Title should've read: High pitched noise at high revs + mismatched tire size + wheel bearing questions

 

 

I noticed the other day while on the interstate that when I was going up the mountain (and again tonight when I tested it) and the car (95 Legacy LS wagon, auto) downshifted into 2nd there was a high-pitched noise that lasted for as long as the car was in 2nd, then subsided once the car upshifted again into any other gear.

 

I realize this is pretty vague, but does it sound like something I should be concerned about?

 

Edit: This posted before I meant for it to...

 

I also realized today that three of my four tires are 195/60-15's, but the front driver side is actually 195/65-15. It also just so happens that there's a lot of noise coming from that part of the car, and it seems to me to be a wheel bearing. Coincidence?

 

I heard that the wheels bearings are press-fit and thus difficult to do, and that a lot of people just replace the whole knuckle/spindle instead. Is this accurate?

Edited June 29, 201510 yr by trivalence

Press-in bearings. They're not too bad if the car isn't rusty, but yours is pretty rusty isn't it?

 

Does the Odd-ball tire have a different tread pattern? Move that one to the rear, and see of the noise moves with it.

It's actually better off being on the back if you need to drive the car for a few days/weeks before getting tires.

Put the FWD fuse in and you can leave it that way as long as you want.

 

 

The high pitch is the Subaru muffler whistle. Happens under certain load conditions and heavy throttle. Nothing to worry about. Some people think its annoying. I love it. My 96 screams at 6k rpm!

Press-in bearings. They're not too bad if the car isn't rusty, but yours is pretty rusty isn't it?

 

Does the Odd-ball tire have a different tread pattern? Move that one to the rear, and see of the noise moves with it.

It's actually better off being on the back if you need to drive the car for a few days/weeks before getting tires.

Put the FWD fuse in and you can leave it that way as long as you want.

 

 

The high pitch is the Subaru muffler whistle. Happens under certain load conditions and heavy throttle. Nothing to worry about. Some people think its annoying. I love it. My 96 screams at 6k rpm!

 

Yeah, I think my car is a bit rusty, but I don't have much to compare it to.

 

The press-fit bearings are "not too bad" as in for your skill level or mine? 

 

Good questions about the tread, I'm not sure but I'll check. Great to know about the whistle!

 

Thanks once again Fairtax4me!

"Not too bad" as in, you can actually get the knuckle off without using a torch and a 5lb sledge to separate the lower ball joint, get the axle out, and get the strut bolts out.

 

A northern Va car may need more than hammers and heat.

 

 

I have a hub grappler kit that works great for replacing the bearing without having to totally remove the knuckle. But ive heard of cases where 20 ton shop presses couldn't get the axles out of the hub on these.

"Not too bad" as in, you can actually get the knuckle off without using a torch and a 5lb sledge to separate the lower ball joint, get the axle out, and get the strut bolts out.

 

A northern Va car may need more than hammers and heat.

 

 

I have a hub grappler kit that works great for replacing the bearing without having to totally remove the knuckle. But ive heard of cases where 20 ton shop presses couldn't get the axles out of the hub on these.

 

Oh man, I see. So far, what little I've done, has been pretty fine; no sheared off bolts, etc, and I don't even own any type of torch ... yet.

Does the Odd-ball tire have a different tread pattern? Move that one to the rear, and see of the noise moves with it.

It's actually better off being on the back if you need to drive the car for a few days/weeks before getting tires.

Put the FWD fuse in and you can leave it that way as long as you want.

 

It seems to have about the same pattern. I moved it to the rear this morning. The wum-wum-wum that was there before (and goes up and down with speed) still seems to be coming from the front driver side, so I'm pretty sure that bearing is toast, which is a bummer.

 

However, the steering is better! It doesn't spear off to the right under load now, which is super nice (and now that I think of it, makes total sense).

 

I'll rock it in FWD mode for a few weeks until I can get some new tires.

consider taking your knuckles and new bearings to a shop and pay them to swap.

consider taking your knuckles and new bearings to a shop and pay them to swap.

 

So remove the old knuckle and take that along with new bearings to a shop? Want to make sure I'm understanding you correctly. If that's the approach, that's actually what I was thinking might be an option, but then I was thinking about what fairtax4me said about how sometimes it's impossible to get the old bearings out.

 

Also, because I'm such a Subaru noob, if my front driver side bearing is bad, is one of these all I need, or is there a second bearing as well?

 

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/beck-arnley-wheel-bearing-051-4012/18025155-P?searchTerm=wheel+bearing

 

Alternatively, this is allegedly an OEM part:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Subaru-Front-Wheel-Bearing-Kit-WRX-Legacy-Forester-Outback-Impreza-OEM-/131464401447?fits=Year%3A1995%7CMake%3ASubaru%7CModel%3ALegacy&hash=item1e9be39227&vxp=mtr

well, a shop should have both experience and equipment for proper bearing replacement. There are hub 'tamers' and 'sharks' ,etc. - DIY tools. maybe even borrow similar tools from a parts store - but a shop will have a hydraulic press. If they can't get it out of a knuckle, you wouldn't have either and will need to get a knuckle, maybe from a junkyard?

 

That ebay bearing is marked NTN and japan so, probably OEM.

 

Fairtax should have a better idea of how much $/hassle it is for a first-time DIY job. I just suggested it as an 'intermediate' approach.

Edited July 1, 201510 yr by 1 Lucky Texan