Installing Rear Wheel Bearings

[Thrud]

The Honda shop manual doesn't provide any details on this, but when driving in the left and right rear wheel bearings do you drive them in to the point where the outer surface of the bearing is flush with the wheel hub?  Is the spacer between the two bearings supposed to be loose and act just as a guide for the axle?

By the way, freezing the bearings prior to installation makes the job very easy.  Also, using a Sears Craftsman 36mm socket to drive the bearings avoids damaging them.

Steve

[Patrick]

I'm not quite sure what your post means. It appears that you have just installed the bearings. But, the bearings should be driven on the outer edge only and until you just feel them bottom. Don't forget to install the inner spacer.

[Daniel Meyer]

There is a lip in the wheel. The bearings should (must) bottom out on that. The spacer should be moveable, but not really loose.

[Thrud]

I went back and tapped each bearing a few times using a hammer and 36mm socket.  Each bearing is flush with the lip of the wheel hub and the spacer is a little loose.  Not going to pound any more for fear of damaging the bearings.

Thanks to all who responded!

Steve   

[Thrud]

I re-read Daniel's comment.  You do have to seat the left bearing against its lip inside the wheel hub.  This gets it low enough where it holds the spacer just a little loose but allows you to install the dust seal above.

Steve

[Daniel Meyer]

I re-read Daniel's comment.  You do have to seat the left bearing against its lip inside the wheel hub.  This gets it low enough where it holds the spacer just a little loose but allows you to install the dust seal above.

Steve

Make sure they are both seated against their inside lip on the wheel, otherwise when you torque down the axle the bearings will be in a bind. (center race compacted against the spacer, outer race not *quite* in the right place). They won't last long if they are not properly seated.

[F6MoRider]

Instead of hammering them, even with an appropriately sized socket, consider using a through the hub threaded rod and large followed by progressively smaller washers and nuts.  Tightening them into place is a better option IMHO.  The freezing of the bearings does help but squeezing them into place with full washers protects them better.

[1FAST6]

As long as the socket does not put pressure on the grease seal or inner race, you are fine tapping them in.  You will hear it when they "hit bottom", the tone will change, then you are there.

[Chrisj CMA]

If you do not seat them all the way, they will get "pressed" in by the torquing of the axle.  However, relying on the axle during installation puts excessive pressure on the bearing inner race damaging the new bearing.  This is easy to detect as the wheel will be very tight fit the first time. BAD