My 96 OBS has been making what sounds like a warped rotor noise when the wheel rotates but I had it checked out and my mech. said it was ok. It has gotten louder and Im starting to think its the wheel bearing. I jacked up the front and tried to shake the tire (top to bottom and side to side) but it didnt feel loose at all. What else should I check or is ther any other way to check the wheelbearing?

Thanks

I have seen a real mechanic check them by driving about 20 miles per hour and turning the wheel back and forth and listerning for some sound. I dont know if this is the best way.

Does the noise disappear when you apply the brakes? I'm guessing it is the bearing. Shaking the wheel probably won't tell you anything unless your ball joint is going.

Two thoughts.....bad wheel bearings can sometimes be identified when the car is driven at speed and swerved side to side. Putting a load on the bearing from straight ahead driving and turning left and right should make the sound you're hearing change volume and pitch. If it doesn't, then the bearing most likely isn't the culprit........a sticking caliper could give you the same uneven rubbing sound. On a 9 year old car, if the brake fluids haven't been flushed regularly every 3 years, its a possiblity as well. The caliper piston rusts on one side, enough to stick slightly, and doesn't fully release back into the caliper when you lift off the brake pedal. The piston may actually be able to be seen not protruding straight from the caliper, but more on an angle. Hope this helps.

Does the noise disappear when you apply the brakes? I'm guessing it is the bearing. Shaking the wheel probably won't tell you anything unless your ball joint is going.

 

Not too sure about the brakes. Latley I have been turing the radio up enough so I dont hear it, b/c the sound bothers me alot! Ill try to remember to check it tomarrow.

Two thoughts.....bad wheel bearings can sometimes be identified when the car is driven at speed and swerved side to side. Putting a load on the bearing from straight ahead driving and turning left and right should make the sound you're hearing change volume and pitch. If it doesn't, then the bearing most likely isn't the culprit........a sticking caliper could give you the same uneven rubbing sound. On a 9 year old car, if the brake fluids haven't been flushed regularly every 3 years, its a possiblity as well. The caliper piston rusts on one side, enough to stick slightly, and doesn't fully release back into the caliper when you lift off the brake pedal. The piston may actually be able to be seen not protruding straight from the caliper, but more on an angle. Hope this helps.

 

I just bought the car about 6 months ago and dont have any service records. I did however swap the brakes for WRX calipers and rotors and they supposedly only had 20k on them so I dont think that they could have rusted like you said but you never know. Ill check out both tomarrow.

You could also inspect the wheel bearings by jacking up the front end with a floor jack and checking for smooth rotation (no binding). Compare both right and left sides as it is unlikely that both bearings would go at the same time. Good luck.

You could also inspect the wheel bearings by jacking up the front end with a floor jack and checking for smooth rotation (no binding). Compare both right and left sides as it is unlikely that both bearings would go at the same time. Good luck.

are you sure the noise is coming from the front, I have a 00 2.5 rs and my rear wheel bearings failed at about 40k, my dad has a 97 impreza and he had the same problem his were so bad that they fell almost fell apart in his hands.

Foresters (98-2002) had problems with the caged ball bearings used in the rear. In 2002, they switched to the Legacy roller bearings. The Impreza and RS are built on the same platform as the models mentioned, right? If so, I imagine they used the same defective rear wheel bearings in these models as well.