Scratching my head with this wheel bearing

Huskymaniac · #1 04-30-2012, 10:39 AM

Tom and Nate both confirmed that what I thought was a wheel bearing going was likely just that. It was definitely a lot louder when we arrrived in Reading from the drive from NY. About mid-way home I thought it started to sound quieter. I figured maybe my ears were just adjusting to the noise and drowning it out. But this morning, on the way to work, it DEFINITELY was quieter. I could still hear the same noise but it was pretty faint as opposed to quite loud on Saturday. Can wheel bearings do that or is this a clue or symptom of something else/more?

icingdeath88 · #2 04-30-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huskymaniac

Tom and Nate both confirmed that what I thought was a wheel bearing going was likely just that. It was definitely a lot louder when we arrrived in Reading from the drive from NY. About mid-way home I thought it started to sound quieter. I figured maybe my ears were just adjusting to the noise and drowning it out. But this morning, on the way to work, it DEFINITELY was quieter. I could still hear the same noise but it was pretty faint as opposed to quite loud on Saturday. Can wheel bearings do that or is this a clue or symptom of something else/more?

I would replace the wheel bearing first, and then go from there.

Hocrest · #3 04-30-2012, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huskymaniac

Can wheel bearings do that

Yes, they can.

Conn SVX · #4 04-30-2012, 01:19 PM

Your bearing could have shifted or the one needle that was stuck could have destroyed itself. The bearing is still shot. And before I get flamed on this let me tell you I know a lot more about bearings than most of you do. I built , designed, and R&D for Ingersol Rand and Timken for 38 years. I ate and slept bearings.

Huskymaniac · #5 04-30-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conn SVX

Your bearing could have shifted or the one needle that was stuck could have destroyed itself. The bearing is still shot. And before I get flamed on this let me tell you I know a lot more about bearings than most of you do. I built , designed, and R&D for Ingersol Rand and Timken for 38 years. I ate and slept bearings.

What brand do you suggest for replacement bearings? I just replaced this one a little more than a year ago. Nate suspects that the hub could be bad and prematurely destroying the bearings. I bought a Timken and handed it to the mechanic with specific instructions to repack them with Redline grease, that I also handed to him, and to use the torque suggested by Timken. I suppose he could have not repacked them correctly or over-torqued them. I didn't watch him. I know people hate when people watch over their shoulders. At least, I do. I also told them to order new seals through the local Subaru dealer and change them as well.

dannmarr · #6 04-30-2012, 03:21 PM

I had a bearing replaced three times before I changed the entire hub assembly (housing included). I have not had a bearing problem since then. That was a few years ago.

Conn SVX · #7 04-30-2012, 03:38 PM

That hub is the inner race. Too bad Mother Subaru didn't design it so it had a removable inner race. That hub has to be spotless and polished smooth. One scratch or nick and it will destroy the bearing. TIMKEN makes a good bearing.

kwren · #8 04-30-2012, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conn SVX

That hub is the inner race.

Are you sure?

Makes no sense...

Keith

jetboy · #9 05-01-2012, 03:41 AM

Sorry to rerail the thread

I just ordered rear bearings and seals from Chaplin but wonder if I should order new hubs too. The car is going to the doctor's who will replace brakes and bearings and hopefully rear brakelines as well.

They estimated 1.5 hrs work per side for the bearings.

Should I just order new hubs (I can't see they were ever replaced) and how much labour will this add on top of the bearing replacement? The cost of a hub is nearly the same as one work hour

If you think it's a good idea to replace the hubs, which parts do I need except for the hub itself?

Conn SVX · #10 05-01-2012, 05:43 AM

From what everyone says, the hub spindle is what the bearing is riding on. I would have to look in my service manual . If that is not the case than the condition of the hub ( I am still assuming spindle ) would make little or no difference. The surface you speak of, is that in direct contact with the BALLS . I have never seen this apart. I just referee to my manual. Bearing has an inner race and it is balls ( full compliment ) meaning cageless at least it looks that way. The hub spindle is pressed into the inner race. Looking at it , other than the cost of a new spindle labor/ cost to install should be the same .

92snowmachine · #11 05-01-2012, 08:26 AM

problem with the hub is that the inner bearing race is pressed onto it and if the race spins or gets too hot from a bad bearing it will destroy the surface of the hub. seems to happen on a lot of subarus, i usually estimate hub replacement when i replace a subaru wheel bearing.

Huskymaniac · #12 05-01-2012, 08:42 AM

Anyone got a part number for a rear left (driver) hub?

jetboy · #13 05-01-2012, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huskymaniac

Anyone got a part number for a rear left (driver) hub?

And the right? And if/which parts are needed in addition to the hub in order to replace it properly?

Thanks

jetboy · #14 05-01-2012, 09:51 AM

I assume it's 28052PA010 but don't kill me if it isn't!

And remember axle nuts.

Huskymaniac · #15 05-01-2012, 10:22 AM

I am going to assume the hub is toast as this is at least the second bearing to fail in it. However, this bearing may have fallen ill due to another issue I uncovered while doing some research. IF the mechanic said, "pffft, I'm not going to clean out the old grease as it is usually a non issue to just re-pack with new grease", there could have been grease incompatibility issues. It is true that this is normally not an issue. Bearings come packed with grease that is mineral oil based with a Lithium soap thickener. It isn't great quality stuff and there probably isn't enough of it in there but it is compatible with most other greases.

Page 39 of the following document has some compatibility charts:

http://www.fis-services.de/gen/en/do...n_WL81115E.pdf

And this link has another, more extensive, chart for thickener compatibility:

http://www.mindconnection.com/librar...easecompat.htm

I have asked Timken what their stock grease is and I am waiting to hear back from them. It is most likely Lithium soap in mineral oil. Do you know Conn SVX?

I can tell you that Mobil 1 is Lithium complex soap in PAO oil. PAO is compatible with mineral oil and Lithium complex soap is compatible with Lithium soap. So no problems just adding M1 grease with the grease that is already on the bearing.

My situation is that I used Redline CV-2 grease. The grease has insanely good specifications but I have found out that it is a Calcium Sulfonate thickener in an ester base oil. Ester oil is compatible with mineral oil but Calcium Sulfonate is only borderline compatible with Lithium soap. Whether that was the cause, or a bad hub, I am going to replace the hub and use M1 grease.

If I could be certain that all of the original grease was cleaned off and the bearings were free of solvent, the Redline grease would be great:

http://www.redlineoil.com.au/Uploads...e%20doc001.doc

Compare to Mobil 1's already good specifications:

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lub...ic_Grease.aspx