Brick Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Have an issue w. my 01 Forrester. I was getting what I thought was a lot of road noise from my tires (mc radials put on by the PO that were about shot), so I took the plunge and got some new rubber--minimal change. The sound from the rear, increases (sort of like growl of an off-road tire) w. wheel rotation speed. I'm now suspecting wheel bearing--altough this sounds like no other bearing I've ever heard. Is this a known issue w. the Forrester (56k on the clock)? Simple fix? Please advise, Thanks in advance Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 the unerving part of this is "sound like i never heard of" ... When the differntial starts to go bad, it makes an amazingly loud sound that gets loder with road speed. it could be a rear wheel bearing, but in the collective 600K miles of 4 differnt subarus, I never had a rear wheel bearing go bad. Look under the car, is the rear differntial case wet ? If it was a wheel bearing, the tire shop should have picked up on it... just a thought. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondernaut Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 My mother drives a '99 Forester and it is doing the exact same thing: very loud growling/rumbling noise from the rear end which increases with speed. It is so loud it is difficut to hear the radio. I got under the car a month back and didn't find any fluid leaks or anything else that seemed out of the ordinary at a glance. This Forester has had nothing but problems since it broke 100k miles. I'd like to fix this rear end problem so I can sell it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sea#3 Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 More than likely it is a wheel bearing that is gone .the easiest way to diagnose the noise is to put it up on a hoist (or 4 stands) and run it up and listen with a stethoscope If a wheel bearing is gone there is an updated bearing ,aswell as look at the seal surface on the outer cv . If it is rusted you should replace it . Water can get by the rust and seal and get into the new bearing and shorten the life of the bearing SEA#3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 I vote bearing too. They are a relative weak part . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 you can also drain your rear differential fluid, if the diff is causing the noise then there is likely parts or a gear tooth lying at the bottom of your diff which will come out if you change the oil (which should be done at 100,000 miles anyway), but if you're selling you probably won't want to. jack the rear up and check for wheel bearing play, very easy and quick to do. if it does it at slow speeds, get someone to stand on both sides of the car and see if it is louder on one side than the other. if it's louder on one side then it's obviously the wheel bearing. if it's the same on either side then it's the rear diff making the noise (centrally located). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 I vote for rear bearing also. The one's I've heard sound like a steel caster rolling across a cement floor. And they do get very loud with speed. Also the trunion (housing they are pressed into) gets much too hot to touch. Just try to feel them after a long run. The good side will be noticably cooler than the defective side. My $.02 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 SO then this is an achilllies heal for foresters? nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 does a sweeping turn left sound different than a turn right? Some folks report the bad bearing sounds worse when it's on the outside of a turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 About mid MY02 production, Subaru changed the bearing and the seals used on the Forester. The Legacy used stronger roller bearings which subaru parts dealers would sell you to replace the earlier Forester bearings. After removing the trunions, take them to a local machine shop. They will remove and press the new bearings in. If you attempt this, don't ever hammer the bearing in or out. you can damage the trunion or new bearing. Here's the info and proceedure as posted on EndWrench: http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/WheelBearing.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brick Posted October 31, 2005 Author Share Posted October 31, 2005 Look under the car, is the rear differntial case wet ? If it was a wheel bearing, the tire shop should have picked up on it... just a thought. Diff case is dry--no sign of leakage....yeah, I'm suprised the tire guys didn't catch the bearing (if that is what is its) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brick Posted October 31, 2005 Author Share Posted October 31, 2005 does a sweeping turn left sound different than a turn right? Some folks report the bad bearing sounds worse when it's on the outside of a turn. Nope, pretty consistantly tied to wheel rotation, although I've had bearings on other cars behave in the manner that you describe. It has to be either the diff or bearing--I hope it's only the bearings, the car only has 56k. This one might be a job for the dealer as I don't have a lot of time to mess w. it right now. Sounds like rear bearings are a general issue on this vintage vehicle though. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondernaut Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Well, I'm gonna change the wheel bearings on my mother's Forester and see if the noise goes away. I'll update is at becomes relevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Well, I'm gonna change the wheel bearings on my mother's Forester and see if the noise goes away. I'll update is at becomes relevant. Do a search on this issue. There can be problems aligning the bearings for insertion. IIRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesbaru Posted November 12, 2005 Share Posted November 12, 2005 Get those cone-shaped Legacy bearings for the Forester. It's a beautiful thing.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brick Posted November 13, 2005 Author Share Posted November 13, 2005 Cheers to everyone who said "wheelbearing". The right rear was shot, had it cleaned up under warranty. It's nice to have a quiet car again. :banana: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnesite Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 2002 Forester, noisy rear end at highway speed, a little bit noisier right rear than left. Wheel bearings? 166K miles, just bought it. Otherwise, in fantastic shape with new clutch and radiator. If bearings, is this an expensive repair, and independent mechanic vs dealer? I'm used to driving diesel trucks for > 500K miles now. Would appreciate a Temecula/Corona (I-15) referral, thanks. Oh, no leaks from the rear diff, or anywhere else for that matter. No difference around corners. Thanks, folks. I've always wanted a Subaru and put several thousand miles on a friend's vintage Outback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 Rear wheel bearings. Just do them both. GD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt167 Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 It won't be too expensive in no rust CA. Bearings need pressed and most shops remove the knuckle and use a shop press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 It won't be too expensive in no rust CA. Bearings need pressed and most shops remove the knuckle and use a shop press. Incorrect method. Should be done using a screw press on the car. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 Incorrect method. Should be done using a screw press on the car. GD Using a press to install these bearings is Not incorrect. In fact it's the way shown in subaru FSM Screw type, pull through hub tamers are fine, but that doesn't mean doing them on a press is "wrong" I personally find it easier to use the press than wrestle with hub tamers. But to each there own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msmithmmx Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 A wheel bearing job can be expensive due to labor if the press needs to come out. Expect that job to be at least $350 per bearing assuming nothing breaks during removal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 (edited) There is a Subaru TSB on bearing installation that explicitly forbids using a press due to the potential of deforming the bearing pocket and ruining the knuckle. The TSB supersedes the FSM. It also needlessly disturbs the alignment in the front. You can read the TSB here: http://www.scoobymods.com/showthread.php/rear-wheel-bearing-tsb-03-2249.html?s=3b30a786f4303ff096e840acbd99106d& Incidentally - this TSB also explicitly states to NOT repack the bearing as they are shipped with the appropriate grease. As I've been saying all along. Bearings are $400 without hub, or $450 with replacement hub. Unless its an STI or SVX. Those are more.The dealer charges $750 per each.GD Edited April 10, 2018 by GeneralDisorder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 (edited) There is a Subaru TSB on bearing installation that explicitly forbids using a press due to the potential of deforming the bearing pocket and ruining the knuckle. The TSB supersedes the FSM. It also needlessly disturbs the alignment in the front. You can read the TSB here: http://www.scoobymods.com/showthread.php/rear-wheel-bearing-tsb-03-2249.html?s=3b30a786f4303ff096e840acbd99106d& Incidentally - this TSB also explicitly states to NOT repack the bearing as they are shipped with the appropriate grease. As I've been saying all along. Bearings are $400 without hub, or $450 with replacement hub. Unless its an STI or SVX. Those are more. The dealer charges $750 per each. GD well I will continue to buy $100~150 NTN/Koyo japanese bearings and grease them and install them using a press. Just like I've always done. No frickin way I can charge people $750 to change a wheel bearing. That's $3000 for a whole car. I have plates for my press that fit the knuckles perfectly and I've never had a problem with knuckle deforming. If you have to put so much force on a hub or bearing to remove it that you would distort the knuckle, then there is no way in hell a hub tamer is gonna work anyhow and either way you need a new knuckle. Mark the camber bolts before knuckle removal and there is no need to realign. Never had failure from my method done a hundred of them literally. Edited April 10, 2018 by Gloyale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 (edited) It's not that it can't be done - it's that without proper technique and training the potential to damage the knuckle is high. I've replaced deformed knuckles. It's absolutely a thing. I have a two-stage, 25 ton shop press - I *could* do wheel bearings that way. It's simply not the best way. It's also quite a bit faster to do them on the car. Then there is the ball joint or lateral link bolt that may not come off - you can work around a stuck ball joint/lateral link bolt if you do them on-car. It's not pleasant, but it can be done. The car may need these fixed in the future (or possibly not depending on how much life is left in the chassis), and we typically give the customer the option either way. But budgetary constraints may not allow for replacement at the same time. And I don't care either way - pay me now, or pay me more later. It's their choice. Working around it gives me the option of keeping the price low if that's what they prefer. The job is 3.2 hours on-car. It will be just as much or more to remove the knuckle, and may be a LOT more all at once if you have to destroy a ball joint or deal with a lateral link bolt that's frozen. Once you have the tools and the process down - the on-car screw press makes a lot more sense. That's why every shop has one now, and why Subaru only approves that method. As for the grease - NTN makes the bearings for Subaru. So what you are buying white-box NTN/Koyo already has the appropriate grease. Changing the grease adds time and expense to the job and adds no value for the customer. GD Edited April 10, 2018 by GeneralDisorder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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