Damn wheel bearings!!!! - Page 2

bwb3 · #16 11-11-2014, 04:04 PM

For what it is worth, removed the rear passengers side hub today. The attached ABS Ring, or tone wheel (part #26750PA010) fell off in two pieces. None of the bolts (part #901120077, 4 required) that attached it to the hub were there. This car had the bearings replaced 4,000 miles ago by the Subaru dealer it was purchased from, and who maintained it?
Went by local dealer, 3 days to get, $195.06 and, they said, only 5 left in the USA.

First side, first set back.

To add, this is a '94 Pearl White I recently purchased knowing there was a wheel bearing howl coming from the back. The seller, I believe, was totally honest. Besides the easy stuff, the work is actually being done by a reputable mechanic.

bwb3 · #17 11-23-2014, 04:42 PM

Update, passengers side done, all quiet on the drivers side. My mechanic thinks the axle nut was over torqued. The old hub spec'd out fine but, still replaced since I bought a new one. Maybe over torquing caused both the bearing to go bad and ABS ring to crack?

Huskymaniac · #18 07-05-2019, 11:33 AM

So, back to wheel bearing hell. I am getting a growling noise from the back again. Tough to say which side but I think it is the left side. On that side, I repacked the bearing with Redline grease before pressing it into a new Subaru hub. It has lasted 56,000 miles. Much better than before but not as long as I would have hoped. Both rear axles have had the hub replaced along with the bearing per Nate's suggestion and both have lasted way longer than what I was experiencing prior. Too bad he wigged out. I liked Nate and he did seem to be pretty competent.

I am going to replace the hub again and, maybe this time, not repack the bearing and leave the grease that the manufacturer puts in there. That is what is did on the right side when I replaced it 38,000 miles ago.

I am torn on the bearing to buy. I have read conflicting reports on the OEM manufacturer. I have read NTN (National), SKF and Koyo. When I bought Timken in the past, the box came with an NTN bearing in it which, I understand, is common practice. These guys split up manufacturing and then sell each other's products under their own name. I have no idea which bearing Subaru is selling these days. If it is Koyo, that may be the only source for that manufacturer. Having said that, Subaru bearings have proven to be crap so maybe it is a good idea to avoid them. If so, that leaves SKF and Timken/NTN. Do I give SKF a try or stick with Timken/NTN and see if keeping their grease in the bearing helps. SKF claims to use a premium grease and cages that are made from fiberglass reinforced polyamide. I like the use of polyamide as that is a nice high temperature plastic. But the idea of glass in a bearing seems unwise.

Opinions?

Tireiron · #19 07-05-2019, 02:06 PM

Do you use a press, or a hub shark tool when you do the bearings? The appropriate method that Subaru has changed to is the hub shark tool. It allows the bearing to be done with the knuckle in the car, but more importantly, it does not have the possiblity of putting too much pressure on the bearing, hub, or knuckle while doing the job. A 20 ton press has the ability to damage these items very easily.

I use NTN bearings (the OEM manufacturer, and what Timken and National ship. There are not many companies that actually make this specific bearing, to the point where I have not seen one that was not manufactured by NTN) in all of the Subarus I do and I leave the grease that comes in them. The SVX uses the identical rear bearing that the STi uses, so how come you don't hear about the STi having all of these bearing issues?

Huskymaniac · #20 07-05-2019, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tireiron

Do you use a press, or a hub shark tool when you do the bearings? The appropriate method that Subaru has changed to is the hub shark tool. It allows the bearing to be done with the knuckle in the car, but more importantly, it does not have the possiblity of putting too much pressure on the bearing, hub, or knuckle while doing the job. A 20 ton press has the ability to damage these items very easily.

I use NTN bearings (the OEM manufacturer, and what Timken and National ship. There are not many companies that actually make this specific bearing, to the point where I have not seen one that was not manufactured by NTN) in all of the Subarus I do and I leave the grease that comes in them. The SVX uses the identical rear bearing that the STi uses, so how come you don't hear about the STi having all of these bearing issues?

What do you torque the axle nut to?

Tireiron · #21 07-05-2019, 11:48 PM

Wherever my impact gun finally stops.

wdb · #22 07-06-2019, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tireiron

The SVX uses the identical rear bearing that the STi uses, so how come you don't hear about the STi having all of these bearing issues?

What year STi? I know that the first year US STi (2004) had a lot of wheel bearing issues, to the point that Subaru went to larger hubs/bearings (and wheel bolt circle) in 2005.

Tireiron · #23 07-06-2019, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdb

What year STi? I know that the first year US STi (2004) had a lot of wheel bearing issues, to the point that Subaru went to larger hubs/bearings (and wheel bolt circle) in 2005.

I know 05-07 definitely, but probably 05-current, I just haven't checked part numbers for the newer ones.