Hey all,

So the 92 Legacy wagon is making a noise that sounds like a bearing.  Low grade growl that get louder at speed. 

 

How hard is it to change it out?  The boy's Suby friends say buy a new hub at the junkyard as changing a rear bearing is no fun..

 

Is it a hard job?  What is your opinion?

 

Thanks

Need a press or hub tamer and the hub tamer is a serious work out if doing it by hand - i use hub tamer and air tools.  Serious forces to get the bearing and hub out/in, if you can deal with that it's not bad.

 

The lower through bolt will likely PO the wrong person and cause World War III eventually - if rusted they're bad....but in Oregon you're not likely to have issues and that has to be removed either way.  I think some hub tamers allow the bearing to be done on the vehicle, but i think that lower bolt has to come out either way.

 

1.  replace the wheel bearing

 

an alternate middle approach that doesn't cost much:

 

2.  remove the knuckle assembly  yourself take it to a shop and have them do the bearing pressing, then install it yourself

 

3.  used unit

Those rear bearings on those are miserable if you don't have a press and the proper tools. I did a ton of those when I worked at a shop, and they're really easy to screw up causing them to fail later on.

And yep, that horrible bolt that holds the lateral links to the knuckle is the worst thing ever.... I wish I could get back all those hours of my life I spent removing those bolts by force...

 

I'd probably pull the knuckle off and bring it with the new wheelbearing to a reputable machine shop and have them install the bearing. If you do buy a junkyard knuckle, put a new bearing in it before installation. Putting a used bearing in your car is kind of a waste of time... It's bound to fail sooner than later.

Dudes,

I got that thru bolt out.  fun..  The strut bolts are fun too.  Problem is I cant get the hub off.  Im hitting it w a hammer waiting for it to get loose.  No dice.  Cant pry on it, the pry bar hits the e brake shoes.  Kids..

You're trying to hammer the hub out of the knuckle...?

Or you can't get the knuckle off the strut?

 

If you're trying to beat the hub out of the knuckle, STOP. Look at a manual of how to take the wheelbearing apart, there are internal clips that hold everything together and you need a press.