February 7, 201214 yr Well today I was driving my car (a 1997 Subaru Outback Legacy Limited 2.5 L), and the ABS light has been on for a few days, there has been a bit of a dragging noise on the front two brakes. Now was driving home from the store and when I got fairly close I had to stop because I had no acceleration, and the car was sluggish, it seems the left front wheel has locked up, I am assuming it's an independent problem from the ABS light but who knows. Now I managed to get it into the parking lot, but when I looked at the wheel it seemed to be able 20-30 degrees out of camber in the negative chamber, the brakes on that wheel seemed hotter then the rest. While I wish I could take it apart and look right now, I am at college and that is frowned upon at night. So, when I get the chance to see whats wrong tomorrow, what should I look for?
February 7, 201214 yr The two don't quite match up in my mind. Seized calipers will lock up the brakes and create the dragging noise. A badly warped rotor gives you the shakes. Check the condition of both. Does the caliper respond to the pedal at all? Someone more knowledgable than me will probably have better advice than me. But I don't see how a brake issue could change the camber by much of anything. Failed wheel bearings maybe?
February 7, 201214 yr I would say the wheel bearing is toast. Might have even wrecked the knuckle. The brakes would be hot from the heat in the bearings. Could you smell hot brake pads? If not then my guess is that you ran the bearings to the point of them starting to seize.
February 7, 201214 yr Crooked wheel + dragging sound + hot = Completely shot to hell wheel bearing. Lift that corner up I bet you can wobble that wheel all around in every direction. Edited February 7, 201214 yr by Fairtax4me
February 7, 201214 yr Author Good to know. Thank you everyone I will look into it later today and will let you know what I find. Again, thank you for all the help and suggestions.
February 7, 201214 yr Agree with others that it is highly probable that your wheel bearing is shot. I just had a wheel bearing go bad, and it damaged the spindle knuckle as well. Just last night, I replaced the spindle knuckle unit. Got a used one from a yard for $75. For my 2 cents worth of advise, a used unit from a yard is the way to go. The bearing is already in the knuckle, so just install the knuckle and your done. You will likely need a new ball joint as well, but that only costs about $20.
February 7, 201214 yr Author Well, ladies and gentlemen, hold on to your hats, this one is a doosey. Well, I finally got a chance to go out there and take a look. I get out there jack up the car take the wheel off, and the CV nut falls into my lap, I look and notice the CV joint has pushed itself out as far as possible(towards the engine), and pushed the rotor out toward the outside. But, as I am sure you know the caliper is not attached in the same place the rotor is, it is trying to hold the rotor back with the outside brake pad. Which would explain the car thinking there is something wrong with the ABS, it simply thought there was something wrong with that wheel. All the while there are these little steel cylinders on the ground all around, as I soon find out the CV joint appears to have forced the ball bearing apart. So what would be an easy fix has turned into a bearing replacement. So all of you were right. I appreciate your help, now to figure out how I am going to get this done without being able to move my car.
February 7, 201214 yr Dang that sounds bad. It's a good thing the wheel didn't come off while driving. It sounds like the rotor was held back by the caliper, which was keeping the hub from coming completely out.
February 7, 201214 yr Well, ladies and gentlemen, hold on to your hats, this one is a doosey. Well, I finally got a chance to go out there and take a look. I get out there jack up the car take the wheel off, and the CV nut falls into my lap, I look and notice the CV joint has pushed itself out as far as possible(towards the engine), and pushed the rotor out toward the outside. But, as I am sure you know the caliper is not attached in the same place the rotor is, it is trying to hold the rotor back with the outside brake pad. Which would explain the car thinking there is something wrong with the ABS, it simply thought there was something wrong with that wheel. All the while there are these little steel cylinders on the ground all around, as I soon find out the CV joint appears to have forced the ball bearing apart. So what would be an easy fix has turned into a bearing replacement. So all of you were right. I appreciate your help, now to figure out how I am going to get this done without being able to move my car. Go the used spindle/knuckle route. Source one from a wrecking yard, as I described earlier. If you need details on how to do this job, email me at: Fish6525@yahoo.com. Just been there, just done this job last night, so all details are fresh in my mind.
February 7, 201214 yr Author Go the used spindle/knuckle route. Source one from a wrecking yard, as I described earlier. If you need details on how to do this job, email me at: Fish6525@yahoo.com. Just been there, just done this job last night, so all details are fresh in my mind. Yeah that may be the best solution, I was looking in my repair manual for the car and no matter what I do I have to take the knuckle out, it basicly said you don't have the tools for the job, take the knuckle out and have them deal with it. I appreciate the offer, and if I need help I will definitely email you but I have had this thing apart way to many times to count taking out and putting in new parts on the car.
February 7, 201214 yr Pulling a knuckle isn't all that bad. You actually have the hardest part done for you. It takes me a 6 foot cheater bar to break the axle nut free if its been there for a few years. Was the axle nut crushed into the key-way on the shaft?
February 7, 201214 yr Author Pulling a knuckle isn't all that bad. You actually have the hardest part done for you. It takes me a 6 foot cheater bar to break the axle nut free if its been there for a few years. Was the axle nut crushed into the key-way on the shaft? No it wasn't which was more then likely what caused it, next time I go out there I need to be sure to check the other side.
February 7, 201214 yr No it wasn't which was more then likely what caused it, next time I go out there I need to be sure to check the other side. Sounds like the large nut was backing itself off the end of the axle. Is this right??
February 7, 201214 yr Sounds like the large nut was backing itself off the end of the axle. Is this right?? Yup. I don't care what it is torqued to, if something rotates and is held on with a single nut or bolt then it needs to be secured with a cotter pin or something of that nature.
February 8, 201214 yr Author Sounds like the large nut was backing itself off the end of the axle. Is this right?? Yeah, that seems to be what happened.
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