Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us
Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network
HomeAnnouncements
Discussion Groups
By Brand
BMWChevroletDodgeFordGMHondaLexusMercedes-BenzNissanPeugeotToyotaVolkswagenOther Brands
By Topic
4x4 CarsRVsDrivingMaintenance & RepairCar AudioCollectible Cars
Country Specific
Australian ForumsUK Forums
ArticlesAuto InsuranceBuyingCars & TechnologyMaintenanceMiscellaneousSafety
DMV Resources
Related Topics
MotorcyclesBoatsMore Topics ...

Car Forum / Honda Cars / August 2007

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

Rear wheel bearings

Thread view: 
Enable EMail Alerts  Start New Thread
Thread rating: 
Wayne L - 09 Aug 2007 01:38 GMT
Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and re-greased
every so often?

   Wayne
Say What? - 09 Aug 2007 01:46 GMT
> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and re-greased
> every so often?

That depends.  How many kids does your mechanic have in college?
Wayne L - 10 Aug 2007 03:40 GMT
>> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and re-greased
>> every so often?
>
> That depends.  How many kids does your mechanic have in college?

Hi Say What?

Actually I've been doing all of the maintenance and almost all of the
repairs on my cars these last 2 score and 4.  The sum total of my paid
repairs are two rebuilt automatic transmissions, a trip to the dealer for an
intermittent sensor problem, which they failed to fix, and the time in 66
when I screwed up my first fuel pump replacement, resulting in a bent push
rod.
jim beam - 10 Aug 2007 03:49 GMT
>>> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and re-greased
>>> every so often?
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> when I screwed up my first fuel pump replacement, resulting in a bent push
> rod.

you /still/ don't need to touch honda bearings.  maintenance is not a
recreational activity.
Wayne L - 10 Aug 2007 05:00 GMT
>>>> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and
>>>> re-greased
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> you /still/ don't need to touch honda bearings.  maintenance is not a
> recreational activity.

Got it.  Thanks Jim.

   Wayne
Tegger - 09 Aug 2007 01:53 GMT
"Wayne L" <wlogsdon@snip.net> wrote in news:af84c$46ba7006$d1cc7c5a$19925
@snip.allthenewsgroups.com:

> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and re-greased
> every so often?

No. Sealed for life. These are not like the old tapered roller bearings you
may be used to.

The rear bearings tend to have far longer lives than the front ones. This
is because they are largely shielded from road splash.

Signature

Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Wayne L - 10 Aug 2007 04:30 GMT
> "Wayne L" <wlogsdon@snip.net> wrote in news:af84c$46ba7006$d1cc7c5a$19925
> @snip.allthenewsgroups.com:
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> The rear bearings tend to have far longer lives than the front ones. This
> is because they are largely shielded from road splash.

Hi Tegger.  Thanks for getting back to me.  You're the best!
Yeah, every other car I've owned, except my wife's 99 Grand Prix, has had
the tapered roller bearings with the keyed flat washer, all around, or just
the back, and the rule of thumb I used was "clean them out and re-grease
every 35K.  When I took the dust cap off of the 2003 Accord, it looked
similar to the 87 Accord I had...same disposable "peened" nut (I have a half
a dozen used ones in the tool box...figured in a pinch they might be usable
on the opposite side) but when I saw that instead of a keyed flat washer it
had what looked like a sealing sheet metal disk.........I figured I'd better
get some info before starting the disassembly.  A few weeks ago it popped
into my little brain that the Honda had about 61K on it and I had never
greased the rear axles.  I've seen more than one car on the shoulder with a
broken rear axle, probably caused by a red hot bearing.  My wife's 99 Grand
Prix has an obviously sealed rear axle unit.  This is the first car I've
owned in a long while that I didn't spring for the whole shop manual set,
because I usually kept them until they were ready for the junk yard.  I've
had dealers tell me they didn't want my trade in.  Then I'd tell them "no
trade in, no sale", then they would offer $50 and I'd say thankyou, saved me
the trouble of getting rid of it :-)  But after spending countless Sunday's
under the car fixing things, and with Honda's being the most reliable cars
I've ever owned, and with just about the lowest recall numbers in the
business, I hope to trade this one in and get another in a year or two.
BTW, the manuals are up to about $200 for the complete set.

   Thanks again Tegger
   Wayne
jim beam - 10 Aug 2007 04:55 GMT
>> "Wayne L" <wlogsdon@snip.net> wrote in news:af84c$46ba7006$d1cc7c5a$19925
>> @snip.allthenewsgroups.com:
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> greased the rear axles.  I've seen more than one car on the shoulder with a
> broken rear axle, probably caused by a red hot bearing.

no dude, you've never seen a honda with a broken rear axle.

>  My wife's 99 Grand
> Prix has an obviously sealed rear axle unit.  This is the first car I've
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> the trouble of getting rid of it :-)  But after spending countless Sunday's
> under the car fixing things,

recreational car maintenance.

> and with Honda's being the most reliable cars
> I've ever owned, and with just about the lowest recall numbers in the
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>     Thanks again Tegger
>     Wayne
Wayne L - 10 Aug 2007 05:22 GMT
>>> "Wayne L" <wlogsdon@snip.net> wrote in
>>> news:af84c$46ba7006$d1cc7c5a$19925
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>
> no dude, you've never seen a honda with a broken rear axle.

I'm sure you're right.  Probably GM and Ford products, which is why I'll
never buy another one of those, except my wife insisted on the Pontiac
because a lady she worked with loved hers.......probably the color :-).
Actually I've been happily surprised about the Grand Prix.  60K, 8 years
old, no problems, no rust holes, paint still OK.  First GM product out of 6
that did that!  Of course it still rides and rattles loose as a goose.

>>  My wife's 99 Grand Prix has an obviously sealed rear axle unit.  This is
>> the first car I've owned in a long while that I didn't spring for the
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> recreational car maintenance.

I still do the oil changes, brakes, belts, etc., but I don't call pulling
heads, changing timing belts, changing computers, troubleshooing bad
sensors, replacing headliners, rebuilding jeep 5 speeds, replacing
distributors, replacing rear main seals, replacing marine outboard cranks
and driveshafts, replacing broken turn signal rings, replacing ignition
locks, doing valve adjustments, rebuilding carburators, rebuilding brake
calibers, replacing front wheel drive axles and bearings, replacing struts,
replacing clutches and throwout bearings, adjusting clutches, replacing
pilot bearings, dropping gas tanks, repairing car audio systems etc., etc.,
recreational, unless you define recreational as all work done by unpaid
non-professional mechanics.  I assume you are an automotive technician?

>> and with Honda's being the most reliable cars I've ever owned, and with
>> just about the lowest recall numbers in the business, I hope to trade
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>>     Thanks again Tegger
>>     Wayne
Tegger - 10 Aug 2007 12:59 GMT
> When I took the dust cap off of the 2003
> Accord, it looked similar to the 87 Accord I had...same disposable
> "peened" nut (I have a half a dozen used ones in the tool
> box...figured in a pinch they might be usable on the opposite side)

You may find you cannot turn them 180 degrees to get them started on the
threads. There is only one entry for the nut on the driveshaft threads,
so it will go on exactly the same way every time.

> but when I saw that instead of a keyed flat washer it had what looked
> like a sealing sheet metal disk.........I figured I'd better get some
> info before starting the disassembly.  A few weeks ago it popped into
> my little brain that the Honda had about 61K on it and I had never
> greased the rear axles.  I've seen more than one car on the shoulder
> with a broken rear axle, probably caused by a red hot bearing.

I'll bet none of those was a Honda. Honda's suspension bugaboos are
seized front lower balljoints and broken front springs on pre-Macpherson
strut cars.

>  My
> wife's 99 Grand Prix has an obviously sealed rear axle unit.  This is
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> to trade this one in and get another in a year or two. BTW, the
> manuals are up to about $200 for the complete set.

They are expensive, but worth every penny. If I were you, and intended
to keep the car for a long time, I'd bite the bullet and get the
manuals. You may eventually be able to find them on eBay.

Signature

Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Eric - 10 Aug 2007 13:29 GMT
> BTW, the manuals are up to about $200 for the complete set.

A more likely price is $70 http://tinyurl.com/29qqy6

Add $35 if you want the supplement manual for the navigation system.  Add
$40 if you want the supplement manual for the V6.  There are others as
well.  However, most of the information you'll likely wind up needing will
be in the general manual (by the way, I don't recall you mentioning which
engine your car had).

Note that you can access manuals for older cars with sealed rear wheel
bearings from http://www.honda.co.uk/car/owner/workshop.html

Eric
Wayne L - 14 Aug 2007 02:52 GMT
>> BTW, the manuals are up to about $200 for the complete set.
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> be in the general manual (by the way, I don't recall you mentioning which
> engine your car had).

The 4 cylinder.  Plenty peppy for me, and more room under the hood for
working on it.

> Note that you can access manuals for older cars with sealed rear wheel
> bearings from http://www.honda.co.uk/car/owner/workshop.html
>
> Eric

Thanks Eric (and Tegger)
jim beam - 09 Aug 2007 03:45 GMT
> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and re-greased
> every so often?
>
>     Wayne

how many more times are you going to post this question wayne?  don't
like the answers you're getting?
Wayne L - 10 Aug 2007 03:31 GMT
>> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and re-greased
>> every so often?
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> how many more times are you going to post this question wayne?  don't like
> the answers you're getting?

Wow!  Jim Beam!  I love your bourbon.  It has a mellowing effect on most
people.

As you know, this is my 2nd post.  My 30 Jul 07 post elicited no responses.
Say What? - 10 Aug 2007 03:40 GMT
>>> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and re-greased
>>> every so often?
m Beam!  I love your bourbon.  It has a mellowing effect on most
> people.
>
> As you know, this is my 2nd post.  My 30 Jul 07 post elicited no responses.

The THIRD but who's counting?  30 Jul, 7 Aug, 8 Aug
jim beam - 10 Aug 2007 03:51 GMT
>>>> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and
>>>> re-greased
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> The THIRD but who's counting?  30 Jul, 7 Aug, 8 Aug

he just wants someone to tell him to go ahead and do it.  we /could/
tell him they're sealed units and can't be disassembled, but that'll
take the fun out.
Say What? - 10 Aug 2007 03:58 GMT
>>> As you know, this is my 2nd post.  My 30 Jul 07 post elicited no
>>> responses.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> tell him they're sealed units and can't be disassembled, but that'll
> take the fun out.

That would be nasty... and mean.

It's bad enough that you didn't tell him the short cut method.  You
know, where you heat the bearing units up with either a MAPP gas torch
or gentle application of an oxy-acetylene torch to redistribute the
grease and get it back down around the bearings and shaft..
Wayne L - 10 Aug 2007 05:48 GMT
>>>> As you know, this is my 2nd post.  My 30 Jul 07 post elicited no
>>>> responses.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> application of an oxy-acetylene torch to redistribute the grease and get
> it back down around the bearings and shaft..

My regular propane torch won't get hot enough?  I have a little Propane /
MAPP & Oxygen torch too, but the MAPP bottles are expensive, and the oxygen
bottle are even more expensive and last less than 10 minutes.

How come you guys don't like me?  Tegger was very polite and helpful,
thankfully.
I read some other posts and you weren't breaking their balls.  It's going to
take some time for me to get over this.  Maybe the whole weekend, when I'll
have time to try the torch method.  Will the grease flow properly with the
car level, or do I have to jack up the other side?  Thanks for the tip Jim
and Say!

       Wayne
Eric - 10 Aug 2007 12:54 GMT
> My regular propane torch won't get hot enough?  I have a little Propane /
> MAPP & Oxygen torch too, but the MAPP bottles are expensive, and the
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> grease flow properly with the car level, or do I have to jack up the
> other side?  Thanks for the tip Jim and Say!

The post about the torch was a joke.  Don't do this.  The "sealed" bearings
get warm during normal operation and that will allow the grease to spread
throughout the bearing.  Torching the bearings will only kill them.

Eric
Tegger - 10 Aug 2007 13:03 GMT
>>>>> As you know, this is my 2nd post.  My 30 Jul 07 post elicited no
>>>>> responses.
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> flow properly with the car level, or do I have to jack up the other
> side?  Thanks for the tip Jim and Say!

Do not monkey around with heating the bearings. That is a bad idea and
is unnecessary. You risk damage to the rubber sealing lip on the back of
the bearing.

Honda bearings go bad for two reasons: 1) impact damage, and 2) water
ingress. They do not go bad because the grease has dried up.

Just leave the bearings alone.

If, like me, you just like doing "recreational maintenance", find
something else to keep yourself occupied, like painting out stone chips
before they rust.

Signature

Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Wayne L - 10 Aug 2007 05:36 GMT
>>>> Should the rear wheel bearings on a 2003 Accord be cleaned and
>>>> re-greased
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> The THIRD but who's counting?  30 Jul, 7 Aug, 8 Aug

You know what Mr. What (can I call you Say?) you're right!  I forgot.  My
newsreader locked up again.  On the 7th or 8th I noticed that  none of them
had posts newer than August 5th, and I emailed my ISP again complaing about
it.  They made it all better, but everything for the 6th and 7th never
showed up.  This seems to happen 2-3 times a year and the problem's on their
end.  Below is a copy as my proof, or, I can do a screen shot for you if I
can attach jpegs on the group.

   Wayne
--------------------------------------------------------

Wayne,

Thanks for your email.  We tested out the groups you listed, and we received
posts from the 5th up to today.  If you are still having this problem, try
unsubscribing and resubscribing to the groups.

Hope this helps!

Laura
SNiP Telecommunications

-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne L [mailto:wlogsdon@snip.net]
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 3:36 AM
To: tech@snip.net
Subject: Fw: Newgroups dead again

Hi again:

   None of the 11 newsgroups I'm currently subscribed to has a post newer
than 5 Aug 07.  While most of these 11 are low traffic, historically they
all seem have have had 1 or more posts a day; one in the 100 a day range.
One is rec.models.railroad.  The higher traffic one is
alt.binaries.pictures.rail.  This same problem seems to come up 2-3 times a
year.  You people always get it fixed :-)

   Thanks in advance!
   Wayne

----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne L" <wlogsdon@snip.net>
To: <tech@snip.net>
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 6:08 AM
Subject: Fw: Newgroups dead again

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Wayne L" <wlogsdon@snip.net>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>>
>>    I have not been able to download a newsgroup post newer than 8 Apr 07,

>> yet your status boards says Normal.  This is a recurring problem that I
>> have experience several times over the last couple of years.
>>
>>    Wayne
 
Sign In
Join
My Latest Posts
My Monitored Threads
My Blog
My Photo Gallery
My Profile
My Homepage

Start New Thread
Enable EMail Alerts
Rate this Thread



©2009 Advenet LLC   Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.