incoming81s Posted November 28, 2023 Share Posted November 28, 2023 AhhhhHHHHH, I can't bitch to much since I'm at 225K miles with no major issues (bought the car in 2017 with 80K miles). So, 5-6 weeks ago I though I could hear a lower pitched humming noise coming from the right side of the vehicle. It was/is most noticeable when I'm off the throttle at 40-50 mph and slowing down. After a few more days of this I was convinced I could almost feel the vibration through the steering wheel/floorboards of the car. I parked it for a few weeks and drove my backup until I had time to lift my Subi and poke around. Hopefully the attached video plays so you can get an idea of the noise when the wheel assembly is manipulated. At the very beginning of the video I just roll the wheel forward an backward so you can hear the transaxle clicking a bit as it bumps against gears to drive forward etc. The last ⅔ of the video is of me grabbing the wheel and rocking it from top to bottom. The clunk/clink sounds to me like a bearing on its way out to pasture, same for when I rock the wheel from left to right (at an angle). Ive only replaced 2-3 wheel bearings in 25 years so I'm not 100% on target with experience. Not included in the video due to restrictions on upload size is me spinning each tire with the car off the ground. All tires spin ok except for the rear passenger side. It stops spinning nearly instantly (less than one full revolution after it's left alone). The other 3 wheel assembly's (to include the front right which I suspect is going bad) spin at least 2-2.5 rotations before rolling to a stop. Yes, I know this is different than the wheel assembly I described as my initial/above problem. Long winded as it may be, if the video works please give me your opinion/recommendations. I have a fair amount of tools, slightly above novice experience on imports and I hate paying people to do sh*t I should be able to do myself. Thanks for time and consideration,,, IMG_1102.mov Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaboo Posted November 28, 2023 Share Posted November 28, 2023 (edited) I replaced the front wheel bearings on my Legacy after feeling play testing it that way. Was not clunking like that, but it wasnt noisy yet on the road either, we caught it in routine testing right before a wheel alignment after some unrelated work. Your description of the problem and the video mostly points to a wheel bearing problem too IMO. What is throwing me off is the noise being more noticeable decelerating. The wheel bearings in other cars I had that failed to the point of noise on the road, were noisy starting a certain speed and once it reached that then it didnt matter if accelerating decelerating, it would be noisy. At 225k that bearing doesnt owe you anything I think, lol! They were not so hard to do, the bearings in our cars are part of the hub assembly and just bolt on. Edited November 28, 2023 by Scubaboo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incoming81s Posted November 28, 2023 Author Share Posted November 28, 2023 I hate to replace just one but its so dang cold outside. Any recommendations on a brand comparable to OEM? If the general consensus is using OEM I don't mind the $$ difference. I ride the Subi pretty hard and have a 30 mile commute with out getting above 40 mph because of the mountain road. She's taken care of me pretty well over the years and I'd like to drive past the wheels falling off if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted November 28, 2023 Share Posted November 28, 2023 Hard to say if bearings were replaced before you purchased, but if they were, it was likely under warranty, so... anywhere between 145k and 225k miles on OE bearings. They are $270/ea, so I'd pick either SKF or timken aftermarket if I had to, they're both ~$100. That being said, I did have to do wheel bearings twice on my impreza in the 80k miles i owned it and I used timken bearings both times, so take that for what its worth. penny wise, pound foolish! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaboo Posted November 28, 2023 Share Posted November 28, 2023 Surprised to hear Timkens not standing up, I could see myself going with them if they were available at the time I did mine. I'd probably use SKF then if it were me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted November 28, 2023 Share Posted November 28, 2023 Just cause it's new doesn't mean it's good! There's a reason why I replaced a quickly failed timken with another timken! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incoming81s Posted November 28, 2023 Author Share Posted November 28, 2023 I’m seeing both those brands on RockAuto very similarly priced. Does anyone know if either of those are still manufactured in the US? One can hope but I learned to stop holding my breath on that stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incoming81s Posted November 29, 2023 Author Share Posted November 29, 2023 Also, how in the hell does one get the axle nut off? Apparently King Kong was hired to tap in the dent (divet) that keeps the axle nut in place. Suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infosecdad Posted November 29, 2023 Share Posted November 29, 2023 A good electric or air impact wrench will take it right off if you have access to one. Trying to undivot an axle nut broke a few tools for me before I went the impact route. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaboo Posted November 29, 2023 Share Posted November 29, 2023 10 hours ago, silverton said: Just cause it's new doesn't mean it's good! There's a reason why I replaced a quickly failed timken with another timken! Do tell! I probably misunderstood you. I do know Timken makes good OEM level stuff but in other makes I have I've heard anecdotes of them being not what they used to be for some applications. Assumed that in this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastixx Posted November 29, 2023 Share Posted November 29, 2023 (edited) Get BCA from RA. BCA is the same company as NTN, which manufactures the OEM bearings. My FR OEM bearing went bad at 88k. Replaced it a year ago with a BCA. Also, if you live anywhere with snow/salt, they can be pretty stubborn to remove. I got one of those thingamabobs on Amazon for like $60 that you bolt to the hub and smack with a sledge hammer. Made pretty quick work of it. Edited November 29, 2023 by Plastixx 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted November 29, 2023 Share Posted November 29, 2023 12 hours ago, incoming81s said: Also, how in the hell does one get the axle nut off? Apparently King Kong was hired to tap in the dent (divet) that keeps the axle nut in place. Suggestions? Like Infosecdad said, an impact will take it off. There are tools available to untang the nut to make it easier if an impact is not available, these nuts are torqued to 190-220nm so they're tiiight. The blue point untanger also comes with a tanger so you people can stop breaking the tips off your screw drivers 6 hours ago, Scubaboo said: Do tell! I probably misunderstood you. I do know Timken makes good OEM level stuff but in other makes I have I've heard anecdotes of them being not what they used to be for some applications. Assumed that in this case. I, like you, know Timken to be a trusted bearing brand so at the time I replaced it with another one. After I made that post I actually think I had to do it a third time. Knowing what I know today, I'd buy an OE bearing unless it meant I had to eat ramen for the week. I've had too many aftermarket parts not even make it to half the mileage, some of them not even a quarter, that the original part did. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incoming81s Posted November 29, 2023 Author Share Posted November 29, 2023 TIMKEN seems to be reasonably priced at $106 each for the front(s). RoackAuto, Parts Geek and Car ID are all out of axle hub nuts. Local Subaru dealership had one in stock. Anyone have an online vendor they recommend or should I just go with Ebay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastixx Posted November 29, 2023 Share Posted November 29, 2023 Get the BCA brand hub I already mentioned. It's literally OEM. Reuse the axle nut, it's fine. Only time I've ever used a new nut when doing work is if an axle came with one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaboo Posted November 29, 2023 Share Posted November 29, 2023 5 hours ago, silverton said: I, like you, know Timken to be a trusted bearing brand so at the time I replaced it with another one. After I made that post I actually think I had to do it a third time. Knowing what I know today, I'd buy an OE bearing unless it meant I had to eat ramen for the week. I've had too many aftermarket parts not even make it to half the mileage, some of them not even a quarter, that the original part did. Thanks for clearing that up. I do like to see your perspective on these things knowing you worked on Subarus for a living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peril Posted December 2, 2023 Share Posted December 2, 2023 (edited) I just did 3/4 bearings - you need an impact, and unless you live somewhere with no salt on the roads the bearing hubs will be rust locked into the spindles - so much so - that you might think they won't come out. before you loosen that axle nut - remove the hub bolts, and knock that sucker off with a sledge and a bearing buddy. The procedure isn't hard to work thru - but I spend a LONG time hitting the bearing buddy with a sledge with that nut off - and it seperated the bearing. my first one took about 4 hours of beating over (2) days - my next ones took about an hour or so apiece top to bottom - if you search my posts you can rougly see the procedure. For tools - highly recommend the bauer 1/2 impact (the good one) from harbor freight; if I had it to do over again -I woud have gotten the Hercules. Edited December 2, 2023 by peril Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peril Posted December 2, 2023 Share Posted December 2, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incoming81s Posted December 2, 2023 Author Share Posted December 2, 2023 I borrowed a Milwaukee ¾” impact from work. Took the axle nuts off in 20 seconds of me going easy on it. After dropping the lower joint (forget the name) the axle dropped out pretty easy. Routed, suspended and hung up the brake and ABS lines. My only real battle was getting the wheel hub assembly busted/broke off (again, don’t know the technical name for it). After some 350 grit work, then new assembly popped right in. I torqued everything to spec but have yet to get the hub nuts tightened up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
incoming81s Posted December 2, 2023 Author Share Posted December 2, 2023 I very briefly read an interesting procedure on how to tighten the axle nuts to spec. I think it involved putting the wheels back on, snugging them up and lowering the car to the ground. After that is done THEN tighten the axle nuts up to 162+ Ft Lb’s. Anyone read/know different? FYI, the wheel hub assembly (although a pain in the ass) came off much easier than I anticipated with a heavy hammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peril Posted December 2, 2023 Share Posted December 2, 2023 (edited) sounds like the job went well -that nut is butter for a 3/4; i use a long crow bar as a wedge between the hub studs and the ground and it works ok; just go gentle on the pressure to keep the bar on the studs Edited December 2, 2023 by peril Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peril Posted December 2, 2023 Share Posted December 2, 2023 RUSTLOCK of the hub assembly to the knuckle (or spindle). makes you think very seriously of just buying a whole new knuckle when it get frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted December 2, 2023 Share Posted December 2, 2023 (edited) 8 hours ago, incoming81s said: I very briefly read an interesting procedure on how to tighten the axle nuts to spec. I think it involved putting the wheels back on, snugging them up and lowering the car to the ground. After that is done THEN tighten the axle nuts up to 162+ Ft Lb’s. Anyone read/know different? FYI, the wheel hub assembly (although a pain in the ass) came off much easier than I anticipated with a heavy hammer. Do not do this. You will damage the wheel bearing. Do you not have a friend/family member that can hold the brake pedal for five seconds? If it's a rear you could just set the parking brake, but I still think it's ideal to just hold the pedal. Edited December 2, 2023 by silverton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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