REAR Bearings - TYPE?
 

Well, since I can't quite figure out what's causing my intermittent rough idle/shudder yet . . . . . AND my rear bearing noise is getting worse, I thought I'd get down to tackling that!

I bought dealer front/rear bearings/seals about 6 to 9 months ago because I couldn't tell which ones were noisy at that time. My questions are:

1. Will I ever need the fronts. Do they go bad? Should I just keep them for when they do or return/sell them?

2. I saw something on a thread about a better bearing (for the SVX rear bearing application) than the OEM (Impreza I think?) Should I mount the OEM bearings? Should I return/sell them and seek a better bearing first? If so, please give me exact part # and purchase location info so I can get 'em.

3. Please give me any special guidance to do this myself (I know the torque values are critical, and the grease needs to be changed)?

THANKS for any help! :) :D

We tried bearings from a 2003 Forester and they did not fit. Our next step is to try bearings out of a Legacy. Subaru has changed the imprezza/forester bearing for 2003 to a steeper taper instead of the SVX style mild taper.

The main problem is that Subaru of America will not admit that there is a problem with the bearing design. Subaru of Canada has admitted it and will cover a cross compatible bearing (we assume from a Legacy) under warranty repairs of dealer installed bearings.

Calling several Canadian dealers has yielded no part numbers. They only give price, wait time, and assurance that we will get the superseded part, but no part numbers are given over the phone.

So to answer your question, yes there is a better bearing for the SVX out there, but we do not know what it is...yet.

Doug

Interesting...

Mike

Is your idle problem occuring during a warm start, cold start, or both?

Bag-o-worms . . . . . . .
 

Answer: Both (after long cool-downs >> on the way to work and on the way home from work mainly) and shudder occurs now just sometimes at high speeds (other than at poor idle periods). [These are obviously related to the same poor engine performance intermittent problem.]
If you'd like to help, please visit "transmission" and more recently "bad injector" by James Scott (both on page 2 of Tech Q&A)

THANKS for any help you can give! :)

Well let me see if I can cover some things. I have attempted to take my rear bearings out and hesitated until I could find some more information on it. So far the axle nut has a torque spec of 126 lb./ft if reused, if you get a new axle nut then it is 150 lb./ft. This should not be taken of with an air gun. (Subaru service bulletin). Nor should any other bolt from what I understand. The ABS sensor must come out of the hub if you are having the bearing pressed in for you and have to take off the hub. Use PB fluid to aid you in this. It is suppose to just slide out but some have used a chisel to wedge it out. Beav suggested that if it can’t come out then follow it to the other end and unplug it there cause if you break it it costs over a $100. And of course replace the bearing grease.
Now to put it back together I read in the Subaru service bulletin that it is crucial not to over tighten the lateral link bolt. If you do then it warps the bearing housing and significantly shortens the bearing life. My question is the torque specs on this bolt. Stevebsy was kind enough to write in on that question with:

Lateral link bolts?
Torque for those is (ft-lb):

for the shorter ones: 61-83
for the longer ones: 72-101

for the trailing link it is:
101-130 for the short one
80-101 for the long ones

hope that is what you need

But when I look at the assembly. I only see 1 lateral bolt? This is my last question before I will tear into mine in about three weeks again. Shouldn’t there be one torque spec for the lateral bolt. And if so what is it?
I would like to say that all this is information that I have found on this site. I have yet to do my own (check back in a few weeks ). That being said all this information is not!! from my personal experience but what was available to me via this site. Best of luck and please let me know about that torque spec. if you find it.

Blue94

Blue, I think the meaning is inner and outer lateral link bolts. ;)


TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
Application Ft. Lbs. (N.m)

Axle Nut ............................... 123-152 (167-206)
Crossmember Support Bolt ................... 33-54 (44-74)
Crossmember-To-Body Bolt ................ 94-116 (127-157)
Differential-To-Crossmember Bolt ........ 94-116 (127-157)
Lateral Link
Inner Bolt ............................... 61-83 (83-113)
Outer Bolt .............................. 72-101 (98-137)
Rear Stabilizer Link Nut ................... 10-19 (14-25)
Strut Flange Bolt ....................... 98-127 (132-172)
Strut Mount Nut ............................ 10-18 (14-24)
Strut Piston Rod Lock Nut .................. 36-51 (49-69)
Trailing Link Bolt ..................... 101-130 (137-177)
Trailing Link Bushing Bolt .............. 80-101 (108-137)

That was exactly what I needed, thanks. Now I am ready to try it again only I have to wait a week or so to get the bearings.

outer lateral link bolt torque...
 

That suspension knuckle is a damn thick piece of metal. It it were to warp at all due to over-tightening of the lateral link bolt, I think it would be elastic deformation, so it would not be permanent warping.