'96 Legacy OB front wheel bearing, do cv also?

[paulivan]

'96 Legacy Outback

 

I have humming noise coming form front when I go around turns. Similar but different noise on right and left, started on left now on right. I assume it's front wheel bearings.

 

So, assuming this is correct diagnosis, any advice for do it yourselfer?

 

Seems from other threads that best bet for me (no press) is get the hub off and have bearings pressed by shop.

 

Only specific question I have is should I do halfshafts also while im doing bearings or does this increase scope of project significantly. I have about 140k on car and not sure if cv's have ever been done. Rt. side had a boot failure which I caught within a couple hundred miles. I put a quick boot on (screw together type) and seems to be holding up o.k. (sprayed a little grease when it was reved up dutring smog check).

 

Any advice?

 

Thanks,

 

Ptoast

[Manarius]

Humming going around corners? I'd throw out bearings. Bearings do it all the time, regardless of direction. And no, I wouldn't do CV's because it's just best to wait 'til they're busted. Preventive maintenance with those kind of parts is just kind of pointless.

 

However, that right shaft I question. Repairing the boot is generally not a good idea with CV's being so cheap these days. Who knows what got in there while the boot was torn for those few hundred miles.

 

I might wanna chalk up the humming sound to a rubbing dust shield perhaps.

[paulivan]

I think the noise might be always there to some degree and just gets louder when I go around turns. I'll check this out more.

 

Thanks

[nipper]

Depends upon the mileage and how often murphies law kicks you in the but. You are only two pins away from replacing the drive shafts. Inspect the boots carefully. Check for play and the motion of the joints. Jow long are you planning on keeping the car. If the boots have dry rot i would replace them.

 

nipper

[tcspeer]

Check and make sure the brake caliper pins are sliding, they will make noise when turning if the caliper pins do not slide in and out easly.

[paulivan]

Well, two pins away does not sound like a whole lot.

 

I'm in this for the long term. I've done CV joints on VW so have some idea of what this is all about.

 

Are these "two pins" just that or a royale PITA, any special tools needed?

 

Maybe I need to rethink this diagnosis of wheel bearings. It hums consistently just like other bad bearings I've had on previous vehicles.

 

What specific signs should I be looking for to confirm bad bearings?

[tcspeer]

Just take the wheels off, then remove the two calipers bolts, I think they are 14 mm. Then remove and hang caliper to spring the two pins are the ones the caliper bolts came out of, they should move freely in and out, if not pull the rubber boot off of the end and pull pin out of caliper bracket and clean the hole and pin good then lighty grease and put it back together. If you need a wheel bearing you can get a spinder and hub with bearing from wrecking yard for around 35.00 to 50.00 dollars and then it is very easy to change.

Well, two pins away does not sound like a whole lot.

 

I'm in this for the long term. I've done CV joints on VW so have some idea of what this is all about.

 

Are these "two pins" just that or a royale PITA, any special tools needed?

 

Maybe I need to rethink this diagnosis of wheel bearings. It hums consistently just like other bad bearings I've had on previous vehicles.

 

What specific signs should I be looking for to confirm bad bearings?