heartless Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 ok, i did do a search but didnt come up with a lot of 'relevant' info... the car - 1990 Legacy LS wagon, AWD, Auto the problem - left rear wheel bearing has made noise since I got the car just over two years ago - not sloppy at all, yet - recently making more noise going around curves (when the weight shifts to that side). time to get it taken care of... The few posts I did find referred more to later models - 96+ - so i have to wonder how relevant the info is to my car... Is this something I can do myself or would I be better off taking it in to a shop? I am quite 'mechanically inclined' as many of you already know - and i have the time available...just wondering about the difficulty factor and the need of "special tools" like the FWD Bearing Adapter Set Will that set work for the rear wheel bearings? and - do i need to get a bearing seperator kit like this one or can i use a basic multi jaw puller? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 I haven't done a rear but I've done a couple front's using that adaptor set. Worked out fine - how familair are you with installing bearings in general? You also need a small puller to remove the outer cone from the hub or a bearing seperator and a press...... You have to decide if you are going to add this tool set and type of work to your garage or not. If it's just a single bearing then it's hard to justify owning the tool as it probably won't cost much more than that to take the knuckle somewhere and have the new bearing installed. The other option, since these fail so rarely (usually it's front's if anything on the early EJ's), is to just replace the whole knuckle with a good used one. That will take less time and probably cost less than just the bearing by itself. By far the quickest and cheapest way to go - but there's always the potential of having to do it a couple times. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 8, 2010 Author Share Posted July 8, 2010 thanks GD - things to think about... have done the older style bearings on the EA82 cars a few times - both fronts and rears - no big deal there, but this one is a beast of another color from looking at it... cost wise - eh, 6 to one, half a dozen to the other - can get the bearing for just under $60, but the cost of the kit...that is a little harder to justify. We do have a couple of parts cars - only one is the AWD tho (i think) and mileage wise it's pretty close to what mine is at, and older Lego's just are not that plentiful around here AND no "you pull it" yards, sooo.... I guess i need to weigh the cost of the kit (and having it available if I ever need to do this again) versus taking the knuckle off and taking it in somewhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 The bearings not bad if you can get the lateral link bolt out. That's the 8" long bolt that goes through the lateral links and the knuckle and is exposed in the middle. It rusts to the sleeves inside the bushings, the knuckle, and rust expands it in the middle so even if you get it turning it won't pull through. Can be a huge PITA. You have to get it out to get the axle out though, and you can't press the bearings without pulling the axle. You can try getting the 2 bolts that hold the lateral links to the crossmember, but they're usually in worse shape than the lateral link bolt and they're right next to the gas tank so I'd be scared to use the torch on them. Have had some real fun times with those damn lateral link bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bstone Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 They might have a rental kit for this job at autozone or advance auto parts. Check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hohieu Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Have had some real fun times with those damn lateral link bolts. +1 on that score. You're home free after that sucker is free. Here's a helpful link: http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/BearingTheLoad.pdf Also, try searching "hubtamer." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 thanks for the additional info guys - will look into a loaner tool kit @ my local Advance store...dont have an autozone near us. hohieu - that link gave me a "403 - forbidden" error - any chance to find it anywhere else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hohieu Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Oops, sorry. I should have checked to see if the link was still good before posting. This one should work: http://www.endwrench.com/current/Current6/03/WhBearRep.pdf You can also go to their main page and search around for good info. on myriad topics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Just a word of advice, before you even get started, soak your lateral link bolts in rust eater. PB Blaster does well, but if you have any yield sitting around, it would be well worth your time to soak that bolt in it. That is, if you're gonna be pulling the hub assembly off. Its easy to do the swap, not much to mess up. And as GD mentioned, the rear bearings rarely fail. Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 14, 2010 Author Share Posted July 14, 2010 hohieu - thanks, that link worked. Twitch - that is the one thing that has been consistant in all posts about these rear bearings - the lateral link bolt is a buggar! and living in salt country....well.... just for grins I stopped off at the local shop i like to get an estimate on having the work done. Was actually pleasantly surprised (compared to some prices I have seen quoted here) Estimate is just over $250 which includes a premium bearing assy. w/3 yr warranty... the warranty alone almost has me convinced.... by the time i buy the bearing - $80 (and only 1 yr), and buy the HF bearing adapter kit - another $80 - thats $160 right there - then the time, agrivation and skinned knuckles... I must be getting lazy in my old age to actually be considering taking my car to someone else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Twitch - that is the one thing that has been consistant in all posts about these rear bearings - the lateral link bolt is a buggar! and living in salt country....well.... Well, to get mine to break loose, it took almost half a can of PB Blaster, and a breaker bar with 2 pipe extensions. And the breaker bar was NOT happy. just for grins I stopped off at the local shop i like to get an estimate on having the work done. Was actually pleasantly surprised (compared to some prices I have seen quoted here)Estimate is just over $250 which includes a premium bearing assy. w/3 yr warranty... the warranty alone almost has me convinced.... by the time i buy the bearing - $80 (and only 1 yr), and buy the HF bearing adapter kit - another $80 - thats $160 right there - then the time, agrivation and skinned knuckles... I must be getting lazy in my old age to actually be considering taking my car to someone else! Nah, that sounds pretty good right there. I wouldn't do it, but I'm young and poor But, think of it this way, after you do it yourself, you have that knowledge, and you still have that tool you needed to buy for the job Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 14, 2010 Author Share Posted July 14, 2010 Well, to get mine to break loose, it took almost half a can of PB Blaster, anda breaker bar with 2 pipe extensions. And the breaker bar was NOT happy. Nah, that sounds pretty good right there. I wouldn't do it, but I'm young and poor But, think of it this way, after you do it yourself, you have that knowledge, and you still have that tool you needed to buy for the job Twitch LOL - I am old & poor! and with everything else that is going on around here lately - mom's stroke, me having a bout with kidney stones, and now it seems I am getting a headcold & feel like crap - i just dont seem to have the energy to do much of anything right now - oh, and we are also trying to get our house sided - ourselves! (cant afford to hire someone to do that) Normally, i would be all about taking care of this myself, and we are always looking for excuses to buy new tools! but, these days, i am just flat worn out...there isnt enough of me left to go around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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