I have a 1993 Legacy wagon with 165,000 on the odo and it now needs new front hubs. Is it possible to swap out hubs from a a newer wrecking yard Legacy? Here in NH the early '90s models are hard to find in yards. Also is it something that I could do myself? I've done brake jobs and the like.

I just can't see spending $750 right after spending $1100 earlier this year on it..I only paid $700 for it last December. I owned a '91 wagon, put 120,000 miles on it and never had any front end trouble!

Yes, the only thing you have to watch for is the ABS sensor if you have ABS.

You should be able to. The bearings have to be pressed out and in, but often shops will do it wrong and ruin the new bearing or deform the knuckle. Lots of people go the junkyard route and just grab a whole knuckle assembly. Just make sure you get an axle nut socket and take a big cheater pipe with you. Unless you happen to run into someone with a cordless impact wrench. Even then it's no guarantee that the nut will come off.

it's an easy job as far as mechanics go the only hard part is rust....which is a brick wall sometimes.

 

the top strut mount bolt (of the two) affects alignment, so mark it and reinstall the bolt (not the nut) in the same orientation so you don't need to get a realignment. i use a chisel and mark a notch in the bolt head and strut body, use whatever way you like.

 

by "swap out hubs" do you mean the entire knuckle assembly (often referred to as a hub) or do you mean just swapping the hub - meaning a bearing job too?

 

you can swap entire knuckles. newer subaru's...mid-late 90's have enough wheel bearing issues that i wouldn't consider them an upgrade. i believe GD, and others, feel the first gen bearings are actually more robust.

 

you can order hubs from out west or the south so they're not so rusty. that's what i do. ends up being a win-win situation anyway. you can usually find it cheaper so shipping doesn't matter, no rust, and it arrives on my doorstep.

 

if yours is ABS you'll want ABS equipped hubs.

Some wreckers will just snip the wheel speed sensor wire for the abs to make the removal faster. If you have abs just ask them to unplug it from inside the inner fender and pull it out. It may also save you some time and swearing if the donor ball joint is in good shape to just leave it in the knuckle and use it. When I did this on my wife's 00 Legacy the wheel speed sensor clip was different, so I had to solder the old connector onto the new wire. Not a scary thing to do, just a little heads up that you might need to do some wiring while you're at it.

1. Puchase 2 new front wheel bearings, About $150 or less

 

2. Remove your existing knuckles

 

3. take the knuckles and new bearings to a maching shop, and have them press in the new bearings, shouldn't be more than another $100-150.

 

That's half the price of the ridiculous $750 quote you got. And you'll have new bearings, instead of another set of old ones waiting to wear out.

Thanks for all your suggestions.. I'll let you know how I make out!