uniberp

I'm just presuming that the normal physical laws apply: heat expands- cleareances tighten. I've got a pic of a burnt bearing in some other thread. I'm pretty sure I'm not tightening the axle nut to the exact 137 lb ft, but I've done many crank pulleys and axles and bearings on other Subes, WITHOUT FAILURE. I know what this bearing race will look like when it's punched out. I wonder if these wide (stock) 16 wheel/tires abosrob less shock or are otherwise less forgiving that my old 14 Legato wheels or the 99 Forester 15's I'm beyond being mad about these dumb things, just annoyed.

That's the first time I've heard that. So there's a crush-expand specification on the inner race? Spec is 137 ft lbs on the axle nut.

2008 NA Automatic 95k. This is the fourth on the right front. I may have been wrong about one of them, but this one is def going to go. If they overheat JUST ONCE, they are goners. I pull off the expressway for 2 minutes, which gives it enough time to cool off and shrink. Then I can drive 65. POS. I've trusted my shop to pick a bearing, and I think they use National. I have an NTN I'm going to try this time. On my commute home I have a long high-speed left sweeper entrance ramp. I guess this car isn't designed for that.

Have you had an alignment?

IDK if there was an option, but I'd like an interior side visor for my 08 Forester. Seems like there's plenty of headroom in the forzy to add something. The sun roasts me both ways on my commute. MYyS10 has a visor extension and an additional minivisor in front, which I like. Nope don't want those exterior deflectors.

You might consider having both fronts done. I've replaced several on several Subes over the years, including my 08. It may be because of your road conditions, driving style, in my case I think it was a daily long sweeping curve on high speed entrance ramp. When the bearing overheats and distorts once, that's kind of the beginning. I went through a long diagnosis and eventually replaced the right twice and the left once. I'm thinking now that National brand bearings maybe not so good. I'ts very hard to localize which bearing is making the noise. The inboard and outboard on each side are separated by merely an inch or less .Right turn loads the outer left bearing , and the inner right as well.

Heater door actuator?

I got an excellent new engine over a year ago from from http://www.ssisubiespecialists.com/ Check http://www.ebay.com/usr/ssisubiespecialists?_trksid=p2047675.l2559 IMO if the car is relatively solid a new engine is a good choice, even at the prices asked. After 4 engines in 6 subarus, I believe they are more susceptible than most to neglect.

I didn't think Subarus were self-driving, at least not yet.

The picture is of one half of the separated core of a sealed non-serviceable OEM Subaru wheel bearing, the same as used on pretty much all subarus 1990 to present. There were some OEM ball bearings, but they are typically replaced with rollers. These never get repacked, you cannot get at outer side of the bearing between the hub flange and the knuckle, and if you were to force it you would risk pushing out the seal. These bearings can't be removed without destroying them. The only direction to push is outward, and there in no tooling possible that will support the inner race of the bearing while the hub is pushed outward. Installation amounts to 1st pressing in the bearing shell into the knuckle, then 2nd simply supporing the inner race while pressing in the hub from the outside.

Make sure your brake backing plates are not rubbing the disc or drum. There is enough runout that the nois may only occur during turning.

Thanks. I should add that the overheating (probably) expanded the metal enough to cause interference in the very close tolerance bearing., and that started a cascading failure of friction, heat, expansion, and (quickly) eventual breakage, which would be pretty serious. The road conditions here may have contributed to early failure.They are pretty beat up, and the left front ball joint needed replacement already (75k) also. I do recall that in an early snow this year, when the road was very bumpy with ice/snow patches, the vibration came occurred quickly. fortunately, speeds were lower and I was able to maintain 50mph. It would run all day at 50mph, no problem. I was wondering that because I baby this car speedwise (because I need it for my commute), if driving it harder would have stretched the bearing/knuckle sufficiently to allow more thermal expansion. I have seen bearings pressed out easily and pressed out with difficulty. It could be the difference in dirt and alignment, but it's still a difference. My machinist is a good guy, he tells me these things. On another note, I'm dealing with a dragging front disc brake on my S10. The next thing I'm gonna try on that is to loosen the axle nut 1 flat. That may give the hub enough runout to knock the pads away from the disc. Seems kinda non-precise to me, but it's old and worth a try after 2 new calipers/hose on that side.

Did you try bending the rear backing plates away from the disc? Wheel bearings can have a lot of silent and no-so-silent slop.

I think this is incorrect. Bearings exert minimal drag. What you feel when turning the hub is insignificant compared to the momentum of a 2800 pound vehicle. Bearings CAN be replaced in pairs , as a practice, considering the reputation of Subaru wheel bearings, but it is not necesssary.

I found the solution. It was the wheel bearing on the other side. This car is relatively new and tight enough that I couldn't tell what side was causing the problem. See thread: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/151227-intermittent-rumble-fixed-undiagnosable-wheel-bearing/ "2008 Forester 85k miles. I had an intermittent serious rumble, from the front end, that would occur typically after 10-15 minutes of highway driving at ~70mph. The brakes also vibrated badly when it happenned. It occurred about a dozen times over the past 3 months, unrelated to anything like braking, turning, changes in speed, road surface. It would self correct if I slowed or stopped for a few minutes. I checked both front knuckles, going so far as removing the axles to check for bearing play, but there was none. Even when I removed this the bearing in the hub felt a-ok. It was only when it was pressed out (and broken into separate races and rollers) that I could see this discoloration that indicated overheating. The races show less discoloration, hardly detectable. The races are heatsunk to the axle and hubs so that makes sense, that they would stay cooler. Here is what the bearing looked like: I dipped it in thinner and wiped it off. The brown discoloration of the rollers is in the metal, does not scrape off. This bearing felt fine. It was impossible to diagnose; only by disassembly (and destruction). When the axle was removed the bearing felt completely smooth. The hubs never felt hot, or even warm, to my hand, when I would pull off the road and check underneath when the rumble occurred. I guess I will go back to regarding Subaru wheel bearings as maintenance replace items, good for 75k only. A google search of "intermittent rumble subaru" turns up a bunch of similar complaints. This has stressed me out for a while. Glad it's fixed."

2008 Forester 85k miles. I had an intermittent serious rumble, from the front end, that would occur typically after 10-15 minutes of highway driving at ~70mph. The brakes also vibrated badly when it happenned. It occurred about a dozen times over the past 3 months, unrelated to anything like braking, turning, changes in speed, road surface. It would self correct if I slowed or stopped for a few minutes. I checked both front knuckles, going so far as removing the axles to check for bearing play, but there was none. Even when I removed this the bearing in the hub felt a-ok. It was only when it was pressed out (and broken into separate races and rollers) that I could see this discoloration that indicated overheating. The races show less discoloration, hardly detectable. The races are heatsunk to the axle and hubs so that makes sense, that they would stay cooler. Here is what the bearing looked like: I dipped it in thinner and wiped it off. The brown discoloration of the rollers is in the metal, does not scrape off. This bearing felt fine. It was impossible to diagnose; only by disassembly (and destruction). When the axle was removed the bearing felt completely smooth. The hubs never felt hot, or even warm, to my hand, when I would pull off the road and check underneath when the rumble occurred. I guess I will go back to regarding Subaru wheel bearings as maintenance replace items, good for 75k only. A google search of "intermittent rumble subaru" turns up a bunch of similar complaints. This has stressed me out for a while. Glad it's fixed.

I already replaced the filler tube months ago, no CEL light since then. Until now. Reset lasts a few days. On a 1999 Forester does a 0440 code LIKELY mean the purge control solenoid? Or the pressure control solenoid? The Haynes Legacy manual says I have to drop the tank to get at one of the solenoids, but there are 2 electrical connectors right near the vapor canister by the right rear fender so I assume one is vent and one is purge. It looks like one of the small vapor lines over the rear crossmember might be rusted. That looks like a joy to get at.

I doubled up the ground from the battery, bolted an eyelet-ended cable to each end. The OEM cable is made of very fine strands of copper. After 10 years or so, depending on use/environment/etc. those very fine strands seem to have corroded nearly through. The connection between the copper and the clamp is subject to corrosion too. IDK if corrosion occurs only at the surface, but fine wire has a lot more surface area than thick wire per total cross section area.

HP estimations are interesting. Here's a calculator that assumes the chassis is set up optimally for drag racing. http://www.stealth316.com/2-calc-hp-et-mph.htm

I notice that my car runs better, gets better gas mileage, and is quieter and smoother after I wash it.

Sure, 450 HP for 3 seconds.

I just had the caliper off when I changed the wheel bearing. All looks ok. It's intermittant, and only occurs on the expressway. I haven't touched the brakes in 10 miles. As soon as I turn off and exit, which means slowing down and making some turns, it seems to correct itself. I can only tell once I am back on the expressway. I suppose the booster could be pushing the pads, but that woudl be weird. I think I've got a bad ball in one of the cages, frankly. I noticed when I press on to my destination within a few miles, I notice a hot rubber smell outside the car when I stop. I stopped at Napa last night to just buy an axle; strangest thing. $67 for a Cardone, with an $84 core charge. They must REALLY want my OEM axle.

I replaced the front right wheel bearing, that seemed "maybe" a little notchy. I have seen much worse. I also replaced the left front balljoint which was a surprise that it was loose. It was fine for a few days, but then the grinding showed up again, and again the brakes ground like crazy. It always occurs at highway speeds, without even touching the brakes, starting gradually, and building up to sounding like a wheel bearing failing. I pull off an exit, make a few turns, maybe it's cooling down, but then the sound is gone. This is really ticking me off. Could it be an axle? How would the brakes interact with an axle?

I suppose it is possible, when the suspension is moving up and down, that the engine is moving side to side. You'd think you could see that. Are CV axles clocked; I never looked? I though it was something about the cage and balls that made it truly CV. As long as one end is CV, the other shouldn't matter.

Has your timing belt been changed at the correct 104,000 mile intervals? If not, do it now.