Believe my right rear wheel bearing is shot. Just wondering if anyone knows whether they are sealed bearings or not.

Some are, and some are not. Being a Loyale it's probably the single peice unit that's sealed, yes.

 

....why would that matter for replacement?

 

GD

Because I think with the sealed bearings you need a press for part of the replacement process? I believe that's what I was told. For the unsealed I guess you don't. It will just determine who I get to do it.

There's no press required for any form of rear wheel bearing on an EA series. Just some careful work with a punch or a custom made driver tool. I've done half a dozen of them..... they don't fail very often and I've seen them make 300k without issue. You might consider just finding a good used trailing arm and swapping it in.

 

The really useful tool is the ring nut socket. That's one I actually bought it's so useful. It removes the ring nut's without damaging them. If you use a punch to spin them out they are usually quite a mess afterwards.

 

GD

I still need to do this, but sadly i dont know if its going to be this year. Things are humming along nicely back there:rolleyes:

I find Subaru bearings go from noisy to floppy really fast. I lost a rear wheel bearing last Christmas, at 280,000 km. It started to make all sorts of bad noises while loaded (3 grown ups, baby, and luggage, but not really full) then quieted down when unloaded. It made another 900 mile trip back home from Vancouver, in snow and subzero temperatures, no symptoms. It finally failed completely a month later, after driving around town without any complaint at all, while on a trip to Prince George at -30 deg. C. Made it to Vanderhoof with the rear wheel trying to do the steering...

 

Used arm/hub $200, labour $200, ready 4 days later (and it takes 2 to get parts here). No complaints, except they left out the bellville washer, which was easily fixed.

 

But the moral is, fix it if it is making noise!

Is this 2wd or 4wd?? My 2wd just has tapered bearings in the back. You need a puller to get the race from the spindle/axle thing. Other than that, just a punch. remove wheel, remove drum, bearings are right there.

Anyone ever try to remove this without air tools.

I did the first couple without air tools. Really the only thing I use air tools for now is the ring nut because I have the impact socket for it. Otherwise it's all hand tools - beaters and pullers, etc.

 

GD

Only problem i can see is removing the castle nut since i put it back on with air tools and broke my socket wrench. Then also takeing off the special nut holding the axel on. Since i dont think its ever been taken off.

You need a steel punch to move the ring nut.

 

The axle nut is simple if you have the VW tool. It's like $10 or less from any EMPI dealer.

 

GD