Basically is there and easy enough backyard method to save some money ? 
 

The dealer has the special ram tool for this , yes ? So the hub/knuckle doesn’t have to come off the car. No need to do an alignment that way too I’d guess.

But what can a thrifty guy like myself do to get around the dealer? 
 

Thanks. 
 

And the lady at the service counter said it’s around $200 for the parts. Really ? Their dealership also has one of the nations highest volume Subaru online parts websites. By their website I see it more like $54 in parts. 
 

Forget about labor here in the money belt. They want like $500 in labor and they admit they have the ram/press tool to make it a half hour job or so. 
 

If I spent the money it wouldn’t kill me. But I can’t help myself still. Age has given me lots of messages but my thick skull shields me. 

rent a hub tamer kit?

that is one job i actually dont mind paying someone to do... on the old GL/DL models the bearings were easy to do yourself, but the newer ones, not so much...

I always found it easier to to change out the complete hub, but that's in Rust Free Colorado.

On my 2002.impreza I just pull the knuckle and use a harbor freight bearing tool. I hit it with a sledge a few times after heating the knuckle and it pops out. Freeze the new bearing and it falls right in. Still a pain in the rump roast though.

Yeah probably on the list of things to just shut up and open the wallet for. 
 

My dream method involves not removal of anything but the bearing. But I’m dreaming. 
 

So maybe next question would be this: If I do remove the knuckle and mark everything clearly (eccentric, linkage) the alignment should stay well enough that I can drive it to the local Firestone where the car has a lifetime alignment ? 
 

Suspension/linkage stuff is like right behind electrical for jobs I’d prefer to leave alone or to the person who works those daily. 
 

Car is our queen of the fleet. Survived well and shows it. The dog is NOT allowed in this car. So yeah I should throw money. But it is super solid with minimal corrosion. Wouldn’t be so hard to do the work but things are different for me being a condo owner and no garage etc. so not buying the press, not freezing the bearing and heating the hub. But I would if I had your place maybe. Enjoy your home, garage, and driveway and remember I’m envious. 

3 hours ago, moosens said:

Yeah probably on the list of things to just shut up and open the wallet for. 
 

My dream method involves not removal of anything but the bearing. But I’m dreaming. 
 

So maybe next question would be this: If I do remove the knuckle and mark everything clearly (eccentric, linkage) the alignment should stay well enough that I can drive it to the local Firestone where the car has a lifetime alignment ? 
 

Suspension/linkage stuff is like right behind electrical for jobs I’d prefer to leave alone or to the person who works those daily. 
 

Car is our queen of the fleet. Survived well and shows it. The dog is NOT allowed in this car. So yeah I should throw money. But it is super solid with minimal corrosion. Wouldn’t be so hard to do the work but things are different for me being a condo owner and no garage etc. so not buying the press, not freezing the bearing and heating the hub. But I would if I had your place maybe. Enjoy your home, garage, and driveway and remember I’m envious. 

The strut controls camber and this is really the only alignment spec you would be messing with. As long as you put both bolts in, the car is still drive able to the shop for an alignment. Good luck getting it all taken care of. A quality wheel bearing should last a long time so it shouldn't have to be done again. Make sure you do them in pairs unless there was an incident that caused an isolated failure.

I routinely - like 100 times - have removed the alignment bolt without getting an alignment. 

Mark the top strut mount bolt *head* and the strut body with a chisel. Take a picture of the marks on the bolt head and strut body for good measure before removing. Reinstall with marks in same position. Very easy. 
 

Edited February 16, 20233 yr by idosubaru

Right , I did at least one time mark the eccentric and get it done. I shouldn’t be so tepid. 
 

But in this case with all the BS I just don’t have the time for or space etc as explained. It’ll get done by someone like the dealer. Maybe if I’m lucky our man Subafreak is available sooner than later. 

How did you make out with this?

Around 10 years ago I paid a local shop to change out the bearings, spent too much and they failed within 1 1/2 years-2 years, both.   So I put in used spindles instead, no problems then.

There's tons of cheap screw press kits available now. Just 10 seconds on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Orion-Motor-Tech-Replacement-Automotive/dp/B01FLVOAZI

Sure , ten seconds of my life I’ll never get back …. 
 

ok all kidding aside , anybody find success with a wheel bearing using these? 
 

Our car doesn’t get used much lately so it’s been ok. The times I do/did drive it you can feel the mild grind but it’s not serious. I think Jesse is going to take my car in for a day of spa treatment later this month. 
 

I’m not opposed to getting an extractor. Just one more thing to do … getting older I’m more prone to pay for certain jobs. 

Too bad the wheel bearings don't have grease fittings anymore.   I was thinking you should be able to inject lithium grease into the area of friction anyway if you catch it early but I'm probably dreaming.   

I posted a how to thread probably around 2009 or so showing how to do these with a Harbor Freight screw press ("FWD Service Set"). It's not rocket science. I did a couple front bearings on about a 1990 Legacy with one of these and the guy I sold it to drove the car for another 100k miles without issue. It's about cleanliness and attention to detail. Any of these cheap kits will do the job. 

GD 

13 hours ago, GeneralDisorder said:

I posted a how to thread probably around 2009 or so showing how to do these with a Harbor Freight screw press ("FWD Service Set"). It's not rocket science. I did a couple front bearings on about a 1990 Legacy with one of these and the guy I sold it to drove the car for another 100k miles without issue. It's about cleanliness and attention to detail. Any of these cheap kits will do the job. 

GD 

Also the local Auto Zone has the tools in their free rental program for pushing out and pressing in new bearings.  But I just don't have the tools for most of the work.

 

I was able to get it done at a shop that is reliable for $65 plus the $75 used knuckle.

Ok put it to the test this weekend. 
 

I’ve got your ticket if you want to go to the Wicked Big Meet in Stafford. Send me a message if you want to go. 
I bought an extra one for a friend who can’t make it. 
 

This Sunday ! 
 

We can finally meet up after all these years of USMB 

Let me know. 

On 6/8/2023 at 7:28 PM, moosens said:

 

ok all kidding aside , anybody find success with a wheel bearing using these? 
 

Yes. I have one.  Liberally grease all the threads, they're under a lot of stress, don't run them dry.