Rumling bearings...

#1 12-29-2002, 08:14 AM

Hi guys 'n gals. Hope that you all had a great Christmas - advance good fortune for the coming New Year, especially Joe who must have broken a mirror somewhere along the way and got all 7 years' worth in one go!

It had to happen sooner or later - first of the SVX Gremlins appeared in the form of a rumbling rear wheel bearing. Anyone know where I can get replacements other than Subaru main agents? Don't want to give them my business as they won't service my grey import!

Thanks in advance - off to try out Halfords....

By the way, did my power steering pump o ring the other day - can't believe the difference. Must be the cheapest possible repair on the SVX!!!

Andy · #2 12-29-2002, 10:16 AM

Hi Tony, long time no see.

Try www.1stsubaruparts.com just make sure that you ask for post rather than courier delivery. It take longer but should be a lot cheaper. You should find that parts + carriage is less than UK dealer prices.

lee · #3 12-29-2002, 01:23 PM

you might wish to try a dedicated bearing supply company in the nearest large metropolitan center. i purchased a bearing and it turned out to be the BCA brand, which is part of an international corporation and the OEM to US-made Subarus.

I should warn you that I found the BCA seal number to be incorrect for both the inner and outer rear axle seals. So either buy those from the dealer or make sure of the correct part before any disassembly (correct ones can be sourced in the US from NAPA - using the Chicago Rawhide brand).

best of luck.

edit: FYI, the BCA/National/Federal-Mogul part number is 516003 if you can get someone to cross reference to local parts

Trevor · #4 12-30-2002, 03:11 AM

Bearing specialist suppliers here quoted, NTN 4T-CRI-08A02.

Subaru NZ advised that spares should not be a problem as a current model uses the same bearings.

Subaru OEM no. is 28016PA010

Any reputable supplier should have no problem cross referencing.

svxistentialist · #5 12-30-2002, 05:20 AM

Happy New Year, and I hope your bearing problem is easily sorted.

If you are getting the bearing done non-Subaru, try and make sure the guys use a factory manual. There are a couple of problems on the way. Particularly make sure they clean out packing grease and use proper bearing grease.

Best of luck,

Joe

Phil Hill · #6 01-01-2003, 06:50 PM

Tony

I wasn't brave enough to source an alternate bearing, so bought one from the local Subaru agent. By the time you include the inner and outer grease seals, the locking snap ring, and the VAT it's a nice round £80.

Angie struck gold with a friend of a colleagues husband, who happened to be an ex-subaru mechanic now working for the local LandRover agent. Apparently his boss allows "home-orders" on quiet weekends, so we got it fitted for £50. All is well once more.

Oh, and I quite fancy doing the "o-ring" job, where'd you buy the "o ring" ?

Phil.

#7 01-04-2003, 02:43 AM

Hi Phil,

Still haven't got the bearing sorted as the Xmas period made it dificult to source the parts and I will be away the next 2 weeks on a project.

Regarding the o ring - a packet of mixed o rings from Halfords at less than £2! One in there fits and another one also fits the oil dipstick that no longer pops out of the tube - the old one was almost flat! Most expensive part of the job was the turkey baster to remove the fluid, from a local store at £1.75! I removed the fluid, undid the 2 bolts that go thro the fluid container and there is another one thro a bracket on the RHS into the engine block. Took about 35 mins. Since doing it, the low speed steering has improved more, presumably as the air gradually works out of the system.

Good luck

Tony