Question about wheel bearing replacement. Swap or change?

[Runnah]

So I'm getting tell tale sign the my rear bearings are due to be changed.

Now money is VERY tight, so I'm looking for some other avenues beside dropping it off at a dealership.

Now DIY is an option except the part about pressing the bearings back in. A hydrualic press is needed which means more money and extra downtime.

Now I did find someone who is selling this: "'02 OBS rear knuckles, hubs, drum brakes, parking brake cables. whole assembly with good bearings.". I've read that swapping the whole assemble (or just the needed parts) is cheaper and easier.

Ok so my questions are.

Will these parts actually fit on my car (2000 RS)? If they do are they of lesser quality/performance? I've checked with Joel at Evergreen and he said they should fit but they aren't sure.

Or is this a major PITA, round-about way of fixing a problem?

I know cost is something that shouldn't be factored in when it coes to fixing a car, but for me right now , it is.

Thanks

 

[Runnah]

So I'm getting tell tale sign the my rear bearings are due to be changed.

Now money is VERY tight, so I'm looking for some other avenues beside dropping it off at a dealership.

Now DIY is an option except the part about pressing the bearings back in. A hydrualic press is needed which means more money and extra downtime.

Now I did find someone who is selling this: "'02 OBS rear knuckles, hubs, drum brakes, parking brake cables. whole assembly with good bearings.". I've read that swapping the whole assemble (or just the needed parts) is cheaper and easier.

Ok so my questions are.

Will these parts actually fit on my car (2000 RS)? If they do are they of lesser quality/performance? I've checked with Joel at Evergreen and he said they should fit but they aren't sure.

Or is this a major PITA, round-about way of fixing a problem?

I know cost is something that shouldn't be factored in when it coes to fixing a car, but for me right now , it is.

Thanks

 

[gearsoup]

ummmm.....

Well, you would be swapping from disk to drum. You would need new brake hoses, which are about $30 each. You also have to find out: Does this setup include the lateral links? If it does not, FORGET ABOUT IT! Driving out that main bolt to swap out the knuckle is a collasal waste of time. Any time spent in a few maine winters is sure to fuse that main bolt. You want to talk about downtime.....

 

[gearsoup]

ummmm.....

Well, you would be swapping from disk to drum. You would need new brake hoses, which are about $30 each. You also have to find out: Does this setup include the lateral links? If it does not, FORGET ABOUT IT! Driving out that main bolt to swap out the knuckle is a collasal waste of time. Any time spent in a few maine winters is sure to fuse that main bolt. You want to talk about downtime.....

 

[Runnah]

ummmm.....

Well, you would be swapping from disk to drum. You would need new brake hoses, which are about $30 each. You also have to find out: Does this setup include the lateral links? If it does not, FORGET ABOUT IT! Driving out that main bolt to swap out the knuckle is a collasal waste of time. Any time spent in a few maine winters is sure to fuse that main bolt. You want to talk about downtime.....

Oh I am not planning on doing that. THose are just all the parts that he is selling.

 

[Runnah]

ummmm.....

Well, you would be swapping from disk to drum. You would need new brake hoses, which are about $30 each. You also have to find out: Does this setup include the lateral links? If it does not, FORGET ABOUT IT! Driving out that main bolt to swap out the knuckle is a collasal waste of time. Any time spent in a few maine winters is sure to fuse that main bolt. You want to talk about downtime.....

Oh I am not planning on doing that. THose are just all the parts that he is selling.

 

[Rightseat]

bite the bullet

pinch yr pennies

plan the job in advance (parts, $$$, and service vendor), them bearings won't fall out in meantime.

replace the bearings as is, where is(or pay a suby specialist to do it)

that swap you mentioned has more potholes along the way than you want to know about. those OBS knuckles need drum brakes, the long bolt ecksjay mentioned is the Job From Hell

etc etcd

DG

 

[Rightseat]

bite the bullet

pinch yr pennies

plan the job in advance (parts, $$$, and service vendor), them bearings won't fall out in meantime.

replace the bearings as is, where is(or pay a suby specialist to do it)

that swap you mentioned has more potholes along the way than you want to know about. those OBS knuckles need drum brakes, the long bolt ecksjay mentioned is the Job From Hell

etc etcd

DG

 

[rallyXcramps]

Take your knuckle off and bring it and new wheel bearing to Napa Westbrook. They'll press out your hub and old wheel bearing, then press in new wheel bearing and hub. Call ahead and ask for the machine shop. They have different hours than the parts side. They'll do it for cheap money and they'll know what to do incase your bearing race comes apart from the bearing and stays attached to your hub.

 

[rallyXcramps]

Take your knuckle off and bring it and new wheel bearing to Napa Westbrook. They'll press out your hub and old wheel bearing, then press in new wheel bearing and hub. Call ahead and ask for the machine shop. They have different hours than the parts side. They'll do it for cheap money and they'll know what to do incase your bearing race comes apart from the bearing and stays attached to your hub.

 

[Evan]

i just went through this.

the front bearing that i bought was $80 new from napa, including the inside and outside seals that go with it.

there is a garage down the street from me that pressed out the old one and pressed in the new one for $10.

also, call norms subaru in wicasset, they have complete hubs for ~$70 shipped. they're used bearings, but then its just a matter of swapping the complete hub, which you'll need to take off to press out the bearing anyway.

 

[Evan]

i just went through this.

the front bearing that i bought was $80 new from napa, including the inside and outside seals that go with it.

there is a garage down the street from me that pressed out the old one and pressed in the new one for $10.

also, call norms subaru in wicasset, they have complete hubs for ~$70 shipped. they're used bearings, but then its just a matter of swapping the complete hub, which you'll need to take off to press out the bearing anyway.

 

[robu]

Presumably you've had this taken car of by now, but just a couple words of note to anyone else who has to do this from someone who has done this replacement MANY times:

USE GENUINE SUBARU BEARING SEALS!

The inner seal that Carquest carries doesn't fit right, and it'll have your shiny new bearing contaminated, grungy and grinding again inside of 10,000 miles.

If your lateral bolts aren't frozen though, a $45 junkyard hub is the way to go. PB-Blast on the backside of the bolt for 3 days in a row before you take it apart, have a 650+ lb-ft impact gun handy, along with a breaker bar and a 4' pipe, and remember to really slather anti-sieze on the lateral bolt and the ABS sensor + retainer bolt when you put it back together.