Replacing the rear wheel bearing...Help needed

fldcar · #1 06-02-2002, 09:26 PM

I am attempting to change the rear wheel bearing on the passengers side of the car (92) and it is a nightmare, I have gotten all of the suspension arms off except on but that is no big deal, but what my main problem is I can't get the ABS sensor off of the hub. I took the little bolt off but the sensor will not budge, I also can not get the parking brake cable disconnected from the hub/brake shield assembly also. I took the little clip off but it still will not budge Any ideas.....what am I doing wrong here? I have a crappy chiltons manual that tells me that they are both supposed to come off (it does not say how) but I can not get them at all! I need to get them off so I can take the whole hub/bearing assembly out and get the bearing/spindle pressed out. Any other tips that I should be careful of when I am redoing the bearing, I got some fully synthetic grease to repack the new one with. Thanks for all of the help in advance...It has been quite an experience tearing into the suspension for the first time....Tim

Beav · #2 06-02-2002, 10:39 PM

Welcome to one of my common nightmares. A lot of OEMs have gone to different methods of mounting the sensor for that very reason. Of course knowing that now doesn't help you. When I did Randy's I had the same problem, and I was pressing his bearings 'in the car'. I needed it out of the way for my press though. I was able to alternately apply WD40 and some gentle twisting over a twenty minute period. The sensor never fully came out but I was able to move it far enough out of my way. You might try to find the harness end and unhook it that way, leaving the sensor intact. The other alternative would be to smash the living bejesus outta it and replace it with a new one.

I would strongly suggest having someone with a dedicated hub and bearing press do the bearing replacement. If they go after it with an air hammer and/or a makeshift press it's almost guaranteed you'll soon be doing this again.

The brake cable is stuck the same as the ABS sensor - isn't it great living in the snow belt? Hit it hard with the WD40 or similar and keep at it. Good luck.

fldcar · #3 06-03-2002, 10:39 AM

I was looking in my Legacy repair manual and it said that it came out so I am going to keep trying.......I have a question about the "lateral link bolt" Since it is not supposed to over tightened or it will damage the housing....whay can't I just use 2 seperate bolts on each of the links, that way I don't have to worry about over tightening them. Would it hurt anythig to do it that way, I would have thought that Subaru would have done it that way in the first place. Also what else should I be careful of so I DON"T have to do it again? Is the synthetic grease a good idea or not?

I absolutely LOVE the car, but man is this a difficult car for a 16 year old to do a project on!!! I thought the XT-6 was difficult... Oh well it wil be worth it when I can drive it and not hear the loud groan of the wheel bearing. Thanks for all of the help. Tim

Beav · #4 06-03-2002, 11:29 AM

Well, you know how it goes...I'm no engineer and if I told you to do something, and for whatever reason something happened, I'd be the one holding the bag - something I'm not willing to do.

Synthetic grease? As long as it's rated for wheel bearing service with disc brakes it should be o.k.

kuoh · #5 06-03-2002, 12:36 PM

Ok, I'll be the one to tell you to go ahead and do it.

I haven't touch that area of my SVX yet, but from a couple of previous messages from either Beav or Oab (the Australian?) bolting them separately ought to work, as well as inserting a metal sleeve of the proper dimension between the two "bosses". I think that's the technical name for that part. When and if I do my own bearings next time, I'll probably consider doing one or the other method as a preventive measure.

KuoH

Beav · #6 06-03-2002, 01:29 PM

I would recommend placing a sleeve between the two, that way you wouldn't be altering the original design.

oab_au · #7 06-03-2002, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Beav
I would recommend placing a sleeve between the two, that way you wouldn't be altering the original design.

Yes I would go along with that.
Harvey.

kuoh · #8 06-03-2002, 08:44 PM

Woohoo! Now I have two people to sue if something goes wrong!

"I know the AC has nothing to do with the rear wheel bearings, but it was working fine until I tried your suggestion!"

KuoH

Beav · #9 06-03-2002, 09:33 PM

That ain't funny dude, I hear that exact crap every single day - remember me complaining about the sudden influx of orphaned K-Mart auto service customers? That's their modus operandi - to see if they can be big enough pains (read: weasels) to get something for nothing.