Do replacement wheel bearings need to be re-packed or not?

[Huskymaniac]

As I mentioned in another thread, I got some information from Timken that contradicts what many people on this forum have said. According to Timken, the bearings come packed in grease that is sufficient in both quality and quantity to be installed as-is. They did mention that, if you are going to re-pack them with a better grease to completely clean out the original grease. So they imply that there is better grease out there but that you don't have to re-pack them. They said only their unit bearings on rear axles come with shipping grease sufficient only for startup operation.

Was the grease issue just with bearings purchased from Subaru? My mechanic said that they just install the bearings with the supplied grease unless otherwise instructed. I didn't ask him if that was aftermarket bearings like Timken or all bearings including the ones supplied by Subaru. Perhaps the repeat failures people were seeing were mainly due to the hubs needing to be replaced, use of crappy seals or incorrect torque used when installing them instead of the grease in the bearings.

Thoughts?

[zaueugen]

i used timken and i repacked them with mobill synthetic grease and put about 10,000 miles... no problem thus far..

[SVX8588]

Some vehicles (like trucks with solid rear axles) have bearings that get lubricated by the oil from the differential. But when you replace the bearings, there is no oil in them to start with, so they are supposed to have some grease at start up. I'm guessing that's what they were referring to.
Obviously, that's not the case with our cars. I personally would repack any bearing I install just because then I know exactly what kind and how much grease was used, and that it's clean :)

My 2¢.

[92 SVX]

As I mentioned in another thread, I got some information from Timken that contradicts what many people on this forum have said. According to Timken, the bearings come packed in grease that is sufficient in both quality and quantity to be installed as-is. They did mention that, if you are going to re-pack them with a better grease to completely clean out the original grease. So they imply that there is better grease out there but that you don't have to re-pack them. They said only their unit bearings on rear axles come with shipping grease sufficient only for startup operation.

Was the grease issue just with bearings purchased from Subaru? My mechanic said that they just install the bearings with the supplied grease unless otherwise instructed. I didn't ask him if that was aftermarket bearings like Timken or all bearings including the ones supplied by Subaru. Perhaps the repeat failures people were seeing were mainly due to the hubs needing to be replaced, use of crappy seals or incorrect torque used when installing them instead of the grease in the bearings.

Thoughts?
Take this for what it is, hearsay
From what I have read the subaru bearings are shipped from overseas and to keep the saltwater damage down they are coated with a different grease and so when you get them you need to clean them completely and repack them with the correct grease.

Now other companies Ie timkin may use different procedures. Personally I got to agree with SVX8588 it only takes a little time for true peace of mind.

[Huskymaniac]

Take this for what it is, hearsay
From what I have read the subaru bearings are shipped from overseas and to keep the saltwater damage down they are coated with a different grease and so when you get them you need to clean them completely and repack them with the correct grease.

Now other companies Ie timkin may use different procedures. Personally I got to agree with SVX8588 it only takes a little time for true peace of mind.

I agree but one can also re-pack with too much grease so there is some chance to screw it up whereas Timken says that they ship their bearings with the proper amount of grease. Not too much and not too little.

[SVX92-97]

Tony, the previous owner of my 97 ebony had his rear bearings replaced four times within a four year period from the Subaru dealer. Sounds like they just put them in with the packing grease. My mechanic replaced both rear bearings in my wrecked 96 timken, and left rear in my 96 polo timken both which I no longer own, and we washed out the packing grease with brake cleaner, dried them off and repacked them by hand with Amsoil red synthetic grease. No problems and quiet as a mouse. Your asking for trouble if you dont repack them with proper grease

[1986nate]

Tony, the previous owner of my 97 ebony had his rear bearings replaced four times within a four year period from the Subaru dealer. Sounds like they just put them in with the packing grease. My mechanic replaced both rear bearings in my wrecked 96 timken, and left rear in my 96 polo timken both which I no longer own, and we washed out the packing grease with brake cleaner, dried them off and repacked them by hand with Amsoil red synthetic grease. No problems and quiet as a mouse. Your asking for trouble if you dont repack them with proper grease

Sounds like an untrue hub....

[kwren]

For many years SVX owners have felt the consequences of not repacking the wheel bearings with grease before they were installed. They were originally sold packed only with only a substance that protected the metal surfaces of the components in the bearing between the time of manufacturing and were sold to the consumer, and installed.

It would make no sense to just install them without making sure they are correctly greased. What "some guy" that answers the phone at "tinkers" said would never be good enough for me. That could even be where that old saying "not worth a tinkers damn" came from!:lol:

Considering the history of problems from not flushing the bearing out and installing them the way they are when sold. I for one would take the little effort required and make sure it is correct. Too expensive and time-consuming if it isn't done correctly.

But... that is just me.

Keith:cool:

[svxcess]

Subaru issued a new TSB regarding wheel bearing installation, saying not to repack their wheel bearings with any kind of grease and they were ready to install out of the box.

http://www.downloads.bustedfingermotorsports.com/07%20forester/TSB/02%20wrx%20tsbs/03-50-0230493%20replacing%20rear%20wheel%20bearings.pdf

I had heard before that the SVX wheel bearings stopped using the light shipping grease and were now packing them with the correct grease.

.

[kwren]

Subaru issued a new TSB regarding wheel bearing installation, saying not to repack their wheel bearings with any kind of grease and they were ready to install out of the box.

http://www.downloads.bustedfingermotorsports.com/07%20forester/TSB/02%20wrx%20tsbs/03-50-0230493%20replacing%20rear%20wheel%20bearings.pdf

I had heard before that the SVX wheel bearings stopped using the light shipping grease and were now packing them with the correct grease.

.

That's great!! But... I quickly pulled up the information and scanned it a couple of times. The information was specific about Subaru's however, I didn't notice SVX anywhere. I would have no way of knowing how many years the wheel bearings had been around for our cars on a shelf somewhere and would feel more comfortable with "SVX" listed on the safe types that that link referred to.

Maybe you have more information? After all, you are always "full of it" :lol:

Just kidding, of course... You are invaluable for us all...
We are blessed on this site!

Keith:cool:

[icingdeath88]

Just kidding, of course... You are invaluable for us all...
We are blessed on this site!

Aint that the truth...

[pearlm30]

Def repack! Check my locker for how to with pics:)

[Blacky]

The original post refers to Timken bearings not Subaru.
The repeat failure of Subaru bearings for many years was due to them having shipping grease which was to stop corrosion only. I have never heard of the same bonehead mistake being made by any other manufacturer.

[Huskymaniac]

The original post refers to Timken bearings not Subaru.
The repeat failure of Subaru bearings for many years was due to them having shipping grease which was to stop corrosion only. I have never heard of the same bonehead mistake being made by any other manufacturer.

Correct! And it wasn't some yahoo from an internet parts store I talked to. It was a representative from Timken! From what I have gathered, even the Subaru bearings now come properly greased. The real problem seems to be that incorrect torque is often used on the key nuts which damages the hub which then destroys the new bearings, not the grease. If one was certain they could properly clean the bearings and repack them completely but not excessively then, yeah, it won't hurt. But I think the install is the key. Damn you Nate and Tom for being so far away!

By the way, these bearings are used on some of the newer Saab 9-2x and Subaru STi models so I doubt there are any of the improperly greased bearings hanging around in stock rooms.

[icingdeath88]

If one was certain they could properly clean the bearings and repack them completely but not excessively then, yeah, it won't hurt.


It's very easy to do actually, just eye-balling it. I think you're over-thinking this one. Just change the grease so you know that there's good grease. The grease they come with pretty much fills up every space in the bearing, so it's not like you can really fill it more than it was already.

[Conn SVX]

The grease does go bad after time ( shelf life ) I would repack the bearings with the grease I know is good, just for my own peace of mind.
And that is coming from an ex Timken employee.

[kwren]

. And it wasn't some yahoo from an internet parts store I talked to. It was a representative from Timken! [/QUOTE]

I would not spend too much time trying to figer it out, Tony. The best way has been pretty much common knowledge for years!:confused:

Good luck.:)

Keith:cool:

[Huskymaniac]

Seems like nothing is simple. I went to auto parts stores today to buy a bearing packer, Mobil 1 grease and cleaner. They had chlorinated and "green" nonchlorinated brake cleaners. Are both safe or just one or the other for the plastic in the bearings?

[icingdeath88]

Seems like nothing is simple. I went to auto parts stores today to buy a bearing packer, Mobil 1 grease and cleaner. They had chlorinated and "green" nonchlorinated brake cleaners. Are both safe or just one or the other for the plastic in the bearings?

Brake cleaners evaporate very fast. They probably won't stick around long enough to do any damage even if one of them was able to solvate the plastic a bit. If you're a little worried, get the non-chlorinated one.

[Huskymaniac]

Brake cleaners evaporate very fast. They probably won't stick around long enough to do any damage even if one of them was able to solvate the plastic a bit. If you're a little worried, get the non-chlorinated one.

I did a little digging today and, supposedly, the chlorinated old fashioned brake cleaner is a better de-greaser, is gentler on plastics AND is better for your health.

I guess I will stick with it. Any suggestions on how to not make an absolute mess when cleaning out the bearings with this stuff? I was thinking of putting it in a funnel and letting the goo drip into my "old oil" container I use to re-cycle used oil from my mowers and stuff.

[icingdeath88]

is gentler on plastics AND is better for your health.

But worse for the environment...

Really better for your health? That's surprising. Whatever they put in the non-chlorinated stuff must be really bad then.

In the chem lab, I love my chlorinated solvents.

Any suggestions on how to not make an absolute mess when cleaning out the bearings with this stuff?

I just used a bunch of paper towels and kept wiping it off. Your main concern really needs to be keeping any dirt/sand/dust far, far away from the exposed bearing. Wear some fresh nitrile gloves (latex probably won't stand up well to the brake cleaner).

[Huskymaniac]

OK, I am going to give this cleaning and repacking thing a shot today.

In the mean time, I have a question about torquing down the axel nut. Is there a special procedure similar to the one Timken suggests:

http://www.timken.com/en-us/solutions/automotive/aftermarket/lightduty/TechTips/Documents/Vol1Iss3_Wheel_Bearing_Replacement_English.pdf

Or, do we just torque it down to specs according to the service manual? And, speaking of that, I have pdfs of both the 1992 and 1997 manual and they are not quite the same. See the attachments. First, the torque specs are slightly different. Second, there appears to be an additional oil seal in the 1997 manual that sits behind the inner seal for the bearing. It is item 12 on Figure 2 of the 1997 pdf. No one has ever suggested changing this particular seal but maybe that is because most of you have older vintage cars. I have no idea at what year they would have added this seal. Any idea when this seal was added and whether or not it should be replaced?

Does the axel nut need to be replaced or not? Very few people suggested it but at least one person did. I didn't order it and I am not sure if the local dealer has one in stock.

Finally, which lateral link bolt is undone during this job, the inner or outer?

[Hocrest]

In the mean time, I have a question about torquing down the axel nut. Is there a special procedure similar to the one Timken suggests:

http://www.timken.com/en-us/solutions/automotive/aftermarket/lightduty/TechTips/Documents/Vol1Iss3_Wheel_Bearing_Replacement_English.pdf

Or, do we just torque it down to specs according to the service manual?
...
Subaru FSM
...

Does the axel nut need to be replaced or not? Very few people suggested it but at least one person did. I didn't order it and I am not sure if the local dealer has one in stock.
...
Replace it, it is the same as the axle nut on Leg's and Imp's, if they don't have one in stock, they're doing something wrong.
...



Finally, which lateral link bolt is undone during this job, the inner or outer?
...
Outer, unless it is seized in, then the inner
...

Did you check those Mitchell service manuals against the FSM?

[Huskymaniac]

I thought those were the pages from the Subaru manual. Is that incorrect? If so, does anyone have the correct torque values?

[svxcess]

The manual says 123-152 ft. lbs. for the axle nuts.

Usually the torque range is for new or used fasteners (with the lower number forca new, unstressed nut)




Very similar to the torque values for the lug nuts. The FSM has a range of between 72-87 ft. lbs. The first number usually is for new, unstressed fasteners and the higher number for used.

Most members split the difference and run about 80 ft.lbs on the wheels

.


.

[Huskymaniac]

Thanks John. I cleaned and re-packed the bearings today. First of all, the grease that was in there didn't seem as bad as people made it out to be. Second, what a royal PITA!!! Cleaning the old grease out was nasty. And when I looked at the bearing packer from Lisle and the bearings, I couldn't see any way that would work. So I hand packed them. Again, what a PITA!!! I think I got nearly every trace of the old grease out and I hope I put enough grease in them when I replacked them. I pushed it in the bottom until I started seeing the grease ooze out of the other side. I then put a thin layer of grease on the outside of the bearings and the rest of the inner race.