i just had the front left wheel bearing replaced in my forester and the circlip that locks them into the hub was accidently left out, now i am having trouble separating the hub and knuckle can anyone tell me how to do this so i can put the circlip in and put it all back together again?????PLEASE

I don't think there's a snap ring anywhere on the outboard. There's a circlip on the inboard.

 

Standard method for removing axles:

 

Remove the center hub nut. 31-32mm socket Ithink.

See the 2 big bolts holding the strut to the hub?
 

Mark exactly where the top one is in relation to the strut. Pin punch mark it.

19mm socket and end wrench, undo the bolts and remove.

Tip the hub out.

 

Or.

 

Remove the lower balljoint nut. Using an appropriate remover, push the taper stud up and out.

Tip the hub outward.

 

the knuckle, bearing and hub are pressed together they are not coming apart. sometimes they do not come apart when you need them to.

you will likely have to remove the inner seal to install the snap ring, which may damage it.

 

i don't think you need the ring, maybe why it was left off in the first place. but i'm not an expert so i could be wrong.

the snap ring may keep the bearing from coming out when you are trying to replace it, but if the bearing get loose in the knuckle, the sanp ring is not going to help you any.

have had many come in with no snap ring and had been gone for long time its not critical but should be there i think you could remove the iner seal and install it i whould undo the lower ball joint and you can pull the knukle away far enuff to reinstall snap ring

If the bearing were to actually move inwards, the brake rotor would quickly drag on the caliper bracket and you would have plenty of warning something was amiss.

 

As long as it needed a good bit of force to install it, I vote don't sweat the circlip.