Twiggz

DISCLAMER: I can not say this is the best or safest way to do this. I am not responsible for any thing you damage, or what ever harm you cause to yourself or others. This is how I did it and it worked for me. Working with a press can be dangerous, always wear proper protective clothing and equipment.

Replacing Rear Bushings and Bearings. this is on my 5th gen.

Tools needed:
Jack/jack stands Vice
Socket set Chisel
Screw drivers Hammer
Pliers Center punch
Rotary tool Plastic mallet
12 ton hydraulic press Tie rod/pitman arm puller
Torque wrench Helms shop manual

Parts ordered:
Honda:
Bearing/hub assembly (rear) qty2, Honda number: 33576 (get from Autozone)
Rear spindle nut, qty 2, Honda number: 33602
Screw/flat head for brake rotor, qty 4, Honda part number: 22400
Energy Suspension:
Rear End Control Arm Bushing Set, PN: 16.3112
Rear Shock Upper & Lower Bushings Set, PN: 16.8108
Rear Coil Spring Isolator Set, PN: 16.6103


I didn’t get the rear sway bar bushings because I plan to upgrade to a Progress rear sway bar soon. And besides I can change those any time without the aid of a press.

I also didn’t get the Rear Trailing Arm Bushing Set as I heard it could bind, now seeing what a pain it is to get the lower control arm out, I wish I did order it. The rubber is still good in those anyway. So they will wait for another day.



I love Harbor Freight, 12ton press.


Ill start with the lower rear control arm.

First loosen the bolts on the wheels, then jack the car up and put jack stands under both rear jack points.

Pop off the hub caps, I tried to use a flat screw driver, but a chisel worked best. Be careful not to damage it unless you bought a new one at Honda.

The hard part it to find something to bend that part of the Spindle nut back up, so you can remove it later. I used an old center punch.

This is where I ran into my first problem; the screws holding on the rotor were stuck!
NOTE: Helms says to remove the caliper first, this makes this part very hard because the hub will spin as you try to loosen the screws.


I first tried penetrating oil. That got one out but I damaged the other. So be careful because the screws are soft and easily damaged.


After the head was stripped, my only choice was the Rotary tool, with a cutting disk. I cut new Phillips grooves in the head, and after much cursing, I got it out.


Remove the brake caliper by removing the two bolts behind the rotor, be sure to support it with something so you don’t damage the brake lines. Also remove all the brackets holding the brake lines and E-brake lines.

Pull off the rotor, it might be stuck. Because I have new rotors that I will be installing later, I just whacked this one with a mallet. It fell right off. (Cheap cross dimpled crap).

You will need a big ass socket (1 1/4")and a large breaker bar for this one. My tool box didn’t have a socket large enough, but lucky for me good old grandpa had one.


For a breaker bar, I just used the handle of my floor jack, more then enough leverage!


That nut took a beating, be sure to replace it.


Just slide off the Hub, I had no issues with either side sticking. If you do, it just means I’m better then you lol. I guess you could use a gear puller to get it off, or a slide hammer.


Remove the rear shocks, one bolt at the bottom…


Then remove the two bolts on the top and slide it away from the car.


Remove the four bolts that hold on your dust shield, and there is your naked rear spindle.

__________________

"If I had all the money I ever spent on cars........I'd spend it all on cars"

Twiggz

Remove the ABS sensor.


Remove the ABS sensor wire bracket from the lower control arm, just two bolts. Move it someplace out of the way, where it won’t get damaged.


Remove the Rear Trailing Arm Bolt from the lower control arm.


Remove the Lower control arm bolt.


Lower control Ball Joint!


Remove the pin with pliers


Remove the nut and then its time to use that Pitman arm puller! Be careful not to damage the rubber boot. Start cranking on the bolt, and then……


POP! It makes me jump every time.


Finally its out, wasn’t that fun.
Again I will only be replacing the control arm bushing and lower shock bushing. I didn’t order the trailing arm kit.

First up is the control arm bushing. Now the strange thing with this is, that after the bushing is in place, Honda then smashed two more pieces on each end of the bushing.
Time to get those out of the way.

My press came with one of these, not sure of the correct name, but I call it a bearing separator.


I only used it to hold the bushing while I pressed out the first side. For the other side, I just used the blocks. The press fit right in the center of the metal part of the bushing.

__________________

"If I had all the money I ever spent on cars........I'd spend it all on cars"

Twiggz

Now we can work on getting that thing out.


Now here is the hard part. I had gone to Harbor Freight and bought the $9 “bushing/bearing kit� (Snap on sells the same kit for $80) but even the largest adapter was too small to press out that damn bushing. At best it would push out the rubber leaving the metal ring in there. Not good at all. So I had to find something the correct diameter to push out the bushing and fit in the middle of the control arm hole. I found in grandpa’s old tool box the perfect size socket!

Through trial and error the best way I found to get the bushing out was to try and loosen it from the control arm first. In other words, I beat the **** out of it with a hammer and a ground down center punch.


I did this to both sides. Not pretty, but it worked best for me.


This is the toughest part, I think it would be easier if there were two people. But I didn’t have that option, so I lined up the trusty socket to the bushing.


Then from the bottom I lined up the blocks so they were not in the way of the bushing, so it could be pushed out.
Of coarse that knocks the top out of alignment, so it took me a few tries to get it just right. Very frustrating!

Go slow make sure it doesn’t move out of alignment, make sure it doesn’t hit the edges of the control arm.


There we have it, a beat to hell rubber bushing. True this one still had some life in it before I decided to destroy it, but what the hell, I will have this car for a long time and I needed to upgrade them some day.


Now time to do the same for the lower shock bushing.


Again, beat on it till the edges are away from the control arm on both sides.


Because of the angle of this bushing, I put two pieces of scrap metal for added support. This one took me a few tries. After a lot of sweat and many four letter words, it finally stayed in place for me to press it out.

__________________

"If I had all the money I ever spent on cars........I'd spend it all on cars"

Twiggz

The new bushings are very simple to install, you can just push them in with your palm. Be sure to clean out the control arm, and remove any burs that you made while using the center punch.


Be sure to use the supplied goop that came with the bushings on every place that the bushings contact metal. This stuff is nasty and gets everywhere.
The guy I bought the bushings from suggested using antiseeze (the silver stuff you put on your spark plugs). I felt I should use what ES thought was best.

It’s now ready to be installed again. Please refer to your helms for torque specs. Install everything in the reverse order.


The upper control arm bushings did not get replaced on my car, because the camber kit I have installed has poly bushings already. So sorry no pictures on how to do this, but I think you already have the idea of what it takes.


Now the rear bearing, this part is so simple it made me happy. Be sure to clean the spindle. Pull the new rear bearing/hub assembly from the box.


Slide it on the spindle after you have installed everything again.


Install the new spindle nut, and stake it in place after you torque it to spec. reinstall the hub cap with the mallet.

Install the brake rotor (this would be a good time to change your brake pads as well). Use new screws from Honda.

Install caliper, and then install wheel.


done! I hope this helps at least one person.

__________________

"If I had all the money I ever spent on cars........I'd spend it all on cars"

71dsp

The rotor screws come right out if you use an impact screwdriver.

After a few thousand miles, go get an alignment. Stick a short pry bar in between the inner bushing on the lower control arm and the subframe. See if you have much play in the bushings. I'm curious to see if you do. On my car, after maybe 1k miles and a couple of track events, the play was bad enough that I could cause a camber change of 1 to 2 degrees using minimal force on the lower control arm. My installation procedure was the same as yours, but I just simply pressed the bushings out.

By the way, that 12 ton press sucks (at least it did for me). I had the same one. Under a high load, the frame would tweak. I now have an Arcan 20 ton that has a welded frame, and is much, much beefier. Works like a charm, and I can R&R front wheel bearings on the Prelude.

Paul H22

What are your driving impressions of this modification?

Twiggz

still doing the front, Ill update you when im done.

__________________

"If I had all the money I ever spent on cars........I'd spend it all on cars"

luciferino

Since I need to replace a rear wheel bearing tomorrow; what size socket does the rear hub nut take? The helms only shows the thread dimensions. Thanks.

Lucke

if its like the 4th gens, the axle nut is a 36mm.

Paul H22

Forgot all about this thead. Any driving impressions yet?

luciferino

It is probably the same; thanks.

Twiggz

I love them, it was like night and day. car feels very solid, BUT you can see the debate here:
http://preludeonline.com/showthread.php?t=195836

__________________

"If I had all the money I ever spent on cars........I'd spend it all on cars"

scalawagd

how much did that bearing/hub assembly cost you?

Paul H22

Can you ellaborate more on the day and night changes in regards to just the rear trailing arm bushings you replaced?

I'm not so much concerned about ride quality. I'm focused more on performance benefits.

Twiggz

can't remember now, I think about $70 at autozone.


the rear trailing arm bushing is the only one I left as rubber. I read someplace that poly would bind there, I have no idea if thats true or not, but thats the only reason I didn't order it.

every other bushing I changed to poly. front and rear CAB, front and rear shock bushings front sway bar bushings.

my car only had the Tein HA without pillow balls, and some cheap strut bars. it handled good enough with just that. but as soon as I took it for a test drive after installing all the bushings, it just felt very tight and solid when going hard into a turn.

kinda hard to ellaborate, but to sum it up, it just feels "tighter", less slop.
I wouldnt say the ride quality got worse, its about the same. BUT, poly squeeks! lucky for me mine only squeeks when going over a speed bump or driveway.

now all I need is a rear sway bar and I should be good to go.

__________________

"If I had all the money I ever spent on cars........I'd spend it all on cars"

team vtec

i yar

bouckarooo

awesoem job man, by the way the front spindle nut is 36 mm and the rear is 32mm. Also, a 20ton press is the one you want. And one more question, i have read about replacing those bushings but to avoid the play the the guy is talking about. Do you have nay play in them? if so you should burn the bushing out with torch(wearmask) and then reuse the metal sleeve the orignal bushing comes is, you have to have more force (hence 20 ton press) but in the end you will have amore solid feel to the bushing.

thanks for the write up as i was curious as to what parts you used, its awesome you provided partnumbers.

bouckarooo

also, is your an SH or a base or SE or what? Im curious thats all.