Wheel bearing questions

[HereWeGoAgain]

So I changed out my front left wheel bearing apparently 15 months ago

 

(I say this because I just was informed it was 3 months out of warranty by the friendly guy on the phone from my local irish auto parts store)

 

I don't want to pay $125 for the same wheel bearing thst obviously doesn't last too long.

 

Have you guys had luck lately with any wheel bearings from a parts store? If so, which one?

 

If the answer is oem, please point me towards a good price.

My local stealership is a cadillac dealer, I refuse to deal with them.

[Max Capacity]

look in here.

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/idea-web-links-saved-various-parts-219238.html

[quick4dr]

For front I went oem, hit up Infamous, Underdog, or AZP for a great price and correct listing

 

for rears you can roll Timken or Moog successfully.

[SinisterMoose]

Considering how frequently they fail, I've been buying cheap from ebay, at around $105 for the rear pair, and $150 for the front pair. At least on my '05 OBW, it helps to consider them a "wear item", at least it helps me.

 

I will say that I've had no problems replacing them on 3rd or 4th gen Legacys, but I bent a 20 ton hub puller trying to get one of the rear bearings off of my mother's 2011 Outback. Apparently, they didn't use any anti-seize on the rear axle splines and they practically weld themselves to the bearing. It took them a day at the dealership to replace it, and according to them they've had to work on some of them for a couple of days to replace the rear bearings.

 

I personally always use anti-seize on the splines and the bolts just to make my life easier down the road. Kind of like the front ball joint bolts... I immediately start treating them with penetrating oil, get the bolt out and put anti-seize on it even if I don't have to change the ball joint.

[quick4dr]

anti-seize on everything when it comes to reinstall and assembly. Should you have to go back in there again you will thank yourself. Also if your not in a rush, and you shouldn't be for this work. Clean up the knuckles, make sure the surface is clean, perhaps a coat of high temp paint if your up for it.

[HereWeGoAgain]

Hey guys,

 

I'm goung to give a Detroit Axle wb a try, for the price and the time frame it was the best option.

 

The front left wheel had pitted brake pistons when I purchased the car, which in turn ate the oem wb. I rebuilt the brake calipers and they lasted a good while, but that same one on the front left locked up again around January, so I replaced all calipers/rotors/pads, but I think that the brake heat took oht the seal on the irish wheel bearing, Nf the damage was already done, but took a while to show a problem.

 

If I had checked them a month ago I would have maybe caught it, but I also had new tires installed and nobody caught it so maybe it failed hard and fast.

 

It went from driving great, to shimmy in the steering/burned grease smell/feeling the weight transfer on the bearing/rim hot as hades within 5 miles of my home.

 

Im just glad it didn't happen an hour later!

 

Definite member of the anti-seize believers, and I'm in no rush.Car is in the garage on stands, everything cleaned and pretty.

 

You guys had me convinced I was in for a rough got the first time I did the wb, but I was amazed how clean everything was at 140k. I removed all the bolts with no problem, pinged it with a rubber malet a few times, backed the axle out, and off it came.

 

I've changed left frong bearing, all calipers/rotors/right front axle/both front differential seals,up/down/crosspipes, oil control valve drivers side/timing/waterpump, crank pulley, ran a wrx style a/c belt, also had to change the timing cover bc the a/c tensioner pulley locked and sent the belt thru the cover, and the pwr steering o-ring.

 

All said and done, this car is a breeze to work on compared to the Mitsus and Nissans I've had.

 

The only job I dread is changing the rear diff fluid, because that's the only part of the car that shows some good rust.

The rear diff looks like it came from a totally different rusty car, but the car came from WVA so that does explain a lot.

[Max Capacity]

Just saying, the fronts are more critical then the rears when it comes to a ABS light and CC not working.

 

If it were me, I'd go Timken or one of the other $90.00 or so ones.

 

You'll need a 1/2 drive extension about 3" long for the read diff fill plug.

 

Make sure you can remove the fill plug before you pull the drain plug. Make sure you not thread the fill plug in to deeply when done.

[gtonstilts]

I took a chance on ebay rear bearings "detroit" brand. I really wish i hadnt they last about 10k miles. I did one side and 6 months later it was making noise again so i did the other side, well turns out it was the same one bad again. So i went to napa and got a lifetime waranty bearing for $170. Well its been 6 months and the other ebay bearing is howling like clock work.

I will never again buy a non subaru bearing !

[HereWeGoAgain]

I'm amazed that at 170k this car has 3 original bearings and axles in it. I had to replace the right front axle, but from what I gathered at the time it seemed fairly common due to heat.

All these new pipes and tune have dropped the operating temp on the car significantly, hopefully that will help.

 

One of these days I'll get a day where nothing is on the fix list, lol

 

I had to go cheaper this time, but next time will be OEMs.

I

 

I've had a vicious cycle on my LF, bearing, caliper, bearing, and it looks now that the ball joint has some play, so I will change both.

 

I've studied it like a dark souls boss, so hopefully the metal and gravity cooperates.

 

This forum and some good vendors have made me decide that this car will hang around as long as reasonably possible.