porcupine73 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I can feel a little bit of looseness when shaking the front right wheel on '00 Outback 175k miles. Ball joint, strut, and tie rod end are all tight. I can still feel the looseness in the hub just a little bit even with the wheel off. When spinning the wheel and feeling the strut spring, or using a stethoscope on the spring, I do not hear any grinding or abnormal noise at all. I guess that's the part I'm confused about, it seems for wheel bearings people usually say there will be a grinding or rumbling? I don't notice any grinding or anything, even in turns (though it does seem to have a pretty good shimmy/shaking in the steering wheel that comes and goes). Snugging up the axle nut a bit seems to make it a bit less loose....maybe that is the telltale sign? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I can feel a little bit of looseness when shaking the front right wheel on '00 Outback 175k miles. Ball joint, strut, and tie rod end are all tight. I can still feel the looseness in the hub just a little bit even with the wheel off. sounds like a wheel bearing to me. When spinning the wheel and feeling the strut spring, or using a stethoscope on the spring, I do not hear any grinding or abnormal noise at all. I guess that's the part I'm confused about, it seems for wheel bearings people usually say there will be a grinding or rumbling? i've seen wheel bearings pass that test and i have a mechanics stethoscope. i can't even recall if i've ever been able to diagnose a bad wheel bearing that way, if so it's been only one time. i don't really put much stock in that method from the few experiences i've seen so i wouldn't worry about it too much that you're not hearing it. i like using a temperature gun and comparing sides. a bad wheel bearing will cause more heat generation. it takes 10 or so different readings across the hubs because the temp gradients can be so large over small distances but it doesn't take long to see a pattern so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Thanks Gary I appreciate the info. I ordered the bearing kit. I think I will attempt it with the harbor freight front wheel bearing adapters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 If you can't take the play out of it by tightening the axle nut then the bearing is shot. You won't be able to accurately detect the failure except by noise/heat unless you remove all the brake components and the axle to "feel" the bearing. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 and the axle to "feel" the bearing.i had one that had the typical groaning but no other symptoms at all - no vibrations, felt perfectly smooth rotating the hub...then when the axle was removed it felt like totaly slop and was notably noisy. i was surprised how smooth it felt before the axle was removed. 97 Legacy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Thanks Gary I appreciate the info. I ordered the bearing kit. I think I will attempt it with the harbor freight front wheel bearing adapters. I have a harbor freight "hub tamer" set. I have used it once to replace the wheel bearing on my OBW. I will sell it to you at half price. Let me know if you are interested. Larry, (Rooster2). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Thank you all very much for the help. I tried tightening the axle nut, it's probably a bit snug at around 170 ft-lb now. That seems to reduce it a little bit, but it is still slightly sloppy. I have the bearing kit on the way and just picked up the HF front wheel bearing adapters with the 20% off coupon. Thanks for the offer on the 1/2 price set Rooster, I just picked up the set at the store before seeing the thread.....suppose I could return this one though. I'll see how it feels after the brake stuff is off and the axle is out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPX Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I was difficult for me to tell what was going on with my front wheel bearing with the brake caliper still mounted even with the axle/CV removed. Once the caliper was off, it was obvious the bearing was bad. [/url] I'm not sure if the 00 Outback has newer wheel bearing carriers or is like the 92-98 pressed bearings. But the Harbor Freight bearing kit worked pretty well for my recent front wheel bearing replacement.....but it has some limitations pertaining to the hub with the ABS tone ring in the way. Once everything is apart, the HF kits works great for assembling the new bearing - and even the seals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Great thanks for the info. I'm not sure what style wheel bearing it has either, I haven't done any wheel bearing jobs yet. I do know the tone ring is pressed onto the axle on this style, so that won't be in the way like on earlier models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 watch out for worn hubs ! have seen many wear the hub where the berring rides and the new berring will not sit tight on hub and works loose and wreaks new berring have had at least 10 thiss year all bad hubs happens from running with loose axle nut or the wrong axle nuts there are some that the collar of the nut is bigger and dosent titen up right thiss problem comes up alot right after axle jobs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I bought a kent moore wheel berring install tool specificaly designed for subaru front and rear berrings dose them on car cost 1500 $ but have done over 500 berrings with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Thanks Ivans Imports, that is helpful. Actually I did replace the axle a few times on that side, and this looseness did show up shortly after I put the last axle in. Though maybe with 175k miles it is time for one to go. I used a new axle nut but right, I have noticed some are silver, some are gold, and some have a greenish tint to them but I wasn't sure what the difference was. I tightened it before putting the wheel back on the ground. The SPX tool sounds very nice indeed! That is probably the one Subaru showed in the TSB's for the wheel bearing replacement without using a press? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 The wrong nut has about a extra 1/4 inch bigger shoulder all the way round and dosent look the same i think its honda or toyota the axle rebiulders just grab the first nut thats the right thread and send it out the door any doubt use the factory nut or get one from subaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 Thanks for the info. Do you think it might be an axle nut for later model soobs? I think someone mentioned some of the newer ones have a 36mm nut? Also....do you know if the new genuine Subaru wheel bearings are already packed with grease and ready to go? I remember some TSB years ago that said the grease was just packing grease and it needed to be packed with wheel bearing grease before installing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I remove the grease in evry berring and use industral heavy duty grease the stuff it comes with is crapy and dosent hold up in are salty enviroment. And no its just the wrong nut only see it on rebiult axles was not a subaru nut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 The bearings from subaru are greased. It looks like cheesy grease and not a lot of it, but has been holding up fine on mine, lotsa 75mph highway driving (with some 100+ tossed in) and bombing on/off ramps (left-side was replaced). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 Thanks for the info. Cheesy grease? Ok so if it looks like this I will use something a little better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Well I've put darn near 100k on the replacement so I'd say the factory grease is just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Not in salty snowy b.c was driving in 2ft of snow yesterday still up high but still there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 To replace the grease, do you flush out the old grease with brake cleaner or something and then just pack in the new grease? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPX Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 No not brake cleaner or carb cleaner - that will damage the nylon carriers the rollers are suspended in. Use gasoline or kerosene as a solvent. I think some people have used mineral spirits. Let the bearing soak , stir and then work out the grease. Make sure to carefully remove not only the grease you are taking out, but also any of the solvent - otherwise this will contaminate the new grease. You can use compressed air to drive out the solvent. But don't send the bearing into a high speed spin with compressed are as this will damage it since there is no proper lube in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 Thank you for the information, I would have ended up using brake cleaner had I not read that. I started tearing her apart today. I got as far as getting the hub out. That was the hard part because I found out my slide hammer was only 3 lb. It pulled the hub out about 1/4" then the threads on the slide hammer stripped out. So after some rigging, I got the slide hammer set up with two 10-lb barbell weights on the end. Success, that ripped the hub out in just two pulls, whereas I had done about 100 pulls with the 3lb weight. But that pretty much ruined the remaining threads on the slide hammer so it was a one time use tool but it did the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unibrook Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Good point. I always borrow the 10lb slide hammer from AutoPalace. It still takes 50 or 60 big whacks with it to pull the outer race out. Probably 10-20 good whacks to get the hub out. But it does eventually yield to DA HAMMER!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 i bought a air chisel end that takes a impact socket the same size as hub one guy comes from back side of hub while other guy uses slide hammer thiss helps to get the hub out and saves arms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samneric Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Cock da hammer.... Cock da hammer its time for action!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.