GolNat

iTrader: (7)

First off here is a video of me checking my wheel for the bad bearing. In the video you can hear the grinding noise when I spin the wheel and you can also see the slop in the hub from the bearing falling apart. Now that I have replaced it I had forgotten how quite the car can be. I had just gotten used to the sound of the bad bearing.

May 29, 2015 - YouTube

Now onto the DIY for replacing the front wheel bearing on a 01 Civic LX. The process will be the same for all 01-05 Civics. I will also show how to replace the CV axle. Honestly once you complete this DIY you will be very close to replacing other parts like ball joint, wheel studs, hub and LCA.

Specialty Tools that make the job easier:

-Shop Press (Harbor Freight - $100)
-Bearing press adaptors or large sockets
-Ball Joint removal tool (Harbor Freight - $20)
-Large snap ring pliers (Channel Lock 927 - $23 on Amazon)

I would say that a shop press is not required but I do not believe that you can hammer in a new wheel bearing. I know people do it but I don’t like it. If you don’t have a shop press you could take the knuckle to a local shop and have them press in the new wheel bearing. The ball joint removal tool is great if you are not replacing the ball joint. The standard pickle fork method can tear the boot and smacking the LCA with a BFH is not always enough to get it loose. The snap ring that retains the wheel bearing is BIG!! Cheap snap ring pliers are not going to cut it. You can remove it without the tool but it makes it so much easier and its a very nice tool for the price.

Other Tools

-1/2” drive tools are recommended but 3/8” will work if that is all you have.
-Breaker Bar
-of course air tools and impact guns are always a plus
-Pry bar for removing the axle (driveshaft).
-Dead Blow Hammer
-2-3lb hammer
-Impact Screw Driver (for brake rotor screws)
-Bench Vise
-Angle grinder (Dremel with cut off wheel)


The bearing that I used was a Timken 510030 Bearing ordered off Amazon, I paid $43.



Step 1: Removing the axle nut

Leave the car on the ground, and remove the center cap of the bad wheel. Unstake the nut with a chisel and hammer.



You are going to need a big breaker bar/pipe to break this nut loose. I used a 1/2” drive ratchet and 6 foot pipe on the end and it still took some muscle. The axle nut is 32mm, a 1-1/4” socket will also fit. Honda recommends replacing the axle nut with a new one.



Step 2: Removing the Wheel.

Jack the car up, place a jack stand underneath and remove your wheel.

Step 3: Remove the brake components.

Next you want to remove the bolt that secures the brake line to the strut.



Then Remove the 2 bolts on the back of the knuckle that hold the brake assembly onto it. Yes that is CV axle grease all over my knuckle, that will be common sight on my pictures Thats why I am replacing the axle.



Place the brake assembly on the ground.



Step 4: Ball Joint

Next task is to separate the ball joint from the lower control arm. If it has been a while since these have been separated then it may be a bitch. First remove the cotter pin. Next loosen the ball joint nut until it is at the end of the threads, don’t remove it as it will help protect the threads on the ball joint.



Some people have had success hitting the LCA with a hammer and having the ball joint come out that way but I must not hit it hard enough or something. I have also tried the place a ratchet between the LCA and knuckle trick and couldn't get it to pop. Remember hit what the object goes through, not the object it self Instead of doing this I bought a ball joint removal tool that worked wonderfully. Line the tool up like this:



Then get a ratchet and a 19mm socket and start cranking. In no time the ball joint will POP out of the LCA. This is how the tool should sit, you can see it better with everything out of the way:

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Step 5: Remove brake rotor



This is were the impact screwdriver comes in handy. I can never get the screws out with a standard #3 phillips. Set the screwdriver so it is turning left, place it on the screw and hit it with a hammer, the bigger the better.

I forgot to get a pic so here is one I found:



Once the screws are out the rotor will come off of the hub. If they are not reusable you can buy replacement screws at an auto parts store. Some people omit them completely.

Step 6: Unbolting Strut

Next remove the 2 bolts (crash bolts) that hold the strut onto the knuckle. Once removed the knuckle/hub will be flopping around so be careful not to damage the CV (tear the boot) if you are not replacing it.



Step 7:Removing the axle from the hub

At this point the knuckle and hub have been separated from everything that holds them onto the car. The LCA has probably sneaked back on the balljoint and that is the only thing holding it all up. Now you need to tap out the axle from the hub. Using your dead blow hammer hit the axle to back it out of the hub. You want to do this while pulling the knuckle away from the car so that you are not just hitting the axle into the side of the transmission and not allowing it to back out. It should pop out pretty easy. If you are unfortunate to have a stuck one then I would remove the axle out of the transmission (Step 8) and press the axle out of the hub. If you are replacing the axle then just beat it with big hammer once it is removed from the transmission.

Step 8: CV Axle removal

At this point you should either have a knuckle/hub assembly sitting in your driveway or you have a knuckle/hub assembly with a stuck axle. Either way removing the axle from the transmission is not difficult. Take a pry bar and place it behind the axle.



Try prying it out. If it doesn’t come out rotate the driveshaft about a 1/5th of a turn and pry it again. Repeat this process until the it pops out of the transmission. I didn’t have any transmission fluid spillage.

Step 9: Hub Removal

If you have a press you can try pressing the hub out. I found it difficult to find a good surface on the knuckle to put the knuckle down on that did not interfere with something. If you have access to more plates and bars you will probably be able to make it work. I ended up hammering the hub out of the knuckle. Place the knuckle in the vise and use a socket and hammer to beat the hub out. I think a 1-3/16" impact socket fit. Once out you will have:



Mine was so bad that the bearings flew out.



Step 10:Removing the race from the hub

The inner race from the bearing is stuck onto the hub. Using your angle grinder slice a cutout through the race. Be careful to not cut the hub.



Once you have cut enough the race should slide off with some help. I didn’t need to cut the race all the way through to get it off.



A close up of the inner race sidewall, thats not good!:



Now you are ready to get the bearing out of the knuckle!

To be continued...ready for bed.

ezone

Holy pooberries! That's a hell of a bad bearing!

Good write up!




I'll have to take a pic of the modified chisel I use to unstake axle nuts and post it up.

On the step of getting the inner race off the hub: After grinding a slot I grab a chisel and stick it in the cut, smack with a hammer to crack the race along the cut. It will slide off easily after it cracks.

GolNat

iTrader: (7)

Haha, Did the wheel wobble give it away or the horrible looking race?

Thank you sir. Hopefully it will be finished soon, work is crazy and I have a 3 month old that is keeping me up, yay!

That would be cool. You can add it to the original if you like or post it and I will add it.

Good to know. I need to get some more chisels. My selection is weak.

ezone

drhawkinz

Was using your DIY to take my car apart to replace the ball joints and remove the LCA. Couldn't get the axle out of the hub and found a axle puller tool at autozone that you can rent for like $25. Here' what it looks like on the car:


It just mounts to the wheel studs and then as you tighten the screw in the middle it eases the axle right out.

GolNat

iTrader: (7)

^forgot about those. That may be an even easier way to remove a stubborn axle, rather then trying to get it to fit on the press.

Thanks, good idea.

crajnai

Where is part two of this old post? If any?