Honda S2000 Rear Wheel Bearing and Hub Replacement (Press Method)

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Time 4-6 hours per side
Level Difficult
Steps 14
Done by
In progress You stopped at step of 14.
Caution
  • A hydraulic press stores a lot of energy; wear eye protection and keep parts square on the plates.
  • Never put pressing force through the bearing's inner race when installing the bearing.
  • Always use new cotter pins and a new, staked axle nut.
  • Support the car on jack stands, never on the jack alone.
  • Do not drive until the brake pedal is firm and the brakes have been tested at walking pace.

Introduction

S2000 rear wheel bearings commonly fail with age, often hastened by brake heat cooking the bearing grease. The bearing is pressed into the rear knuckle and held by a large snap ring, and the hub is pressed into the bearing, so the old bearing is destroyed on the way out. This guide removes the knuckle from the car and does the pressing on a bench. If you do not own a press, you can pull the knuckle and have a shop press the parts, or buy a complete used knuckle assembly. Replace both sides together; the second one usually fails soon after the first. Adapted from a community writeup by Rob Robinette on robrobinette.com (https://robrobinette.com/S2000Bearing.htm).

Procedure

14 steps

  1. Step 1: Break the axle nut loose on the ground

    With the car on its wheels, remove the centre cap, use a chisel to lift the staked collar of the axle nut, and break the 36mm nut loose with a breaker bar or impact. Crack the lug nuts loose too.

  2. Step 2: Lift and strip the corner

    Lift the car, support it on jack stands and remove the wheel. Remove the ABS sensor and its bracket (10mm), then the caliper (hang it from the arm, do not let it hang on the hose) and the brake rotor.

  3. Step 3: Separate the three ball joints

    Remove the castle nuts and separate the upper, lower and toe-control ball joints from the knuckle. Soak them with penetrating oil first, grease the separator threads, and thread an old M12x1.25 nut onto the stud to protect it. Expect a loud pop when they let go.

  4. Step 4: Remove the knuckle

    Remove the axle nut and pull the knuckle off the axle splines. If the axle is stuck, tap the end of the axle with a hammer through a wood block. Support the axle so it does not hang at a sharp angle.

  5. Step 5: Press out the hub

    Remove the dust shield screws for better access. Support the knuckle on press plates and press the hub out of the bearing. Half of the bearing's inner race usually comes out stuck to the hub.

  6. Step 6: Remove the snap ring and bearing

    Use large snap ring pliers to remove the snap ring in the knuckle bore, then press the old bearing out of the knuckle. Clean the bore.

  7. Step 7: Strip the old race off the hub

    Cut the stuck inner race with a cut-off wheel and split it with a chisel, or pull it with a bearing separator. Do not nick the hub's bearing surface.

  8. Step 8: Press in the new bearing

    Set the knuckle level so there is no side load. Press the new bearing in using a driver that bears only on the bearing's OUTER race, with the seal facing the correct way. Pressing on the inner race will damage the new bearing. Refit the snap ring as soon as it is seated.

  9. Step 9: Press in the hub

    Support the new bearing's INNER race from below (stacked old inner races work well as a support) and press the hub into the bearing until it stops with a firm, definite resistance. Replace studs before this step if you are changing them.

  10. Step 10: Refit the knuckle

    Grease the axle splines and the smooth part of each ball joint stud. Slide the knuckle onto the axle, hang it on the upper ball joint, and get all three ball joints into their holes before tightening any of them. A jack under the lower arm helps.

  11. Step 11: Torque the ball joints

    Writeup values: upper ball joint nut 36-42 lb-ft, lower ball joint nut 46-52 lb-ft, toe-arm (trailing) ball joint nut 36-42 lb-ft. Align to the next cotter pin hole and fit new cotter pins. If a stud spins, push the joint up with a C-clamp while you tighten.

  12. Step 12: Refit brakes and ABS

    Refit the rotor and caliper, tightening the caliper bracket bolts to the factory service manual value, and refit the ABS sensor (7 lb-ft for the sensor bolt). Before the car moves, pump the brake pedal until it is firm, because the pads may have been pushed back.

  13. Step 13: Torque the axle nut and wheel

    Oil the face of the new axle nut where it meets the hub (the writeup says the service manual calls for this) and fit it. Lower the car so the wheel cannot turn, torque the nut to 242 lb-ft, then stake the collar into the axle groove. Torque the lug nuts to 80 lb-ft.

  14. Step 14: Check

    Spin the wheel by hand: it should be quiet and smooth with no play. Test drive and listen for noise.

Tips
  • Freezing the knuckle assembly for an hour before pressing is one owner tip for easier removal.
  • Two-piece rotors run cooler and are suggested in the writeup to extend bearing life.
  • If you do not want to press, a complete used rear knuckle with a good bearing is a common alternative. One owner who did this needed an alignment afterwards.
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