Wheel bearing questions?

[lxi-coupe]

I have the 89 LXI with original bearing ans race set-up. After 236K they are really loose as hell with bump steer, wandering and just kinda getting scary to drive noadays. I looked at autozone, oreilly's and rockauto but have no idea what will fit.

How do I remove the race from the hub/axel?
Do I need a new wheel hub without the race "tire side"?
My wheel hub "attached to the car" is somewhat tapered will any bearing module work?

This is what makes me think a little bit. Rock-auto has a tapered bearing specifically for the LXI.
heres the link RockAuto Parts Catalog

any input will help. My poor car is falling apart just trying to keep her running.

[Legend_master]

This may just be a lack of knowledge on my part, what specifically are you reffering to as the "race"? The LXi has a different size brake hubs from the DX, and LX model on the front. That's is most likely the reason the are different parts. You can replace the bearing by itself, you will need to remove the assembly and have the old bearings pressed out. Then have the new bearings pressed in. This is alway a great time to replace the lower ball joint as well since it is attached to the same assembly and must also be pressed in.

[2oodoor]

There is no "bearing race" on these or any fwd car that I know of. These use permenant sealed bearing that is pressed to the hub, most people buy the whole hub assembly but you can just rebuild the same one it just simpler not to IMO. I didn't see where just the bearing was sold on RockAuto.

[Dr_Snooz]

I don't think your link is going where you want it to.

On the LX-i, your front wheel bearings are not going to be tapered. They will be a big, husky double-width cartridge bearing that looks like this:



I've swapped over to rear disc brakes, so I don't have the stock drums in the rear. If I remember correctly though, the rear drums don't use a tapered bearing either. They use another cartridge bearing that is pressed into the hub and looks like this:



I think the rear hubs are the same on the disc or drum setups. I would stay away from the tapered bearing.

To change the rear bearings, replace the hub (though they are getting hard to find). To replace the front bearings, you'll have to remove the knuckles and take them down to have them pressed out and new ones pressed in. Like Legend_master says, replace the lower ball joints at the same time because pulling those knuckles is a lot of work and you don't want to do it twice. Choose a good shop because the lower ball joints require some finesse to install and if you let a gorilla put them in, they could come back all beat to crap. Also, if the backing plates for your discs are tweaked and you want to change them, now is the time while you have the hub off and can get to them.

[Legend_master]

I can confirm that the rear bearing is the same for disk or drums. I've used them from a DX model on my SEi setup.

[Dr_Snooz]

I thought I'd remembered using my drum hubs for the new disc setup, but it was a while ago.

[lxi-coupe]

My original bearings are original wheel bearings sandwiched against a bearing race for both inner and outer bearings. The center main race is more or less a pressed in race into the bearing hub. and two bearing races one semi-permanant pressed onto the wheel side hub. and the other is fitted onto the axle side with a tight slip fit. Not sure if you can see in the pics but..its a bugger to pull apart and impossible to remove the outer race from the wheel hub side.

I am sorry I didnt take better pictures when I did have it apart in "july".

[lxi-coupe]

Dr_Snooz
I replaced all the balljoints....after getting butt-raped at the machine shop for
$40 each one as a quote...I found the honda adapter ball joint press at Oreilly's free-bee LOL anyways..it was all jacked up. The ball joints I got off ebay for $10 a piece had a very long threaded shaft reeked havoc and busted one lower balljoint...all else failed I beat them in and out with a good ol- hammer in under 1 minute...Rage does good things lol...

[lxi-coupe]

heres my wheel bearings. I found this on another tech site.

Front Wheel Bearing/Balljoint Replacement How-To - Honda-Tech

[2oodoor]

I see what you're talking about... I don't know that the inner sleeve of this style bearing is called a race. You have a good how to there at h tech to guide ya through though!

[Dr_Snooz]

That's an excellent guide. I totally forgot to mention replacing the lug studs. Definitely, definitely do that. They cost only a few bucks and after 20 years, they are highly susceptible to fatigue. I'm driving around on a shortened one myself, waiting for the day I replace it all. It just sheared off one day without warning, so replace them all.

I've mentioned it before here, but was universally shouted down. You can and should replace your own bearings and ball joints. They pound out easily with a 4# sledge. I got this (Jumbo Socket Set - 21 Piece) socket set from Harbor Freight when it was a whole lot cheaper than it is now. It handles everything. I pound out the old bearings and pound in the new ones using the sockets and the hammer. The old bearing race comes off with a standard gear puller, which can be borrowed from Autozone. It's all completely do-able from home, though a bench vise really helps. The gear puller is really the only tool you need to buy or borrow beyond the socket set.

There's absolutely no reason to pay a shop to press those things in.

[2ndGenGuy]

Snooz, I agree you can do them yourself. I think it saves a lot of headache to buy the Harbor Frieght front wheel bearing press kit. It's $100 for the kit, but I've done 3 sets of front wheel bearings with it now. You don't even have to take the knuckle off of the car, so you don't have to get it aligned. It's a wonderful thing!

[Dr_Snooz]

Are you talking about this kit: FWD Front Wheel Bearing Adapters?

[Oldblueaccord]

Dr_Snooz
I replaced all the balljoints....after getting butt-raped at the machine shop for
$40 each one as a quote...I found the honda adapter ball joint press at Oreilly's free-bee LOL anyways..it was all jacked up. The ball joints I got off ebay for $10 a piece had a very long threaded shaft reeked havoc and busted one lower balljoint...all else failed I beat them in and out with a good ol- hammer in under 1 minute...Rage does good things lol...

[Oldblueaccord]

messed up the quote....... but if you read the HT article closely taking apart the race from the bearing its ruined. Pressing it back in new its one piece. They rely on the hub nut torque for there preload.

[stardogchampion]

you need this to get the old race off of the hub. Bearing Splitter & Large Bearing Separator . It will hold the race as you press the hub through. I just did this on my Prelude.

this is a great right up.

heres my wheel bearings. I found this on another tech site.

Front Wheel Bearing/Balljoint Replacement How-To - Honda-Tech

[ChaseR]

That's an excellent guide. I totally forgot to mention replacing the lug studs. Definitely, definitely do that. They cost only a few bucks and after 20 years, they are highly susceptible to fatigue. I'm driving around on a shortened one myself, waiting for the day I replace it all. It just sheared off one day without warning, so replace them all.

.

Funny you mention "20" years as some of these cars are approaching 30 years in age! lol I was born in Feb 86 and will be 30 in 3 years! lol

[Dr_Snooz]

Happy Birthday!