naimouasta Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I cannot stress this enough. I went to town on my hub for about 5 hours with a heavy sledge hammer before I rented the slide hammer and FWD hub adapter. Let's just say the hammer didnt even BUDGE it; the slide hammer had it off in about 5 minutes. Dont waste your time thinking a hammer will do the trick...chances are, it won't. i did this a while ago and i had a slide hammer. it pulled the freaking hub right out of the bearing assembly . it was fun . its probably best just to take the whole knuckle/bearing out, then just press it out. http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2313/dsc04785s.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkl303 Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 Just a heads up my buddy (ex mechanic) was watching me and he suggested that you should hammer in a small notch where the axle nut sits in the axle just in case $hit happens and it wants to try and slide out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ama0787 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 another way to remove the hub unit is to mount a old rotor on it tighten a couple of lugs and then beat it with a sledge hammer. I have had a time getting the unit off after the bolts were off both times front and rear bearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iam_immigrant Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Just a heads up my buddy (ex mechanic) was watching me and he suggested that you should hammer in a small notch where the axle nut sits in the axle just in case $hit happens and it wants to try and slide out. In the shop manual there is a part that tells you to do this. And also there is an existing notch that you have to 'undo' in order to get the axle off...well that's how it was on my rears anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 i did this a while ago and i had a slide hammer. it pulled the freaking hub right out of the bearing assembly . it was fun . its probably best just to take the whole knuckle/bearing out, then just press it out. http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2313/dsc04785s.jpg Did my wheel bearings today and ^this^ happened on both sides. The only thing to do was beat the crap out of the remaining piece with a 3lb sledge. On the driver side I had to cut away the old dust shield to be able to get a wedge (putty knife) in... on the passenger side I was able to get enough of a crack by hammering to fit my chisel and pry bar in right away. Taking the car out for a spin after was amazing... it was like riding in a new car. The Crimson Dynamo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibr_adam09 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 For the reading impaired, Here's are pictures of my install. I changed the whole hub and bearing assembly. Much easier install and besides, putting a new bearing on a old hub is lke getting hammy downs. No slide hammer or puller FTW ! First break the axle nut and wheel lugs loose http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295160991.jpg Put car on jack stands and raise it enough for wheel to be off ground http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295160987.jpg Take wheel off and start remving the two caliper bolts http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295162477.jpg and set it aside. Don't let it hang on brake line http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295162472.jpg At this point I would turn the wheel to the left so you can have more room to remove the bolts on the steering Knuckle Remove the "brake pad holders". There are two and these bolts are TIGHT http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295161216.jpg Now remove the two of the four bolts behind the cv axle that holds wheel bearing. And then turn the wheel to the right so you can remove the last two bolts on the front of the cv axle. Also unbolt your wheel speed sensor with a 10mm http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295161214.jpg http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295161644.jpg Now if you're lucky like me, the bearing was not rusted shut to the knuckle,but my rotor was, however I used my rotor as levereage to pull the bearing out of the knuckle. The dust shield will come off as well. http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295161647.jpg http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295162012.jpg Since my rotor was stuck, just take a hammer and hit on the studs in star pattern to evenly get hub/bearing loose from the rotor. http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/ibr_adam09/1295161648.jpg Install everything in reverse order. don't forget the dust shield and wheel speed sensor. I added some lubricant on the back side of the bearing where it sits inside the hub so it doesn't rust in the future. Sorry for the thread jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkiDaddy Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 ibr, can you repost your photos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_B Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Great post! I just replaced my right front this weekend. I did the left rear a few monts ago and didn't have any issues. The right front, on the other hand, was very stubborn. I rented the slide hammer as suggested but that still didn't seem to do the trick by itself. As I was getting ready to leave the parts store with the slide hammer, an old guy stopped me and told me that I didn't need that, and to use an air chisel instead. Turns out he was right. I just worked at it front then back over and over with a few hits with the slide hammer in between and within minutes it was out. I messed up the backing plate a little, but nothing a hammer couldn't fix. Just thought I'd give future readers another option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ama0787 Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Take your old rotor install it backwards on stuck hub tighten on anew lug nuts and hit it with sledge hammer. It will come off in one hit most times and always willmcome off after a few no matter how stuck. I used this method on the front and rear wheel bearings when I did them. I was kicking myself in the ass that I spent so much time trying other methods when I should have just started with this method andnhad it off with in a minute of getting caliper and everythignnelsenout of the way. Don't forget to remove your speed sensor before you pound on it. You wouldn't want the shock too damage the sensor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe sko Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Thanks for the walkthrough. It helped a lot and the slide hammer is needed. I ran into some problems though after doing both front hub assemblys. I did the driver side thinking that was the bad side but after a test drive the problem wasn't fixed so i ordered another hub assembly and installed it on the passenger side. That fixed the humming problem but now i have the "dead" spot in the center of the steering that some suffer from on here but it is accompained by a shudder and suspension/steering rattle. When initiating a turn it shudders but when you get into the turn it stops. I have gone over the entire front end with a buddy checking all of the bolts that were taken off, tie rod ends, ball joints etc. and nothing looks or seems bad. The hubs are seated flush on the steering knuckle. Any help is greatly appreciated. I started a thread on it. <-ME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe sko Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 tighten your axel nuts to spec......ask me how i know you should... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ama0787 Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 What happened when you didn't tighten to spec? TIA, Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soloz2 Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I just looked here as I'm planning on replacing a bad bearing tomorrow and almost had a heart attack as I realized that my socket set doesn't go as high as 32mm... The nearest Sears is an hour and a half away... Then I realized that the socket I use to 'socket' mod Sennheiser HD414 pads to use on Grado headphones is 32mm and I was fine again! I believe my torque wrench only goes to 120lbs... I'm thinking tighten as tight as I can with my breaker bar? Current: 16 Crosstrek Premium w/ Eyesight & 05 Outback XT 5MT Past Subies: 14 FXT Premium, 14 WRX hatch, 06 Legacy 2.5i SE 5MT, 98 Outback wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soloz2 Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 Dis this yesterday. What a PITA! The hub pulled out away from the bearing and we had to beat everything free. My torque wrench only goes to 150lbs so I put it to there and then a 1/4 turn. Current: 16 Crosstrek Premium w/ Eyesight & 05 Outback XT 5MT Past Subies: 14 FXT Premium, 14 WRX hatch, 06 Legacy 2.5i SE 5MT, 98 Outback wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucas569 Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 does autozone or other major parts store let you rent the slide hammer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 does autozone or other major parts store let you rent the slide hammer? Yep, and you need a hub adapter too (100mm [3.93"]). The Crimson Dynamo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ama0787 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yes.... but just use a old or current disk brake if u r replacing it.. Tighten 3-4 lug nuts and beat it with a sledge hammer hub with bearing will fall off after acouple ofwacks by far the easiest way i have found to change them. I can do the whole job in 30 min or less now. Hope that helps you out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkl303 Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Just make sure you put on the brake dust shield back on correctly...ask me how I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosronfuuk Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Newb question here, but is there a significant difference when replacing the wheel bearing in a 1995 Legacy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riderice Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I didn't see that anyone recommended any other aftermarket brands of replacement hubs, besides using genuine Subaru parts. I see Timken, and a few other brands online, are they as good/better? Or worse... Same goes for axles, any recommendations there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucas569 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 i use Timken,so far so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibr_adam09 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 SKF here, so far so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derkahn Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 don't forget to take off the wheel speed sensor... we forgot to take it off and broke one, car is in limp mode until you put a new one on... which took us 30 minutes to figure out why the abs and check engine light was on and car wouldn't rev more than 4k....other than that it was easy as cake... and I replaced all 4 wheel bearings (SKF) it only took 2 hrs total and apparently all the others were bad too as my car is QUIET.... no really quiet now... I had no idea how much noise the others were making... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfred_Buchi Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) How come everyone seems to prefer the slide hammer over a puller? http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/public/fVykH91RfiI8myTmThUeWbQt6Pb5gGEEOANng0PUeLnHDdFJKQjCThH_LWZxzK_FBwwoaB2nymMd5jRGLb-G-LBnDM7r3Iyq6KcyIChzJ4RmnVkmlTfPOSu7Tycj4HBQk91sUyrRk1dmO3MSYcIG2V1oLp7hnF-ONDycv6k_AoS7YEW73xkiknB3DyYoj_iJy2FM1ZIgMr_VM8uHzPOVQqzmAcCSkn0xk7OHfSD4MdbcTx58XUkmmY3wipdmH7H4GQ912fSj81MS2UGPnnh39P1cf7UDMpLm71RIL8DFLoMGvGtAdOmgVJFuPb0msD6wLuTSot0CUNSXpIUa6R0fS1M Edit: Oh my mistake, seems that the slide hammer is for getting the hub off, not the axle out of the hub. Apparently my axle was uncommonly difficult to remove. Edited December 12, 2011 by Alfred_Buchi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutbackXT05 Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 (edited) Well I did my front wheel bearing yesterday and everything that could have went wrong did. Broke these: http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/securedownload.jpg And I broke my 1/2" breaker bar This was really a sad moment http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/securedownload1.jpg These all broke trying to loosen my axel nut. I had the car in gear on the ground and the ebrake up and I was spinning the tire while it was on the ground. So I got my brother to step on the brake and I used my jack for leverage on my 4 foot cheater pipe and no bueno. Had to go to a shop and had them take the axel nut off with a beeter impact gun than my wussy craftsman. Then those 4 bolts that held the wheel bearing on were all hell to take off. Best workout ive had in a long time So I tried the brake rotor method and this happened: http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/securedownload2.jpg So I rented a FWD hub puller and a slide hammer and 10 minutes off the hardest pounding ever it broke in half. So I bolted the puller to the left over and yanked it out. http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/fibtlcivic/securedownload44.jpg Edited December 18, 2011 by OutbackXT05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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