Subaru Repair Seattle: Wheel Bearings Explained Part 1
Your Subaru Wheel bearings Explained.
So there are many models of Subaru, many different platforms, or generations. I will have to break this up into more than one article or it will be just too hard to follow. This first article will focus on the Subaru Forester, but many of the Subaru models use the same bearing design.
There are many different variations of the wheel bearing and below are some pictures of the some of the common designs of the last few years.
This is the old on the left, the updated in the middle with the release in the race
Here we have a roller bearing on the left, the updated bearing on the right and a worn/ dmaged hub and tappered wheel bearing in the middle.
The Subaru Forester from 1998 to about 2003 had a pretty significant issue with the longevity of the right rear wheel bearing. I am going to focus this article on that era first as it will explain a lot of common symptoms, along with showing the differences Subaru has made in the design of the wheel bearing.
The first Foresters came with a roller type rear wheel bearing pictured below. This wheel bearing had a longevity issue, and some didn’t last 30,000 miles before failing. The bearing was updated first with a tapered roller bearing, second with a tapered roller bearing with a release in the outer bearing race and finally with a revised installation tool and procedure.
Why some wheel bearings last longer than others has a lot to do with tire pressure, brake heat, driving patterns and habits, vehicle alignment, suspension system integrity and lastly road crown.
Road Crown?
In areas where it rains a lot like my home state of Washington, there is the need to keep the water off of the road as such the roads are paved with a slight inclination to the right, if it was the other direction the water and you would veer to the left and into oncoming traffic. This can put increased pressure on some of the vehicles systems such as the right side wheel bearings.
The Subaru Forester is not the quietest vehicle ever produced, and sometimes it can be hard for the driver to hear the audible signs of a failed wheel bearing, but if it seems like the road noise in your Sub is loader than normal chances are one of the wheel bearings has started to fail, and if let go too long, the hub can become damaged. The hub pictured below is pressed into the wheel bearing and is what the wheel actually bolts up too as well. Taking your Subaru to a good shop that will keep an eye or better yet an ear on these things can help catch the wheel bearing early.
The latest Subaru bearing is the only bearing you should have installed, there are many aftermarket versions without the release which plays a critical role in longevity, if you own a Forester and have had to have this done over and over you may not of had the updated parts installed.
Make sure you are getting the bearing pictured below.
The front of the Forester uses a tapered roller bearing and while they do fail, just not at the same rate as the rear did. Subaru and most either All Wheel Drive or front wheel drive vehicles use a similar design.
The days of taking out the bearings, cleaning and repacking every so often have long been gone. When the bearings have symptoms in a modern vehicle the result is more expensive but there is no maintenance like there was in the older vehicles. As such it is unreasonable to expect the grease in the wheel bearing to last forever, and the bearing will overheat if not properly lubricated or can fail for a long list of other reasons.
So if confronted with a wheel bearing issue in a Subaru know it’s bound to happen, there are 4 of them, and slowly over the life of the car all 4 will probably have to be replaced and the right rear more than once.
The next Wheel bearing article will cover the captured type wheel bearings found in the 2000 and newer Outback and Legacy and the ones under an extended warranty by Subaru
Thanks for reading
Justin
Looking forward to the Outback wheel bearing article.
I guess the lack of any step-by-step, do-it-yourself instructions about the Forester wheel bearing in this article would suggest that it is not the kind of job to be done without pro help?
Darcy,
I don’t to often put out a step by step process on this site, unless I am greatly worried that with out some solid information a consumer may be burned, or a shop come to the wrong conclusion as is the case with the power steering article.
The second wheel bearing article is written, just no time for the pictures as of yet. Probably February or so.
Thanks for taking the time to post on the website.
Justin
Thanks for the site and article. My 98 outback ltd has the right rear howl. Time to replace I guess. I’ve done several front wb subies but no rear. Specifically is there an upgraded bearing for the outback? I have access to a press. Any other special tools needed? Thanks again. Bob
hey there, I just got back from my repair guy for the ususal maintainenc(oil chg/ tire rotation) and I mentioned to him that my car was really ‘clacking’ a lot when it was cold. As it warmed up the the noice susbsided (never went comepletely away). He told me I needed my rings replaced. I guess I was wondering whether a 2003 outback wagon (4cy 2.1 ltr) with 150K on it should need it and shouldn’t he have tested something before makeing the determination? He has me wondering if I should get rid of this car that I love! Thank for having this site! Amy
Hi Justin,
Thanks for an informative article. I live in Australia where we drive on the left hand side of the road. Would it be fair to say that I’m likely to experience this problem more on the left hand wheel bearing? I had the rear left replaced 2 years ago on my 2000 forester and have done roughly 24 thousand miles since and it sounds like it’s beginning to go again.
Hi Justin,
Thanks for the great article on the Forester bearings. My question is: do I buy replacement bearings from the dealer or can I purchase some other brand (e.g., Koyo) at an online site ?
Thanks again!
[...] thinking aside. Here is a better explanation of what type of wheel bearings are used on Subaru Subaru Repair Seattle: Wheel Bearings Explained Part 1 – Seattle Subaru Repair Here is a simplified DIY to replace wheel bearings Wheel Bearing Replacement – Guru’s guide w/pics [...]
Is there a special tool that is needed to take off a wheel bearing for a 1997 subaru impreza? One place I took the car too said they couldnt do it because of this?
thank you
It can be done in the car with a hub tamer, which I don’t suggest, or out of the car with a hydraulic press.
Justin
If you don’t already have one, I suggest the Hayne’s Manual. It gives information in a format that’s easy to understand. I have a 2000 Forester, which is treated differently in the Hayne’s Manuals in that Forester bearings need to be pressed by a machine shop. I’ve found the local cost to be very reasonable. Impreza and Outbacks supposedly can be done by the DIY mechanic. For the cost & time factors, I’d opt to send the hub out locally to have the bearing & seals replaced.
The Haynes Manual is a non professional manual that leaves a lot to be desired. You would be much better off with the Subaru Factory Manual full of Factual Information about Your Subaru, its worth the extra cost for a Home Gamer
I have a 2000 Forester with 117k on the odometer. In the past 2 years, I’ve had to replace the driver’s rear wheel bearing twice and the passenger’s side once (the pasenger’s side is ready again I think). With the first driver’s side rear bearing, it took me awhile to figure what the noise was. The repair cost me ab out $100 for parts and the local machine shop to press old bearing out & the new one in. That bearing lasted less than one year/12000 miles! I had it replaced with a premium bearing & have not had problems. When I had the passenger’s side bearing replaced, I thought the issues would be gone, but I’m looking at replacing it with a premium bearing (about $135 for parts & the machine shop pressing the bearing).
When I first priced out having the work done at one of the local automotive repair chains, the estimate was about $325 parts & labor. An added plus is that there’s no sales tax in Delaware!. Nonetheless, I’m not happy about wheel bearings not lasting long at all! I would typically expect them to last the life of the car, but that’s clearly not the case.
However, I’d rather have low-level mechanical issues to deal with than difficult & expensive electronics/emission control ones.
You need to use the Updated bearing from Subaru. Or you will continue to get short life out of your repairs.
Justin