the front left hub. (passenger side for me)

All of my angles are messed up, the camber on that wheel is -2 degrees, out of spec and the wheel alignment shop had to adjust the other wheel angles out of spec to prevent my car from crabbing.

The front tyres are getting a bit worn and will need to be replaced before I can pass my next inspection in 3 months, so I want to change my hub and get my wheels aligned to spec.

I'm just wondering what I'll need to do to replace the hub.

I have a tool box and access to a hoist, just wondering what special tools I'll need.
Will I need a spring compressor?

How long would it take to replace the hub? 2 hours for a novice?

 

are sure it is just the hub? i would think that some of the other suspension components would be more likely to take the damage than the actual hub. either way, you should be able to get used parts from a junk/salvage yard pretty cheap.

taking it apart may be a bit of a pain if it have never been touched in ten years...not complicated, but bolts could be seized...

get a service manual for your car. it will walk you through removing and installing the various parts that you will be dealing with.

also, i wouldn't put a time on this job. i can do mine really quick, but it's been apart several times and i've done a lot of suspension work. if everything's rusted up tight, it might take you more than two hours. if things come apart fairly easily, it might only take you one. load up all the bolts with some WD-40 or something similar (Aero-Kroil is my favorite) every day before you start the job. driving it will help lube up parts...

 

i agree with the above. it tends to be knuckles and arms that get bent. you might need a press to remove the hub

 

i didn't think you need a press to remove honda hubs...or were the preludes different? i had to press the hubs out of the steering knuckles on my tiburon just to replace the rotors, but that's cuz hyundai is kinda dumb sometimes...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by S8P-tuner &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">are sure it is just the hub? i would think that some of the other suspension components would be more likely to take the damage than the actual hub.</TD></TR></TABLE>

When I had it at the wheel alignment place they said there was damage to the hub.

On the front right wheel you can fit your fingers between the upper arm and spring, on the front left you can't. There's a gap, but it's about half the size.
Not very scientific.

I did some measurements about a year ago.

Camber specs 0º ± 1º
SAI (KPI) 9º 45'
Included Angle 10º 45'

My measurements were:
Right Front:
Camber 0º
SAI 9.4º
Included Angle 9.4º

Left Front:
Camber 2.5º
SAI 10º
Included Angle 12.5º

The included angle is so far out, it must be hub damage.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ryanstev &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">On the front right wheel you can fit your fingers between the upper arm and spring, on the front left you can't. There's a gap, but it's about half the size.</TD></TR></TABLE>

In my mind, that right there points to the upper arm being bent.

If you don't have air tools, make friends with someone who does. they will make this job a lot easier. other than normal tools, you'll need a tool that I can't remember the real name of, but everyone calls it a pickle fork. Autozone rents it for free

 

I think you're right.

I had a look in one of my books and from what I felt, it's either the hub, or the upper arm.
But for the hub to bend, the impact would have been hard enough to damage the whole suspension assembly.
I've no idea if that happened and they replaced everything but the hub, but it's most likely the upper arm, alone, was damaged.

 

Although saying that:

The upper arm is closer to the spring, but so is the hub where it goes up from the centre of the wheel to connect to the upper arm.

A bent upper arm could do that, but I'm just thinking about the included angle.
My tutor says that if the included angle is incorrect, it must be hub damage, if it's correct the damage is elsewhere.