denraweb

Car is a 1991 CRX Si with a jdm obd-0 b16 swap. Axles seem the right length, as when they are tightened, they sit right..except for the gap where the knuckle ring goes...anywho, read on please.

In a nut shell:
If a knuckle ring is missing from your hub, would that make your wheels not turn?

Long story (more info):
Ok, so I noticed that my axle nuts weren't tight, so I grabbed the 32mm socket out with the 1/2" drive and started tightening them. They looked new (tab hadn't been bent in) so I didn't bother replacing them. So I tightened them pretty tight (no torque wrench, but I know pretty much more or less how much to tighten them). Got them all done with and hopped in the car for a test drive...BUT...car wouldn't move. It was basically like trying to take off with the e-brake fully activated. So I got out, jacked up the car, and tried spinning the tires by hand...and to my surprise, they would not move...loosened the axle nut, and the tires were free to spin...so I pulled out the axle and looked behind the knuckle/hub for anything odd...and noticed one thing was wrong...the knuckle ring was gone. The snap ring was in place on the front side, with the wheel bearing it, will all bearings in place. So since that knuckle ring is gone, is that what's making the car not move? Is that the reason the tires don't spin freely when the nut is tightened? Keep in mind, I did not overtighten the nut, the reason I know that is because I even just tightened them by hand and the hub still did not turn.

Also the wheel bearing seems to be greased okay and that spins freely. If it's not the knuckle ring, what else could it be? Like I said, everything spins freely (brake pads touching of course), until the axle nut is even barely tightened...

If you're not sure what it is, here's a pic:

Fuse

Take some picks of you axle hub fitting in to the bearing some thing sounds wrong.

denraweb

Well I figured it out. I guess you're supposed to take off both knuckle rings when doing a b-series swap in an EF, and the guy that I got the car from I guess left them on. I will take pics anyways, maybe tomorrow. The hub fits in good, just that the axles look like there is a gap where the axle meets the hub on the back side, I'm assuming from where the knuckle ring used to be. I did remove my knuckle rings from both sides, and now one side spins freely but the other side (pass side) has a seized hub. I pulled it out and checked and compared both. They both have a smaller bearing that meets the main bearing, and the one that is seized, doesn't have a free bearing. It doesn't spin, so I have to replace the hub now. Only problem is Honda wants like $160 and no one is selling them 'cuz no one really knows what they are. I'm gonna hit the junkyard in the morning 'cuz I saw alot of EF's there the other day. All with axles/hub assemblies. I should have it fixed tomorrow hopefully.

ChrisS

Seized hub?
Meaning the axle splines are seized in the center hub?

More likely, your wheel bearing on that side is toast. (that would cause the wheel not to spin freely)
You can order a new wheel bearing at a local auto parts supplier for around $70 and have them press the new one in for another $60.

I had my car apart this morning (replacing lower ball joints) and took some pictures:
-the bearing has two inner races (torquing the axle nut correctly is important; get a click-type torque wrench)
-you can see the knuckle ring just outside of the bearing's inner race in the innerKnuckle picture (maybe look at getting knuckle rings that match your axles; integra knuckle rings?)

Take Care,
ChrisS