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Front Wheel Bearing -- DIY Walkthrough


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I replaced both on the same axle, both for precautionary reasons, and because it's easier to do both if you've already got the car in the air for one. Plus you don't have to re-hash the mechanics of it and you've got all the tools you need in one place at the right time.
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General question I'll pose to ya'll about wheel bearing replacement:

 

If I have one that fails (e.g. right rear), should I replace both on that end? I just did one the other day due to grinding and wasn't sure if it was typical for the other to fail at or around the same time.

 

Wouldn't hurt to replace it, these cars are know for bad bearing/hub. I have all 4 new on my wagon.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

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General question I'll pose to ya'll about wheel bearing replacement:

 

If I have one that fails (e.g. right rear), should I replace both on that end? I just did one the other day due to grinding and wasn't sure if it was typical for the other to fail at or around the same time.

The first to go on my car were both rears at the same time. Then a few months later the front DS needed doing. I'm just waiting for the whine to start on the front PS. I wimped out and have had the dealer do mine. I figure I'm fortunate to have gotten over 150,000 out of the fronts.

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EEK! I've only had my LGT for about 2 years and it has about 120k on it now. Maybe I really will just be proactive and do all of them once finances allow. These walkthroughs are tremendously helpful, however, the job still surely took time and energy.
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EEK! I've only had my LGT for about 2 years and it has about 120k on it now. Maybe I really will just be proactive and do all of them once finances allow. These walkthroughs are tremendously helpful, however, the job still surely took time and energy.

Never hurts to be proactive and pick the time that's convenient for you to do repairs rather than waiting and letting the car dictate. Apparently the good thing with these wheel bearings is that the failure is gradual and gives warning. In fact I had mine in to the dealer and had them check twice for what I thought was a failing front bearing and they didn't diagnose it until the 3rd time.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

In the past a common practice to find a bad bearing was just shaking the wheel (based on assumption that bad bearing will have a lot of clearance). While it is true for double roller bearings, a typical sign of ball bearing failure is a dent or nick on the race, so there will be no play but the noise.(Common trick to turn from side to side will not pinpoint this problem either)

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6224/6233150546_bea61b3497.jpg

 

And this is how the defective race looks outside:

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6053/6235873319_81a8521ba2.jpg

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  • 5 weeks later...

Nope. IMO, for the price, the OEM hub-bearing assembly makes more sense, once you factor in the extra time and material costs of disassembly, pressing out the old, pressing in the new (without borking the hub assembly), reassembling the whole HBA.

 

Incidentally, I don't see the inner or outer bearings, nor the grease seals, in that kit, so I'd make sure it provides everything you need before you pull the trigger

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sorry SBT, can you clarify? Nope...it can't be done. Or, nope...you don't know if it can be done?

 

I know it wouldn't be the most convenient DIY, but I do have an extra hour and the tools to do the job, and don't have an extra couple hundred bucks laying around so I would prefer to DIY.

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Sorry - Nope I wouldn't do it. I've got a 45 ton shop press and there's more to the assembly than meets the eye. There's two sets of bearings, there's grease seals involved and there's an ABS tone ring on the back side that you need to be very careful of if you go this route. Good luck, if you do and post up your process in the walkthrough if it's economically viable.
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any one know if you can just replace the bearing and race from the hub with a press? I see some aftermarket bearings alone.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/NATIONAL-32206-Front-Wheel-Bearing-/111048535067?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ALegacy%7CYear%3A2005&hash=item19db022c1b&vxp=mtr

 

You can on a car that has the bearing pressed into the knuckle not on a car that has a bolted hub assembly. That looks like a bearing for a 2wd p/u that uses greasable bearings.

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Just did front left at 160k kms (for the second time, pretty sure it was one of the 3 that were replaced under warranty before 100k kms). Thoughts/observations:

 

- I had the same experience as the poster who thought it was winter tire noise. I guess it fails so gradually that it sneaks up on you. Found it when swapping summers back on, and finding the wheel still loose after tightening lugnuts. So quiet now that I can't believe I didn't notice it earlier

 

- the dealer put the wrong bolt in for one of the 4 hub bolts. Too short, 17mm head, and threaded the whole way, so it tried to rust itself into place. I will be bringing this to their attention

 

- the bolts for the caliper bracket are similarly threaded, and always seem to get themselves well stuck, despite my using anti-seize religiously

 

- thx for the pointer about the rotor trick, I'll be using that someday I'm sure. For this one I just hammered on the half-removed bolts, I guess it wasn't very stuck due to having been changed already. I also always forget to use my air hammer/chisel, probably because it never seems to work when I try

 

- found stuck caliper sliders, and didn't have time to fix. Damn those things

 

- to get clearance to work on it, I removed the shock (about 5 minutes work if you put it in with anti-seize last time), and rotated the knuckle far enough down to get the axle out

 

- I had a spare (used) one in the garage, from the time I had to get a new-to-me knuckle. Yay to keeping extra crap around! Might just order up another one, seems likely I'll be needing it someday...

 

Andy

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have the same issue and was told by local dealership it was a wheel bearing. Subaru OEM parts are damn expensive. Has anyone tried other parts?

This is what I found at Autozone.com and was looking for some input on whether I should use this part or pony up the $$$ for OEM.

 

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Timken-Wheel-Bearing-Hub-Assembly-Rear/_/N-6o2nz?itemIdentifier=180496&_requestid=2031138

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I have the same issue and was told by local dealership it was a wheel bearing. Subaru OEM parts are damn expensive. Has anyone tried other parts?

This is what I found at Autozone.com and was looking for some input on whether I should use this part or pony up the $$$ for OEM.

 

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Timken-Wheel-Bearing-Hub-Assembly-Rear/_/N-6o2nz?itemIdentifier=180496&_requestid=2031138

 

I think Timkin was the one you could use on the front other OEM.

 

Look back a couple pages and you'll see. You can not use a Moog on the front. on the rear they are fine.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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Have had poor results with most aftermarket wheel bearing brands unfortunately. Beck/Arnley, Raybestos, even Moogers. Have yet to try Timken however. The Beck/Arnley I actually returned to the company on a warranty claim, they we're making almost as much noise brand new as my damaged OEM had been making.

 

Needless to say I've resorted back to the OEM's for the extra couple bucks.

Swapping the two fronts out today.

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sweet write up, grabbed part today with a 32mm and breaker bar.

 

Style Name : Front Wheel Drive Hub Puller

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=BK_7768017_0006392273

 

Says front wheel drive hub puller, but I'd think it's doing the same task regardless.

Plus it's only $39 (full refunded) if returned in a week vs. the $100 one at sears, no refund.

 

Got job 75% complete only to get stumped by the axle nut at 11pm. Put it all back together and loosened axle nut after reattaching wheel to car, so much easier than struggling with it in the air. I'm all set to finish up tonight, thanks for all the insight in the thread!

Edited by titoedge
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Know you were stumped and pressed for time, but I hope your bearings are okay. FSM specifically states not to put wheel on the car, nor put weight on the axle until the axle nut is torqued to spec or bearing damage can occur. Unless I misread your post...:redface:
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i did go back to spec, before driving. just didnt type it out, my bad.

 

although in the theorhetical world, why would it matter? the entire wheel bearing is getting changed out anyways so whats the risk that you mention? damage to the spline or knuckle?

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