Rear Bearings .......AGAIN ! ! ! ?

James Scott · #1 10-27-2004, 08:54 PM

A tire shop, mounting my new Hankook (K102's ?) tires, while in a hurry to "work me in...so I could get to work on time"...USED AN AIR GUN MORE THAN NORMAL (usually barely tighten, then hand tighten with torque wrench) ....by tightening the lug nuts completely (REAR WHEELS ONLY). By the time I realized what was happening (first time ever there!), it was too late.

Well, it appears that the dirty deed was done, because I'm getting more and more (apparent) rear bearing noise since that tire mounting job (about one month ago). I believe I heard here that there is a better than stock bearing, possibly Impreza or Legacy part, that would be reasonably priced and might last longer. PLEASE GIVE ANY AND ALL INFO ABOUTANY BEARING THAT WOULD BE SUPERIOR TO THE STOCK REAR BEARINGS (which I replaced myself [Hubtamer] about 1 1/2 to 2 years ago.

Thanks!.....

P.S. Yes, I retorqued manually when I got home from the tire shop!

Beav · #2 10-27-2004, 09:32 PM

Overtorquing the wheel lug nuts would have no effect on the wheel bearing. The lug bolts would have snapped off before enough torque could be applied to significantly distort the hub and cause the bearings any grief.

mbtoloczko · #3 10-28-2004, 12:57 AM

If it turns out that the rear bearing has coincidentally gone bad, keep in mind that the 2004 STi uses the same rear wheel bearing. I'd recommend sticking with the OEM bearing. Its definitely strong enough. Just needs to be installed properly.

#4 10-28-2004, 09:16 AM

Subaru bearings are tricky...you have to do them right or they are doomed to early, repeat failure. We see a lot of customers come in complaining about bearing noise after having one installed at a local garage.....turns out the garage didn't do it right. Anyway, the OEM bearing itself is a good one and it is also used by the STI. That's the only other Subaru that shares that bearing.

Dave

James Scott · #5 10-28-2004, 10:33 AM

I remember thread after thread talking about torqueing affecting the rear bearings.....??????

Oh WELL!.....maybe it's rear axle....or driveshaft U-joint???

whatdayathink?

P.S. I'm not a mechanic, but I am very mechanically inclined! I used the Hubtamer I bought on eBay........SOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo.......I think I did it right!? It sure worked good ....up to about one month ago....and it's gone bad fairly rapidly since then!

ANY OTHER IDEAS OR POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR THIS REAR BEARING TYPE NOISE?

THANKS!

svxpert · #6 10-28-2004, 03:13 PM

<<I remember thread after thread talking about torqueing affecting the rear bearings.....??????>>

over torqueing the lateral link bolt will destroy your bearing.

SVXer95 · #7 10-28-2004, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by svxpert
<<I remember thread after thread talking about torqueing affecting the rear bearings.....??????>>

over torqueing the lateral link bolt will destroy your bearing.

As well as overtorquing the axle nut.

Beav · #8 10-28-2004, 07:55 PM

heheheh Sorry James, I couldn't resist. Sorry it didn't last longer but you know, the knuckle may have been tweaked by someone else before you bought the car. Didn't you replace the bearing relatively soon after buying the car? I think it would be highly difficult to 'eyeball' a distorted knuckle, unless a trash truck had driven over it.

p.s. I know some have problems removing the outer half of the inside race from the hub when changing the bearings. Sometimes, and I'm not making any accusations here, I wonder if some leave it in place and install it into the new bearing. I'm kinda thinking maybe the other fella that's had three replaced in a matter of a few days has been subjected to a 'mechanic' that has taken that approach.

James Scott · #9 10-28-2004, 08:04 PM

So, it's the rear bearings.....for sure?

I love my SVX.......but this is *#%& @&#* !!!

THANKS! for the help, guys......

P.S. If the stock rear bearings are so good, then why are they so famous for wearing out prematurely ???

Beav · #10 10-28-2004, 08:38 PM

How in heck would we know from here?

The stock bearings are just fine for cars that weigh half as much and sport a lot less tire. Smooth roads, loading, etc. prolly have a lot to do with it also.

#11 10-29-2004, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by James Scott
So, it's the rear bearings.....for sure?

I love my SVX.......but this is *#%& @&#* !!!

THANKS! for the help, guys......

P.S. If the stock rear bearings are so good, then why are they so famous for wearing out prematurely ???

Subarus are hard on their bearings for some reason. Every model suffers from one degree or another. A properly installed bearing should last for at least a couple of years though IF you don't beat on your car. I'm at 60,000 + miles on my last one and doing fine.

Dave

P.S. I still get calls from local "mechanics" who think it's great that our bearings come packed in grease and ready to install!!

That grease is simply a "shipping grease" and should be cleaned off the bearing before install. A good, high temp grease should be used in its place.

dcarrb · #12 10-29-2004, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by red95svx
Subarus are hard on their bearings for some reason.

I've had three brand-new Subarus (in a previous, married life), and the sole instance of warranty service I recall having performed was a left-rear wheel bearing replacement on a '90 Legacy.

dcb

#13 10-29-2004, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dcarrb

I've had three brand-new Subarus (in a previous, married life), and the sole instance of warranty service I recall having performed was a left-rear wheel bearing replacement on a '90 Legacy.

dcb

The early model Legacys were much better with bearing life than the newer ones are.

Dave

James Scott · #14 11-09-2004, 07:02 PM

Just to follow thru with your comments:

1.) I used a HubTamer I bought on eBay - I think I installed them properly! I removed all races.
2.) I used Redline red bearing grease after dissolving out packing grease.
3.) I know I didn't over-torque the lateral link or axle nuts.
4.) This rear bearing noise (I assume....sounds like before when they went bad) got much worse and has still gotten worse since the new rear tires (Hankook K102's) were installed ?????????!
5.) How long can I go without risking some disastrous failure?
6.) AM I CRAZY.....OR WAS THERE A THREAD WHICH WENT ON FOR MONTHS (about a year to 1 1/2 years ago) ABOUT SEEKING A LARGER, HIGHER QUALITY BEARING ......TO AVOID WHAT WAS REFERRED TO AS PREMATURE BEARING FAILURE (STOCK BEARING TOO SMALL - IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED) !!!???!!!???!!!???

AND PART OF THIS DISCUSSION CENTERED AROUND WARPAGE OF HUB FROM OVER-TORQUEING OF LUGNUTS!!!???!!!???

THANKS for your HELP!

mbtoloczko · #15 11-09-2004, 07:36 PM

So, if I understand correctly what you wrote, you replaced a rear wheel bearing using a hub tamer, and within some short period of time (how many days/weeks/months?), the bearing started howling again?

There was a topic a while back discussing the hope for a "better" wheel bearing, but it turned out only to be "hope". Besides, Subaru is using this same bearing on the WRX STi which is its flagship sports car, so either the bearing is sufficiently durable, or Subaru is dumb beyond comprehension. I would suspect the former.

I have not heard anything about warping the hub by overtorquing the lugnuts. Have you done a search on the topic?

I drove over 5000 miles with both rear wheel bearings howling. The pitch never got worse. (It actually decreased on long road trips on straight roads.) People who have examined howling bearings have found no evidence of disasterous failure... only minor scoring/pitting.