Wheel Bearing Replacement - Guru's guide w/pics

[Patrick Olsen]

Any comments on Edit 2 above? Am I just not understanding where the seals go?

Pat

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[Hotrodguru]

Originally Posted by Patrick Olsen

Any comments on Edit 2 above? Am I just not understanding where the seals go?

Pat

Hmmm to be honest it's been a good while since I did it. I uploaded a breakdown IMAGE of the front axle assembly. Check it out, I think you can get an idea of where it goes. From the diagram it seems as though the outside seal has to go on BEFORE you press the hub back in and the inner seal can go in last.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...31&postcount=5

Guru

P.S. I edited that portion of the directions, thanks. These are the proper steps during assembly.

Assembly of Hub

Press the following items in this order.

1. Bearing (inside out)
2. Seal (outer seal, before inserting hub)
3. Hub (outside in)
4. Seal (inner), the seal with the lip is the outer seal, lip goes pointing towards the wheel and acts as a dust shield)

[Patrick Olsen]

Good stuff, thanks, Guru.

Pat

[Hotrodguru]

Originally Posted by Patrick Olsen

Good stuff, thanks, Guru.

Pat

Thanx for the correction .

[karazyman]

I need help with the bearings...

Are the Koyo OEM? or just aftermarket replacement? WHich one's better?

[Patrick Olsen]

Originally Posted by karazyman

Are the Koyo OEM? or just aftermarket replacement? WHich one's better?

Ya lost me... What "the Koyo" are you talking about? Does Koyo make wheel bearings? Thus far the only discussion of brands has been SKF and NTN. The OEM bearings are NTN. From what I've seen, NTN makes the actual tapered roller bearings, which other companies (SKF and Federal Mogul, for instance) apparently buy and package in their own outer race. So, basically, OEM and aftermarket at the same - the guts in both are probably NTN. With that said, I did find some that have guts made by NSK, another Japanese company. I don't know if one is any better than the other.

Pat

[limestoner]

replacing my wheel bearings this weekend. already disassembled, just need to take the knuckles to a machine shop to get them pressed, unless i can find a friend with one. thanks for the write up.

[limestoner]

Originally Posted by Patrick Olsen

Edit: By the way, what packaging did everyone's replacement bearings come in? I bought mine (as I said in the email) from Checkers, and they came in packaging from a company called SKF (part no. FW176), but the bearing cages definitely have the NTN markings on them. Searching SKF's site www.chicago-rawhide.com (and no, I have no idea what "Chicago rawhide" has to do with a company called SKF Seals! ) I see that they actually sell a bearing/hub unit for the rear of my car, but not for the front. Bastards. That would certainly make this evolution a lot easier. Anyway, throwing the two higher load rating NTN bearing numbers into SKF's cross-reference part search, they both spit out SKF part no. FW105. I'm going to go back to Checkers and see if they can call that up.

pat, i went to pep boys and picked up the bearing, and the inner and outer seals. the bearing is in a blue box marked skf, part no fw176. the seals are in green boxes marked CR(chicago rawhide) part no's 22038 and 22026.

well, that pepboys didn't have a working press so i took the knuckle to another one on the southside. i just got a call from them saying that "it's done, but that was the wrong part(gonna figure this out when i get there) and you still need a front seal "

[karazyman]

you guys happen to know how much the hub cost? I took it to my bro's shop and realized that my hub is pretty much gone too.

[Patrick Olsen]

Originally Posted by limestoner

pat, i went to pep boys and picked up the bearing, and the inner and outer seals. the bearing is in a blue box marked skf, part no fw176. the seals are in green boxes marked CR(chicago rawhide) part no's 22038 and 22026.

well, that pepboys didn't have a working press so i took the knuckle to another one on the southside. i just got a call from them saying that "it's done, but that was the wrong part(gonna figure this out when i get there) and you still need a front seal "

Those are the same part numbers I got. Neither of the seals I got had an "outer lip" like Guru mentioned way back at the beginning of this thread. Basically, I couldn't figure out which seal was which, so I had to call Checkers (while I was in the middle of assembly) and ask them which one went where. (Now I can't remember what they told me ). Even once I knew which was inner and which was outer, I wasn't sure which way the seals went in - I think I ended up putting them both in such that the open side of the seal was facing towards the bearing. I dunno if that was right or not. Hindsight being 20/20, maybe I should have gotten the seals from the dealer, but getting Subaru parts out here is such a PITA it's ridiculous.

Originally Posted by karazyman

you guys happen to know how much the hub cost? I took it to my bro's shop and realized that my hub is pretty much gone too.

From the dealer it'll cost you about $155 or so, I got one from www.genuinesubaruparts.com for $120 or something like that (plus shipping, of course).

Pat

[mav1c]

Anyone know the part number for the hub?

THANKS!

[psyber_0ptix]

Originally Posted by mav1c

Anyone know the part number for the hub?

THANKS!

call henry up to see how much it'll be.

i don tknow if its something anyone stocks normally

unless you want to go junk-yard hopping for a rex. and jack the knuckle off for now lol.

[mav1c]

Henry?

[psyber_0ptix]

Originally Posted by mav1c

Henry?

henry @ Don Beyer Subaru

[MountainWRX]

Hey Everyone, I've been keeping up with this tread and thanks for the awesome write up and all the input! I have an 02 WRX wagon with ~85K miles and for the last.. say 6K+ miles... I've started hearing the "whrrrrrrrrrrr" sound and am pretty sure it's the bearings. Thing is, it's gotten louder over the last few months and I still can't tell which wheel it's coming from. I've put the car on stands and tried to jiggle each wheel to see if there is any play, but I couldn't find anything noticeable. Also, after driving, I put a temperature probe to each hub to see if any one was hotter than the others and I still came up with nothing. As I'm driving, it seems like it's coming from the front left but how can I tell for sure which wheel it's coming from?

Also, tho I'm mechanically inclined, I'm afraid that I'd mess something up by changing out the bearings myself. I don't know who'd have a press and has experience with pressing in/out bearings. Also, this is my daily driver so I can't have it out of commission for more than a day. Any thoughts? Should I just take it to the dealership to get them replaced? Or if I do it myself, anybody know of a reliable shop in the SF Bay Area (preferable easy bay) that can press out the bearings?

Your advice is much appreciated.

[karazyman]

when you jiggle it, you're suppose to jiggle it vertically 12 and 6 o'clock. push in on top and pull out at bottom and vice versa. if it moves, that means your wheel bearing is bad and possibly the hub as well.

[thrdeye]

Just thought I would add to this thread since my passenger front wheel bearing was done last night.

We did my wheel bearing without taking the two lower strut bolts off. This way, my alignment did not get compromised by moving the top camber bolt. I unbolted the strut top bolt and left the two bottom strut bracket bolts bolted to the hub. It takes a little bit of creativity to get it to fit in the press with the strut still attached, but it can be done rather easily.

Chris

[BIGSKYWRX]

Chris- it's still possible w/ the removal/reinstall of the knuckle that toe could still be thrown off- might not be a lot, but definitely possible. Just something to consider.

[Patrick Olsen]

I just max out my camber anyway, so it's a no-brainer to throw the eccentric bolt in there and rotate it until the marks are lined up properly.

Pat

[hey1]

bump for information

[Vlad]

I have located the higher speciffication bearings through www.bearingdepot.com. They are original NTN and are not even expensive. My question though is that even though they have a higher load rating, they could have a lower RPM rating or a lower heat rating.
Call and ask for George, they even have them in stock, they are less than $50/unit.
I even managed to receive a call back from a gentleman from NTN that showed sympathy towards the suby cause and promised to call back with more info, but was cautious in terms of the higher spec bearings using terms like "performance envelope" about them.

Any volunteers to try these on?


Vlad

[Patrick Olsen]

As discussed in this thread - http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=837916 (which perversely enough refers to this thread ) - I never got a definitive response from SKF Seals on whether the bearings were interchangeable or not. Just based on the application, though, I can't imagine there'd be a lower RPM rating. I wouldn't expect any difference in heat/thermal rating either, as that part was intended to be a front wheel bearing on FWD cars, so it's not going to be seeing any more stress than it would have in the intended application.

If you had posted this news a month or so ago I would have been happy to try them out. However, I've already replaced both of mine, so it looks like it's up to you to be the guinea pig.

Pat

[Vlad]

I've ordered the CRI 0823. My Pep Boys did not have anything available. I am looking to source the best replacement for the Subaru seals, anybody know who originally makes them?
And it's interesting, because the the 0823 are definitely heavier than the originals.

[BIGSKYWRX]

Originally Posted by Vlad

And it's interesting, because the the 0823 are definitely heavier than the originals.

That is interesting Are you going w/ a different grease (higher temp)?

[Vlad]

I'm reading the weight. I want to see them physically before I make up my mind regarding the grease.

Also, I need to do some more reading on the forum, because I was following a tread about a Subaru TSB that advised clearly against packing bearings with grease. I need further details as far as the part number it refers to. I thought it refers to front bearings or maybe all wheel bearings. Or maybe it refers to replacement with Subaru genuine part which now is not anymore the curently discussed series, but something sealed. If packing is necessary, I want to do some more reading about what's available, temperature wise but also pressure wise and see what exactly is Subaru using with that upgraded 114 mm patern hub.
Vlad