HOW TO: Remove / Replace S13 Rear Hubs

[Frank_Jaeger]

This should be a complete / foolproof set of instructions. I had to do some searching in multiple threads to get all the information needed, so I thought I'd put it here. I might add other HOW TOs later.

Required items:

• Jack
• (4) jackstands
• 17mm socket
• 19mm socket
• 21mm socket
• 36mm socket
• Breaker bar
• Rubber mallet or BFH
• Pliers
• Torque wrench that does at least 180ft*lbs
• General purpose grease
• Soaps and brushes

Instructions for removal:
1. Park car on a level surface and set the ebrake.
2. Jack up the front of the car using the crossmember.
3. Place jackstands towards the front of the car under the frame rails.
4. Lower jack, make sure car is secure on stands.
5. Crack loose all of the lug nuts (21mm) on both rear wheels.
6. Jack up the rear using the differential, make sure there's plenty of ground clearance for working with a breaker bar.
7. Place jackstands towards the rear of the car under the frame rails.
8. Lower jack and make sure the car is secure.
9. Completely remove lug nuts (21mm) and remove your wheels.
10. Remove the cotter pins on each side. Either bend the legs as straight as you can and wiggle it up with some needle nose pliers, or cut off the top and pull it down.
11. Use the needle nose pliers to remove the flower looking things. Just get the tip of the pliers behind them and push sideways against the hub, they'll come right out.
12. Get a 36mm socket for the axle nuts and attach it to a breaker bar. Take the handle off your jack and slide it over the breaker bar.
13. Prepare your anus. I weigh 132lbs at 5'9" and I could break my axle nuts loose with some effort, so you should be able to too. Hop a little with your weight on your bar and then finally go for it. Both nuts should crack and loosen.
14. Fully remove both axle nuts. Remove the washers too, if you can, or remember to grab them when your hub comes off later.
15. Release the ebrake.
16. Remove the calipers, they're held on by two bolts (17mm).
17. Either hang the calipers from the shock springs using a bungee cord, or rest them back in the suspension pieces. Don't just let them hang from their cables.
18. Bang on the rotors with your BFH / mallet. Beat the piss out of them, but try not to hit them on the surface that your brakes use. Pretend they're a Honda guy's face. They should come off after you give them some persuasion.
19. Use the 19mm socket attached to the breaker bar to reach the 4 bolts on the back of the hub. You should only be able to reach 2 at a time, you have to rotate the axle to get access to the others. You can rotate the axle by grabbing the studs of the hub and twisting. Some of the bolts don't leave you much room to work with, but once you figure it out it's easy.
20. Completely remove 19mm bolts from both sides.
21. Put the rotor back on, but put it on backwards so that the disk part is closer to you. Tighten a couple lug nuts on opposing studs so the rotor is tight and secure against the hub.
22. Use your BFH on the backside edge of the rotors to pop off the hubs. Try hitting them the way you tighten lug nuts, in a star pattern. The hubs will eventually pop out a little. Pull them out as far as you can, and continue hitting the rotor. Make sure you hold the rotor with one hand so the hub doesn't fall.
21. Separate hub and rotor assembly once hubs pop off, and remove the dust shield as well.
22. Bam, son.

Instructions for replacement:
1. Remove hubs as described previously.
2. Clean everything you can see, including the axle spline. Clean it well.
3. Grease axle splines.
4. Put on dust shields. Make sure you use the right holes on the shield so the caliper will clear.
5. Pop the hubs on.
6. Slide 19mm bolts into the back of the hubs and tighten to tightashell ft*lbs. I think it's supposed to be around 80ftlbs, but I couldn't get a torque wrench back there. Do it in multiple passes in a crisscross pattern.
7. Put rotors back on.
8. Put calipers back on the rotors. You need to remove both brake pads and the two metal guides. Then use needle nose pliers on two opposing groves of the circle thing and turn in a clockwise fashion until the circle thing is flush with the caliper face. Replace the guides, and then replace the pads. Swear and curse until it's together and there's enough room to slide over the rotor.
9. Fix calipers in place with with 17mm bolts.
10. Pump brake pedal in car for 30 seconds or so. Set the ebrake. The pads should be snug against the rotor.
11. Replace axle washers on each side.
12. Tighten axle nuts back on at 150-180ft*lbs over the washers.
13. Put back flower looking things.
14. Bend two new cotter pins to lock each spline.
15. Put wheels back on, and tighten lugs (21mm) as tight as you can until the wheel spins.
16. Jack up the rear end, remove the stands, and lower.
17. Tighten lug nuts to tightashell or 80ft*lbs of torque.
18. Jack up front end, remove the stands, and lower.
19. Bam.

[S-Nation S13]

for the people that cant read... posting pics would help just saying

[Driftwurks]

Originally Posted by S-Nation S13

for the people that cant read... posting pics would help just saying

Other than what he said, I really liked this guide. It was easy to follow and comprehend.

[K3MPS]

cool write up

[shift_down]

Originally Posted by S-Nation S13

for the people that cant read... posting pics would help just saying

lol, this guy cracked me up, pics wouldve been awesome. Good write up though, Im going to be doing this soon.