I have had a hell of a time trying to remove wheel bearings from my subaru's in the past. I usually end up taking the hub in to a shop to have them pull and press my bearings for me, but I would really like to do the job myself. So I have this 1990 Loyale Turbo wagon with a bad front wheel bearing and was wondering if anyone could give me some good tips or tricks to pulling those suckers out of there. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

I've done a lot of them - just take your time, and head over to harbor frieght and grab a brass punch. Use that to drift the bearings out. Remove the knuckle and lower control arm from the car and do it on the bench. Make sure to only hit the outer race on the new bearings, but feel free to whail on the old ones any way possible to get them out. Pound around the bearing evenly to get them to move.

 

GD

This is a random question. I work in the bearing distribution industry while going to school and am anxious to know who makes the wheel bearings for our subes. It should be seen on the side of the bearing who made it. Just a little curious.

There's quite a few different brands. I usually get the Timken ones from autozone for $11 each. That makes each side about $25 with both bearings and seals. There are sealed, and not sealed, and quite a few different brands - I would say probably at least 4 or 5.

 

GD

There's quite a few different brands. I usually get the Timken ones from autozone for $11 each. That makes each side about $25 with both bearings and seals. There are sealed, and not sealed, and quite a few different brands - I would say probably at least 4 or 5.

 

GD

Cool! Thats what I needed to know, thats one of the companies that operates inside the company. You can check it out at colinx.com

I work for INA, our sister company is *********, yes I know, heard the jokes, to clear it up it stands for Fisher and Group. German bearing companies for ya.

you have to spell it out with dashes or it bleeps it like

f-u-kidding

Thats why I listed what the acronym stood for.

federal mogul is another one. I didn't seek them out at Advance auto, it is what was given. They have proven to me to do very good. Any bad brands some may know of (besides some OEM)?

 

As far as pressing bearing races - a press really ought to do the job. you can get an out of alignment race while bearing stays straight, and it will reveal this randomly with wobbles. If to save money doing yourself (of course!) maybe pound them out on your own and have a pro perpendiculate those in correctly, evenly for cooler longer lasting bearings.

Use the synthetic high temp grease repacking tham- it is quite impressive for the few dollars more than regular.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll give it a try this Saturday and let you all know how it went.

i like to do something like this to a spare hub. i would pick up a used hub (or to be totally honest, have my own parts cars), swap hubs and be done with it. then you have your old hub to work on as you have time and there's no pressure to get it done.

$35 front loyale hubs in Oregon:

Mt.Hood 541-352-7118

Hermiston 1-800-854-1455

La-Grande 1-800-233-9640

Goshen 1-800-437-1708

I got raped. I paid like 75 bucks a side for bearings and seals... That sucks.

 

Use the old bearings to pound in the new ones. It greatly reduces the risk of sending the punch into the bearing cage. Just place the bearing ontop of the new one and tap around with a hammer. Use a screwdriver to pop the old bearing back out after you're finnished pushing the new one in.

I used a 3/4" bolt and nut, and a stack of washers on each side to press mine in.

I've done it!It was way easier than the last two times I tried it. I think the bearings were frozen in last time or something.

I used a 3/4" bolt and nut, and a stack of washers on each side to press mine in.

 

That's an excelent way to ruin the bearing race.

 

GD

LOL Sorry GD, but not my way. Trade Secret:brow:

LOL Sorry GD, but not my way. Trade Secret:brow:

 

If you press on the inner race with enough force to install the bearing, you will cause flat spots where the ball bearings press into the race. This will cause premature failure. The proper way to install them is by pressing on the outer race.

 

And if it's a "trade secret" then keep it to your self. The forum is for helping people, not giving them hints that will lead them to breaking their new bearings :-\

 

GD

If you press on the inner race with enough force to install the bearing, you will cause flat spots where the ball bearings press into the race. This will cause premature failure. The proper way to install them is by pressing on the outer race.

 

And if it's a "trade secret" then keep it to your self. The forum is for helping people, not giving them hints that will lead them to breaking their new bearings :-\

 

GD

Thank you for that shot. Sent you a PM