How to: Wheel bearing and Lower Ball Joint Replacement

Since my car has done 165000 kms I wasn't surprised to discover my front wheel bearings were worn out, after jacking the car up the was noticeable play in the bearings. I decided to replace my lower ball joints at the same time.

The hardest part was finding the bearings,  VTEC models have larger bearings and the first two companies I went to ordered me the wrong ones. I then went to 4 bearing specialists who didn't have any in stock. As a last resort I went to Honda who had them in stock at the lowest price by far.

Disassembling front suspension

Remove the centre caps, use a punch to drive out the notch and loosen the 32mm axle nut. Loosen the wheel nuts, jack the car up and remove the front wheels. Remove the axle nut.

Remove the split pins and castle nuts from the ball joints. I used a crow bar on the lower joint and a puller on the others. Be careful not to damage the nuts, threads or boots on the joints you are keeping. The joints are a taper fit so holding a hammer on one side while bashing it from the other should pop them out but it doesn't always work. Pop the three joints out.

Remove the 14mm caliper bolts and the 2 10mm bolts holding the brake line, support the caliper with string or something so it doesn't hang on the brake line. Remove the knuckle from the car, sliding the axle out as you do.

Now remove the protector ring with a screwdriver, this will leave you enough room to knock the ball joint out but it will help to do it after pressing the hub out and removing the big metal shield.

Remove the brake rotors, an impact driver will make it easy. The screws don't need to go back in afterwards since they only help with manufacturing but I put them back anyway.

From here on you can just take it to a machine shop and have them install the new parts, luckily I knew someone with a press I could borrow so I went there instead.

Installing the new parts

Now you need to press the hub out from the old bearing. You need to support the knuckle and press on the hub only with something the same diameter as the hub, a socket will do nicely. When the hub falls out the inner race of the bearing will still be attached to the hub, you need to get this off somehow. You can grind some notches in it and use a gear puller or wedge something underneath it and use the press. Luckily I had a tool which screwed down under it and it pressed out easily.

With the hub out you can remove the big metal shield and hammer the old ball joint out, be sure to remove the circlip first. The new one just taps in and is held in with a new circlip.

Now you need to press out the bearings. Unfortunately I lost my pics of this but it is pretty self explanatory. If you have some pics of this I can borrow please email me.

Remove the big circlip holding it in and keep it safe. Find a socket the right size for the bearing, support the knuckle and press it out. It doesn't matter if you damage the old bearing.

Before pressing in the new bearing use some emery paper and remove the rust from around the circlip slot and wipe the crud out of the inside. Find something the right size to press on the OUTSIDE rim of the bearing. You don't want to put pressure on the inside. I just used the old bearing to press on it.

With the new bearing in you can reinstall the circlip and the brake shield. Don't forget these because you have to do it before installing the hub and you only get 1 chance (remember if you have to press the hub out again the bearing will fall apart)

Now to press the hub back in, find a socket the same size as the INNER rim of the new bearing and put pressure on the hub as pictured.

 

 

With the hub back in you can reinstall the brake rotors and the protecting ring. Tap the ring and make sure it goes on properly because if it falls off it it will start making an annoying ringing noise as the axle goes around.

Reinstall the knuckle, tighten the three ball joints and insert the split pins. Slide the axle in, put the wheels back on and be sure to tighten the axle nut and punch the notch back in.

 

 

This website has been gradually growing since I started it in early 2002. Originally I was simply documenting modifications and repairs to my car but I decided to publish it when I began to discover others were interested in the information. If you need help or have a how-to relating to Honda B series VTEC engines, or DA or DC2R Integras you can
email me.

While all care is taken to provide correct information, mistakes are occasionally made and I cannot be responsible for any damage that occurs to readers vehicles.