Strut bearing questions

[5000fingers]

I'm trying to save a few bucks on a strut replacement. It's looking like I'm going to have to replace my front strut bearings, or at least the one that I have off the car now.

Is there any way to just replace the little bearing, rather than the whole bearing assembly? And if so, how do I find the part # for the bearing? All the auto parts stores around me only sell the whole bearing assembly. I'd rather replace a $15 bearing than a $70 assembly, if possible.

[idosubaru]

can you see the bearings? if you can Inject some grease via a needle fitting down into the bearings and spin/work them back and forth to get the grease down into it.  i recall doing this on other struts in the past, but feel like some i've seen recently, the bearings weren't accessible externally to do this?

look for some used strut mounts, pull a part, ask here, etc, junk cars on craigslist/facebook marketplace.  

don't buy a cheap aftermarket one - they fail all the time and bulge like crazy, i can't believe those companies can even survive producing stuff that bad. 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I think KYB makes them - haven't read of them being poor quality but will defer to idosubaru's experience.

for better pricing on OEM, check here; https://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/121-subaruonlineparts-com/501795-new-lower-pricing-subaru-gear-codes-vip-s.html

or, use their price to get your local dealer to match?

 

also, be sure to get the orientation correct on the spacer/conical washer. the narrow side goes UP .

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by 1 Lucky Texan

[heartless]

KYB does indeed make them and they are probably the only one I would recommend short of OEM.

search by year, make and model here: https://www.kyb.com/catalog/

get the part numbers, then search for the part numbers to find the best price for your area