Hey guys, its been quite a while since I posted on here. I've been having a hard time doing my rear wheel bearings on my 2003 Subaru Outback and finally started making some decent progress. Anyway, I have the replacement Timken rear bearings but I would like to replace the hubs as well. My problem is that I can't seem to find anyone selling only the hubs. Is this a part that needs to be ordered from the dealer?

You can either buy a wheelbearing that comes with a new hub in it, or press the hub out of the old wheelbearing and press it into the new one. Since it's a unit bearing, it's a fairly simple job of bolting it to the knuckle.

 

I don't think I've ever seen just a hub for sale... Usually you buy a hub/bearing assembly if you want to replace it.

Unless for some reason it's damaged, the old hub is fine, go re-use it.

Edited October 15, 20178 yr by 987687

Hub is not available separately from the dealer either. You either buy aftermarket bearings without hubs if you intend to reuse the hub, or you buy the complete assembly like Subaru sells it.

 

GD

Damn well that sucks. Guess I'll be ordering one that comes with a hub. I ruined one of my hubs beating on it. I'd rather replace the hub anyway. Wish I knew that earlier but I guess I won't do that again. Think its okay to mix and match type of bearing? For example, OEM on one side and Timken on the other?

Here's what I use for removal

 

Don't know about this particular seller, the price is crazy low.  But a tool like this from here or Harbor Freight or wherever, snap-on if you want to pay $600 for it.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Puller-Hammer-Internal-External/dp/B00G1RXFVM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1508102687&sr=8-3&keywords=hub+slide+hammer

Edited October 15, 20178 yr by Gloyale

Damn well that sucks. Guess I'll be ordering one that comes with a hub. I ruined one of my hubs beating on it. I'd rather replace the hub anyway. Wish I knew that earlier but I guess I won't do that again. Think its okay to mix and match type of bearing? For example, OEM on one side and Timken on the other?

 

Timken is generally a quality part, so yea, that's fine. You could always go to the junkyard and grab a hub/bearing assembly. Remove it carefully with a tool like what Gloyale linked, You can probably rent those at autozone.

Think its okay to mix and match type of bearing? For example, OEM on one side and Timken on the other?

not even a question or discussion. It doesn’t matter

 

Rear hub failures only occur if you run bad bearings for extraneous lengths of time. Used is a perfectly fine option.

I use a 3-jaw puller to remove rear hubs. Then just turn them out until they pop. Pity you're so far away as I have 2 used hubs with good bearings sitting here from the Liberty (Legacy) I scrapped earlier this year for its (EJ25) crank.