removing front rotor from 1996 accord

[hroc2]

i'm tryng to remove a rotor from a 1996 accord but having a problem getting the hub assembly to release from the steering knuckle. can anyone help. thanks.

[huyvu90]

u need a slide hammer to hammer it out.

connect the slide hammer to your wheel studs and hammer away.

[tenguzero]

Run a search in the Accord forums for the hassle with 5th gen front rotors. You WILL need a pulling tool, and you WILL need a new bearing (removing the hub assemply destroys the bearing.) The hub and bearing are "pressed" together, so when you yank the hub off, the bearing gets shredded. Don't know why Honda did it this way (the rear rotors aren't like that) but it's one of the major gripes with the 5th gen. I just took mine to the shop and had them do the whole operation. Saved me a lot of stress.

[JimmyzGarage]

If you look at this picture, you will see that the bearing is bolted on from the back of the steering knuckle. You have to remove the knuckle by removing the lower ball joint, the upper ball joint, the tie-rod end, brake lines, brake calipers and the 36mm axle nut. Now you'll have access to the four bolts that hold the bearing onto the steering knuckle. After you get that off, you can unbolt your rotor.

Don't F*up your bearing, cuz you're just gonna have to the do what I just outlined above to replace it. Save yourself some money and either do it right w/o the slide hammer or take it to a shop.

Look here at a "how-to" from the folks at Autozone

Front Captured rotor change for Honda - Autozone website

It says it's for 90-95, but this applies to '96's as well, since you have the same rotor configuration.

I did this to my '91 EX - On a scale of 1-10 in difficulty, this is about a 6 or 7, since you have to borrow some pullers and stuff, as well as reset the alignment. I ended up replacing the lower ball joint, cuz I hammered the hell out of it trying to remove it. If you want to replace your axles, this is a good time to do it.

Good Luck!

[hroc2]

Originally Posted by JimmyzGarage

If you look at this picture, you will see that the bearing is bolted on from the back of the steering knuckle. You have to remove the knuckle by removing the lower ball joint, the upper ball joint, the tie-rod end, brake lines, brake calipers and the 36mm axle nut. Now you'll have access to the four bolts that hold the bearing onto the steering knuckle. After you get that off, you can unbolt your rotor.

Don't F*up your bearing, cuz you're just gonna have to the do what I just outlined above to replace it. Save yourself some money and either do it right w/o the slide hammer or take it to a shop.

Look here at a "how-to" from the folks at Autozone

Front Captured rotor change for Honda - Autozone website

It says it's for 90-95, but this applies to '96's as well, since you have the same rotor configuration.

I did this to my '91 EX - On a scale of 1-10 in difficulty, this is about a 6 or 7, since you have to borrow some pullers and stuff, as well as reset the alignment. I ended up replacing the lower ball joint, cuz I hammered the hell out of it trying to remove it. If you want to replace your axles, this is a good time to do it.

Good Luck!

thank you,
i took the four bolts off the back of the steering knuckle but the the hub seems locked on. does this mean i need a sliding hammer? or should i just take the whole assembly to a shop to have it done. this is the first time i've encountered this design and i'm not too happy about it but i'm willing to learn.

[hroc2]

Originally Posted by huyvu90

u need a slide hammer to hammer it out.

connect the slide hammer to your wheel studs and hammer away.

thank you.

[huyvu90]

tell me how it goes

[JimmyzGarage]

Originally Posted by hroc2

thank you,
i took the four bolts off the back of the steering knuckle but the the hub seems locked on. does this mean i need a sliding hammer? or should i just take the whole assembly to a shop to have it done. this is the first time i've encountered this design and i'm not too happy about it but i'm willing to learn.

take a hammer (dead blow or plastic mallet) and gently tap it out of the steering knuckle.

[hroc2]

Originally Posted by JimmyzGarage

take a hammer (dead blow or plastic mallet) and gently tap it out of the steering knuckle.

ok, i have already tried that but i'll try againand see if it will loosen up. i'll let you know. thanks again.

[007COUPE]

I know the pain. I took my 96 to a local shop and it took them 4 hours to install a set of drilled/slotted rotors. They used a slide hammer and a torch to get the things off. They told me that that generation of accords are always the hardest to do. It might cost a little more for the labor but it will save a hell of a lot more in the headache department.

[hroc2]

Originally Posted by 007COUPE

I know the pain. I took my 96 to a local shop and it took them 4 hours to install a set of drilled/slotted rotors. They used a slide hammer and a torch to get the things off. They told me that that generation of accords are always the hardest to do. It might cost a little more for the labor but it will save a hell of a lot more in the headache department.

thanks, i've decided to take the car to a shop. what were the designers at honda thinking? its too bad we don't have the opportunity to haul them into the shop to do the work. i've always serviced my brakes in the past. too bad, i love this generation honda in terms of looks. i can't stand the apron-like wrap around taillights on the 6th generation honda's. hey, while i have you here, have you ever changed the the trans filter and replaced the trans fluid on a honda. my 96 lx has 91000 miles on it and i would like to do this myself. thanks again.

[hroc2]

Originally Posted by hroc2

ok, i have already tried that but i'll try againand see if it will loosen up. i'll let you know. thanks again.

i tried again but this thing is locked in . i'm taking it into a shop. while i have you here, how hard is it to change the trans fluid and filter. i've never done this before and my car has 91000 miles on it. thanks for your input. i really enjoy this forum. i like to work on my cars as much as i can.

[hroc2]

Originally Posted by JimmyzGarage

If you look at this picture, you will see that the bearing is bolted on from the back of the steering knuckle. You have to remove the knuckle by removing the lower ball joint, the upper ball joint, the tie-rod end, brake lines, brake calipers and the 36mm axle nut. Now you'll have access to the four bolts that hold the bearing onto the steering knuckle. After you get that off, you can unbolt your rotor.

Don't F*up your bearing, cuz you're just gonna have to the do what I just outlined above to replace it. Save yourself some money and either do it right w/o the slide hammer or take it to a shop.

Look here at a "how-to" from the folks at Autozone

Front Captured rotor change for Honda - Autozone website

It says it's for 90-95, but this applies to '96's as well, since you have the same rotor configuration.

I did this to my '91 EX - On a scale of 1-10 in difficulty, this is about a 6 or 7, since you have to borrow some pullers and stuff, as well as reset the alignment. I ended up replacing the lower ball joint, cuz I hammered the hell out of it trying to remove it. If you want to replace your axles, this is a good time to do it.

Good Luck!

thanks for all your effort. the hub assemble just won't budge. i'm going to take the car to a shop.

[007COUPE]

Originally Posted by 007COUPE

I know the pain. I took my 96 to a local shop and it took them 4 hours to install a set of drilled/slotted rotors. They used a slide hammer and a torch to get the things off. They told me that that generation of accords are always the hardest to do. It might cost a little more for the labor but it will save a hell of a lot more in the headache department.

Im about to turn 200,000 miles in my 96 coupe. (ILUV2DRIVE)!!!!!!
never changed tranny filter. I have had the tranny replaced about 5,000 miles ago. $800 dollar job.

[JimmyzGarage]

Originally Posted by hroc2

thanks for all your effort. the hub assemble just won't budge. i'm going to take the car to a shop.

Did you have the four bolts off from behind the steering knuckle? They are star shaped bolts - 12 points to be exact, i had to use a 12 point 11mm socket . This is what hold the bearing assembly to the knuckle. the bearing assembly is labeled #2 in the exploded diagram. The hub assembly is labeled #3.

Just curious. I did it on my 91 accord ex. From looking at the diagrams for the different years, this "captured rotor" design looks like the same. BTW, I look at http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com for my information about how some of this stuff goes together. I read alot posts about folks using slide hammers to get rotors off. It makes sense if you can't get the bearing assembly off the knuckle. But the bearing assembly "should" come off the knuckle.

I did some searching in another forum and found this link. http://www.federal-mogul.com/fmeconn...loads/3501.pdf
It's pretty detailed about how to remove the bearing assembly. It also recommends to not use a slide hammer.

It sounded like you were almost there!