Subject says it all.
It's a 96 EX.

Making a lot of noise at the front passenger wheel bearing (almost sounds like radio static) and when I had the tires replaced, the shop said that bearing was on its way out.

So, I finally brought it a local dealer and was quoted $493!

Is this steep or average for this kind of job? What would the typical split be for parts vs. labor. Any advice would help. Thanks!

-Andrew

 

493 is a lot --but not for a dealer ---just price out a bearing from honda or local parts store---then call a local shop--see how much they want to install it --i would say about 2-3 hrs to do it ? ---gotta be cheaper than dealer

 

whoa holy sh*t, if i'm not mistaken a camber kit replaces the bearing with an adjustable bearing in a new front upper arm, the Skunk2 camber kit is $150 shipped on ebay, and took me and my neighbor 30mins to do, just a couple bolts.

 

$493?!? DAMN i'm in the wrong business... No way dude, don't pay that. I'd go to a parts store and buy a wheel bearing, then just do it yourself. Its not all that hard of a job really.

 

I'm told you need a hydraulic press to put the new bearings in (well, at least to press the inner bearing into the hub). It's my girlfriend's car, so I don't want her wheel flying off a week from now....

 

That is alot. If you are mechanicly(sp?) enclined you could pull the hub off your self, buy the bearing from Honda and take it to a machine shop and they will press out the old one and in the new one for about 50 bucks. I belive the bearing is about 150 bucks but Im not sure on that.


A camber kit does NOT change the wheel bearing.

Never heard of an adjustable bearing before either.

 

Okay, just got off the phone with the dealer.... Here's what they said:

Both Front Wheel Bearings need replacement. They want to replace the hubs as well. Cost = $914.00
Oil Change = $23.99
And apparently, the rear brake cylinders are leaking. They want to replace them and both rear brake shoes for $402.
Total = $1,341. Not sure if that's before tax.


We had them inspect the brake system because the parking brake light keeps coming on randomly while driving. Can this symptom be related to leaking brake cylinders?

How much of a PITA is replacing brake cylinders (assuming that is the problem)? Is this something I should leave to the experts? I've done a change to pads before, and that went no problem.

Anyway, I think I have to pull the car from the dealer and do what I can myself (we're strapped for cash at the moment). I am mechanically inclined (got a 3rd gen firebird , so I can probably swing all this work this weekend. I don't have a press, but if I can save myself ~$1000, then I can manage getting to a machine shop and back....

What do you guys think? Thanks in advance.

 

yeah what LEVIII said ---when u go to a dealership & u see that big *** building your not only paying for service --your paying their morgage---if u dont think u can do it yourself ---find a local shop that can ---you'll save ton of $$$$

 

The only thing you CAN'T do yourself is press the bearing. Other than that, the job is fairly simple. Just a basic disassembly of the front suspension. And genuine Honda parts, dealership repairs, and all that other "better-safe-than-sorry" crap is just a lot of extra money that you don't need to spend... unless you want to.

Now, as for replacing the rear brake cylinders, that's a bit more delicate, but not as much to take off. There's a lot of little spring-loaded parts inside the drum that would just love to leave. And you have to know how to re-tension the adjustable ones.

 

If your parking break light comes on randomly but turns itself off say for instance when you go up or down hills or maybe when you stop and go. It's a 90% chance their ****ing with you and all you need to do is top off your brake fluid. As for pricing I don't know but I have a 00 si and I just had to replace my front wheel bearing. The bearing itself was around 90$ and I did everything except press the bearing myself (machine shop charged me 65$, but I live in a small mountain town) the hardest part you'll be doing yourself is popping and reinstalling your ball joints to take off the hub so you can bring it to a machine shop