Wheel bearing repair

Tiny
GGGG
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK
  • 4 CYL
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 151,000 MILES
My rear driver side wheel bearing is shot. How much time should it take a mechanic to replace this bearing. I got a quote for 3 hours!
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 AT 8:39 AM

13 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
If it has rear disc brakes, knuckle needs to be removed, 3 hours is about right! Here is a video of the job being done on a similar car.

https://youtu.be/_FzmmBoa4Tg

Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.
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Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 AT 9:25 AM
Tiny
BIGGSA
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK
  • 190,000 MILES
I have a 2001 Subaru Outback limited LL Bean Edition I purchased 6 years ago. I know nothing about cars and need advice. I bought it used with 70,000 miles. I had to to replace both front wheel bearings in the first year at about $650. I had to replace the driver side bearing again 2 1/2 years and about 20,000 miles later. Now, at 190,000 miles they both need to be replaced again. Why is this happening so often and does $700. Seem to be a fair price?
Thanks,
Angie Biggs
St. Augustine, FL
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
So the drivers side bearing you replaced when you first got the car the one replaced lasted 20,000 miles then the replacement one lasted another 100,000 miles?The right side one you replaced when you got the car lasted a120,000 miles. So overall from what you have said is the left bearing that was first replaced only lasted 20,000 miles other then that the other bearings replaced lasted longer then the oringal bearings. So do they use salt on the roads in the winter where you live?
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BIGGSA
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I live on a small dirt road and about a 3 blocks from the beach. My husband wondered too if the dirt and salt air has something to do with it. When the bearings get rusty do they have to get replaced or can they be oiled?
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
The bearing that lasted 20,000 miles in those conditions I would say was a short time but the replacement went like 100,000 miles I would that was good life. Also the other one went 120,000 miles thats even better. As far as salt spray goes I have seen it eat car bodys out etc. So it could get into the bearing but the bearings are lasting a good long time I think. Also the bearings are sealed so once they make noise they need to be replaced. Also whats your zip code so I can see what a fair price for the bearings is?
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CHOPPER
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
If you are going to same mechanic sounds to me like cheap parts. The bearings are SEALED so salt and dirt have little effect. It is an all wheel drive ment for snow and dirt.
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Ment for snow and dirt add salt and all bets are off I have seen all kinds of bad things salt and snow do to cars.I used to live and work in upstate new york on cars.I saw and replaced parts I never had to when I worked on cars in southern california with the salted roads. The replacement bearings lasted longer then the factory ones so I would say it wasnt a cheap part. Aside from the one that lasted 20,000 miles sealed bearings or not salt finds a way to get into everything. Cars and all the parts that are on the car arent designed to be driven on salted roads.
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ROGER4
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK
  • 4 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 260,000 MILES
What do I need to replace the rear wheel bearings and how to do it?
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Loosen the parking brake adjustment.
Remove or disconnect the following:

Wheel assembly
Unstake and remove the axle nut
Caliper, leaving the line connected, and suspend it aside
Rotor
Parking brake cable
Sway bar clamp
Bolt securing the lateral link to the housing
Bolts securing the trailing link to the housing Halfshaft
Bolts securing the strut to the housing
Speed sensor from the backing plate, if equipped with Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Housing assembly
Hub from the rear housing using hub stand 92708000 and puller 927420000
Backing plate from the housing
Outer, inner and sub oil seals
Snapring
Bearing by pressing the inner race
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-1
Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
PERNISIE
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK
  • 4 CYL
  • AWD
  • MANUAL
  • 80,000 MILES
My subaru has just started making a noise while traveling. I comes from the rear but I can't identify one side or the other but it is not engine or brake related. It is a very slight growling noise something like the sound snow tires would make. It peaks at about 60mph and subsides a little after that. It seems to be getting slowly worse. It doesn't change turning a corner Im wondering about wheel bearings but might it be something else in the differential or transfer case? Is there anything else I can test?
Thanks
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:50 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MIDAS414
  • MEMBER
  • 17 POSTS
If you can jack rear end of car up and feel coil spring while spinning tire you should feel roughness through spring. I would assume its the right rear. Haven't seen many left sides go bad but lots of right rear
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:51 AM (Merged)
Tiny
PERNISIE
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks for your suggestion. I Jacked the right real wheel but because of the center differential I couldn't turn to wheel fast enough to get it to make any sound or to feel a vitration on the spring. Any other way of identifying which side is bad?
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:51 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MIDAS414
  • MEMBER
  • 17 POSTS
I use lift and run car while in air, you may be able to find a shop that checks cars for free like a Midas or Monroe and let them find which side it is
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Sunday, September 1st, 2019 AT 11:51 AM (Merged)

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