I've done hundreds of seals, but never a front wheel bearing seal. I'm just replacing the one seal that sits against the axle.

 

Analyze what I'm going to do:

 

Smear some extra grease in there (I wiped a bunch out) and knock the new seal in with a large socket.

 

How's that sound?

Sounds good, I did that inner seal when I did an axle before too. You would need one heck of a large socket for it though. I found one of the aluminum filter wrenches from the HF kit was the perfect size though at least for this 00 outback.

 

Porc, you simply amaze me. You're better than Hallmark . . . you have a picture for every occasion!

 

And they're always excellent images too. Thanks.

question: is it possible to seat the seal "too far", it looks like it is since there is space between the bearing and the seal. if so, how do you know when you got it?

 

thanks Porcthepictureman.

 

my sockets won't be big enough and I don't have one of those oil filter wrenches. this is for a friend and i'm hoping to get him his car back on the road tomorrow.....anything else I could use to seat this?

 

apparently maybe an old oil filter may work if i can keep it from loosing oil and smashing to pieces!!!!

You might be able to use a piece of PCV pipe cap or somethign. One of the oil filter cap wrenches from that Harbor Freight set just happend to be the right size. Or maybe take the new seal to auto parts store to see what matches up?

 

The hardest part actually was getting the old seal out. The new one went in prety easy. Since it is to seal against the dust seal on the axle I woudln't drive any further than the orignla was in there. hehe my pics are all old, I just keep reusing the same ones over and over I haven't had new pics in at least a year.

thanks p. i have a bunch of hubs lying around I can compare to for depth.

 

i have to pick the seal up tomorrow from the parts store i'll see if they have anything close to that size.

 

glad to hear it's easy, this one was a bear to get out too.