OREchipmunk78 Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Well my old Subie is still rolling along, but I am hearing a truly ungodly noise coming from the left front wheel. I just did the brakes thinking that was the problem, but it wasn't. When I had the wheel off the car I did grab the hub and tried shaking it around and it wouldn't move at all( the e-brake was off too). Any way I am wondering if it is wheel bearing or a cv joint or the axle needing replaced. Any Ideas? by the way my Subie's a '87 GL wagon fwd automatic w/1.8L tbi. I also replaced the plugs, wires, cap & rotor, O2 sensor, flushed the tranny, and gave her a fresh oil change. And wow she is like a new car. LOTS of pep again. but now I need to figure out what the god awful sound up front is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyeights Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 (edited) It sounds like a wheel bearing problem if it is happening at all times when you are driving. Typically CV joints only make noise going around sharp corners when they first start to fail. Have you checked the large axle nut to make sure it's tight? Is it like a loud growl that changes volume and pitch with road speed? Edited June 4, 2011 by Crazyeights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 The wheel bearing and it is probably chewing up the hub too. Do not drive this untill it is fixed, as from this point on it will just cost more to fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 It won't damage the hub on the EA's - that's something that can happen on the EJ's. Typically on the EA's one of the two bearings starts making terrible noises and the other one is still fine. Get a pair of 6207-2RS bearings from McGuire, and some new seals (though I often reuse the seals when I do them), and change out the bearings. Only takes an hour or so - pull the knuckle, drift them out, and drive in the new ones. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OREchipmunk78 Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 So rick what extactly do I do to change this bearing? I'm still new to working on my subie. And just to let you know that once I changed the o2 sensor it was like I put a new tranny in her. Now I just gotta get the noise gone and bleed the brakes right. :-\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 (edited) So rick what extactly do I do to change this bearing? I'm still new to working on my subie. And just to let you know that once I changed the o2 sensor it was like I put a new tranny in her. Now I just gotta get the noise gone and bleed the brakes right.:-\ Well..... have you done much bearing work? Have you ever done a drive axle on the car? Doing a wheel bearing is like a hot-dog - you have to do a drive axle job (the bun) to start and end the bearing job (the dog) because the bearings are only accesible with the axle out of the knuckle. The books will tell you that you cannot do either one (the axle or the bearing) because they require a press and special adaptors. This is NOT true. The axle can be removed from the bearings relatively easily using a decent sized hammer and a block of wood, etc to prevent damage to the threads. Once the axle is out of the knuckle the bearings can be drifted out using a large brass punch, etc. Then the knuckle cleaned and inspected and new bearings drifted in. Making sure never to apply force to the new bearings through their rolling elements. The seals are then replaced and the axle reinstalled. If you need help you could bring it up to my shop - will probably be a couple hours (give or take - unknown condition car to me) plus the parts to change out the bearings. I happen to have some bearings here even. GD Edited June 4, 2011 by GeneralDisorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 GD, But where does the mustard go ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OREchipmunk78 Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 Ok rick so how much would you want in compensation? At least a 12 pack of rolling rock..lol let me know and when would be a good day to do it. THANKS!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonas Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 GD,But where does the mustard go ? you don't want to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81EA81 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 It won't damage the hub on the EA's - that's something that can happen on the EJ's. Typically on the EA's one of the two bearings starts making terrible noises and the other one is still fine. Get a pair of 6207-2RS bearings from McGuire, and some new seals (though I often reuse the seals when I do them), and change out the bearings. Only takes an hour or so - pull the knuckle, drift them out, and drive in the new ones. GD McGuire! Yes,Thank you! I called around locally to price bearings through 3 suppliers and was quoted on average $25 per bearing and having 4-8 in stock I then found GDs recommendation for McGuire.They quoted me $10.95 and said they have about 100 units in stock! And they are right next door to the first place I called. SCORE!! THANKS Nice hot dog refrence btw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkinz Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 I had probably the same issue with my 87 GL, and it was indeed a bad wheel bearing. I followed the advice of the Haynes manual and removed the knuckle axle assembly and took it to a machine shop. One auto shop said they just bash out the axle with a hammer and a block of wood as did my friends, but the machine shop strongly discouraged it as they claimed to have had the displeasure of working on hub/axles where the customer tried to do it beforehand. Maybe they were just dealing with morons, I don't know. Anyway I felt a little silly for having them do the work, but in the end I realized it wasn't so bad since they did remove the axle, seals, bearings; they packed the new bearings, pressed them in, installed the seals, and pressed the axle back in, all for $70. They said on newer subarus it's only $50 because it takes them an hour rather than 1.5 hours to do the job. I suppose anyone could do it just as well with a shop press, some kind of puller and a bearing packer but it was nice to just get the assembly back all nice and tidy and then just install it back in the car. Oh, if you do get a shop to do it they need your brake rotor also to have something to grab onto with the puller. That was just my experience, seemed to work out ok for a minimal price. I'm curious about doing it on my own, I guess I'll just have to wait until the other bearing goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Going to be doing this myself here in a couple of weeks, soon as I get the parts. Will write up my experience. For anybody who came across this thread searching about the bearings GD has good information on what bearings to get and where to get them from cheap on the 1st page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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