99obw, you have a pm.

 

When you put any suspension parts back together, you should always coat bolts with a thin coat of any cheap grease. It won't last forever but it will make a difference if you go to take it apart again within a couple of years.

Yep, I am very fond of coating things with neversieze when I put them back together. It's the stuff I haven't had apart that gives me trouble.

Yea, I have neverseize, but usually use grease!

Really, does it work better?

99,

 

I haven't been in here a while....what's the latest? You done with everything?

 

Al

Nope, this last weekend was a bust because of family obligations. It looks like I should be able to get the job done Saturday morning.

 

The bolt and nut from rallynutdon haven't arrived, if I don't see them tomorrow I will get one at the local dealer.

Turns out my wife got the mail saturday, and she has had the bolt and nut ever since.

 

Thanks rallynutdon!!!!

 

USMB rocks!!

Oh goody, let the games begin. Do me a favor and stick a microphone near your work area so that we can hear all the choice words that're about to come forth !!!

 

Ali

Well, I resumed the wheel bearing job Saturday. Yes, a microphone would have recorded some interesting words!

 

Right side:

 

I got the lateral link bolt out without any trouble. The axle is rusted into the hub. No combination of heat, penetrating oil, BFH, or wheel puller would dislodge the axle. I have ordered a tool, OTC 7208, front wheel drive hub remover, which looks like it should push the axle out of the hub no problem, but it won't actually remove the hub AFAIK. The hub tamer should do that.

 

Left side:

 

I underestimated how badly rusted into the bushing the lateral link bolt was. I ended up cutting the head off of the bolt, then pounding the bolt into the rear bushing as far as I could(1/2"), pulling the lateral link to the rear to expose a bit of the bolt between the bushing and the knuckle, then cutting the bolt with an angle grinder. Then I pushed the rear outer lateral link bushing out of the lateral link with a ball joint press. I pounded the remainder of the lateral link bolt forward and cut the bolt between the front bushing and the knuckle with the grinder. Then I removed the front bushing with the ball joint press. I never did get the bolt pieces out of either of the bushings. Rust is a force to be reckoned with, that's for sure.

 

That is where I am as of last night. I need to get another bushing at the dealer today and at least get the car back together so my wife can drive it. I will finish the bearing job when the tool arrives. This has turned into an epic!

 

Never a dull moment at the monster barage.

Good job man, this job can truly be a PITA in the salt belt! Now you can feel some of the pain I went through with my wife's '95. In my case, the sawsall came in real handy! You're on the downhill stretch now however so enjoy the remainder of the project.

 

Ali

Thanks for the encouraging words. Yes, unfortunately I do feel your pain.

 

I got the other bushing 20251AA000 at the dealer today along with four new washers for the lateral link bolts. Believe it or not my tools should be here tomorrow, so I will probably get after this blasted project again this weekend.

 

I keep telling my wife that I do the work myself because it saves money, I wonder if she still believes me.

Just think of it this way. The tools you're buying are an investment. The next time you'll have the tools (and can spend the money for a different tool you'll probably need ).

When I lived in Maine every job required my cutting torch.

The struts came off my 99 Forester with little effort a couple of weeks ago.

Reading your efforts against the rust is painful.

My stepdad is doing a frame up restoration on a '73 Buick Riviera. He has had three of them over the years, and the latest one he bought came from CA. The original brake lines are still silver!

I miss my west coast days. I'm originally from Nevada so rust was foreign to me until I moved to Ill-annoy. Now I'm initimately familiar with PB Blaster, wax undercoating and anti-seize paste

 

Ali

to come out here on vacation and buy a car. The problem is that if you actually use it over there it is going to rust.

I bought my dad a 70 Chevelle in Napa that was his last car. We had it rust proofed and it lasted several years before it became a rust bucket.

The trip cross country is always a bit risky in an old car though.

I don't know how hard it would be to get Forester wheel bearings in a truck stop in Nebraska.

I once had a pain just getting a tire for a Duster I was bring back East.

This is the first I have read that Subaru recommends repacking the bearings. It contradicts what is said in other Endwrench articles.

 

 

http://endwrench.com/pdf/drivetrain/FtAdditionalTipsF99.pdf

 

 

It also mentions not using air tools to remove or install axle nuts, another thing we were discussing.

Looking at the link: http://endwrench.com/pdf/drivetrain/FtAdditionalTipsF99.pdf, I'm guessing that it was from the Fall of 1999 (F99). At least I hope so because it would have been issued before they said not to add lube.

 

I didn't lube my replacement Subaru bearing and, knock on wood, after about 10K, all is well except the Chinese rotors I put on are wearing pretty fast.

 

What are the dealers doing?