wheel bearing press

[Rooster2]

I have a 99 OBW, that needs a new front wheel bearing. I priced having the work done at two independent shops. Cost were quoted at $250, and $285. For that kind of money outlay, does it make any economic sense to buy a press and do the work myself? I looked around on the Harbor Freight website, but I don't know what they sell that would do the job. I have never seen a bearing pressed out of a hub, or a new one pressed in, so I don't know how difficult a job it might be, or even how to do the job.

 

Any advise would be appreciated.

[heartless]

prices you were quoted are right in line with what I payed to have a rear one done on my 90 Leg wagon - i think mine was about $265 or so - bearing has a 3 yr warranty on it and that is what sold me on letting them do it (that and they have better tools than i do! LOL)

 

from what i understand the FWD kit from HF is supposed to work fairly well - but at 80-90 bucks for that - another 80 or so for the bearing...just made more sense to me to let the "pros" do it.

[Rooster2]

prices you were quoted are right in line with what I payed to have a rear one done on my 90 Leg wagon - i think mine was about $265 or so - bearing has a 3 yr warranty on it and that is what sold me on letting them do it (that and they have better tools than i do! LOL)

 

from what i understand the FWD kit from HF is supposed to work fairly well - but at 80-90 bucks for that - another 80 or so for the bearing...just made more sense to me to let the "pros" do it.

 

What is the FWD kit from Harbor Freight?

 

Update..........I just did a search at the HF website. I see what the Front Wheel Bearing Adaptors kit looks like. Wow.......looks like someone could perform surgery with that kit! Does it have a press, or is a bench vice used as a press?

Edited July 3, 2011 by Rooster2
added info

[msmithmmx]

Is that price with the bearing?

[heartless]

Is that price with the bearing?

 

was for me.

[msmithmmx]

The press is a big tool. To much room to store if its something not used often. Bring the knuckle and bearing to a shop and let them do it.

[Rooster2]

The press is a big tool. To much room to store if its something not used often. Bring the knuckle and bearing to a shop and let them do it.

 

Yea, I was starting to think the same. After seeing pictures of presses sold by Harbor Freight, they don't look like something that you would store in your tool box. Your advise is best, I need to take to a shop to have the work done.

[GeneralDisorder]

You don't need a press. The FWD service kit from HF works quite well. It's about $100 and the wheel bearing itself is about $25 - about another $20 for the seals if you need them. In addition to the HF set you may also need a small two or three jaw puller to remove the outboard inner race from the hub. The job can be done on the car without removing the knuckle. Working carefully it usually takes me about two hours to change one out. Save yourself some green and don't wimp out over a little wheel bearing job.

 

GD

[Rooster2]

You don't need a press. The FWD service kit from HF works quite well. It's about $100 and the wheel bearing itself is about $25 - about another $20 for the seals if you need them. In addition to the HF set you may also need a small two or three jaw puller to remove the outboard inner race from the hub. The job can be done on the car without removing the knuckle. Working carefully it usually takes me about two hours to change one out. Save yourself some green and don't wimp out over a little wheel bearing job.

 

GD

 

Thanks for advise, I will go to HF to check out what the FWD kit looks like. I have a buddy, and the two of us should be clever enough to swap out the wheel bearing.

[CNY_Dave]

I have a comment or 2 or 3, we'll see what it comes out as...

 

 

Under 300 bucks for a service job that requires a press? That's cheap!

 

I bought a press to do my wheel bearing because I will use the press for other things, would probably not buy one just for this job.

 

How much force can the HF or even the expensive hub-tamer achieve?

 

My HF 20 ton A-frame press was pretty near capacity* (so call it 15T, heh) to press the large outer-race from the knuckle, can a screw-press (which is what the HF and hub-tamer devices are) achieve that level of force?

 

 

* I say it was near capacity because I was using the included extension handle and I was just about hanging on the handle.

 

 

Dave

[tcspeer]

I agree with Dave, it takes alot of force to press that outer race out. I also have the twenty ton press from Harbor Freight, It works great for bearing and other work where a press is needed.

 

I have never used the hub tamer, so I wont knock it. But I do like the press.

[GeneralDisorder]

In my experience the HF FWD Service Set has plenty of force to do the job. I operate it with my 1/2" impact or sometimes an 18" 1/2" ratchet. So far I have done a '91 Legacy front, '98 SUS rear, '99 Forester rear, and a '97 Impreza front. None of them gave me any trouble. I *also* have a 20T press - and I prefer to use the FWD set for this job.

 

The forces that can be acheived with threads are quite high - especially if you use a relatively fine thread.

 

GD

[Rooster2]

I agree with Dave, it takes alot of force to press that outer race out. I also have the twenty ton press from Harbor Freight, It works great for bearing and other work where a press is needed.

 

I have never used the hub tamer, so I wont knock it. But I do like the press.

 

 

 

General Disorder wrote earlier on this thread: "In addition to the HF set you may also need a small two or three jaw puller to remove the outboard inner race from the hub." Dave, I am sure you are correct about it taking a lot of force to press that outer race out. Can anyone attest that a small two or three jaw puller is up to the task?

[GeneralDisorder]

They are different aspects of the job. The puller is to remove the *outboard, inner* race from the hub - not the outer race from the knuckle which is what they are talking about. If you don't have any other way to get the outboard inner race off the hub you can simply cut it off with a die grinder. Or if you have a press as apparently a number of us do - a bearing seperator makes short work of the outboard inner race.

 

GD

[Rooster2]

They are different aspects of the job. The puller is to remove the *outboard, inner* race from the hub - not the outer race from the knuckle which is what they are talking about. If you don't have any other way to get the outboard inner race off the hub you can simply cut it off with a die grinder. Or if you have a press as apparently a number of us do - a bearing seperator makes short work of the outboard inner race.

 

GD

 

Well, as you can tell, I have never done this job before. Would a dremmel tool have the cutting power to remove the outboard inner race off the hub?

[idosubaru]

In my experience the HF FWD Service Set has plenty of force to do the job.

nice hit GD. are you saying that with that kit you can do a complete front or rear wheel bearing job with nothing more than regular sockets/tools?

 

you didn't have to make/fabricate any additional pieces, plates, diameters, etc to make it work?

[Rooster2]

In my experience the HF FWD Service Set has plenty of force to do the job. I operate it with my 1/2" impact or sometimes an 18" 1/2" ratchet. So far I have done a '91 Legacy front, '98 SUS rear, '99 Forester rear, and a '97 Impreza front. None of them gave me any trouble. I *also* have a 20T press - and I prefer to use the FWD set for this job.

 

The forces that can be acheived with threads are quite high - especially if you use a relatively fine thread.

 

GD

 

I read one testimonial on the HF website advertising their FWD Service Set, stating he used an electric impact wrench in conjunction with the FWD. Is this a good idea??

[idosubaru]

I read one testimonial on the HF website advertising their FWD Service Set, stating he used an electric impact wrench in conjunction with the FWD. Is this a good idea??

GD just said he uses a 1/2" impact, same thing right? electrica/pneumatic doesn't mean much, they're all different ratings?

[GeneralDisorder]

You could use an impact of any type - though a cheap battery or electric one might not do much at times. A pneumatic or quality electric/battery operated impact will do the job nicely. Mine *claims* it makes 650 ft/lbs but I doubt it. You can also easily do it by hand with a ratchet and a cheater bar or just a long handled ratchet or breaker bar.

 

And yes - with the exception of removeing the outboard inner race from the hub, the FWD service set has everything you need to do a wheel bearing with hand tools.... without removing the knuckle from the car. Though I almost always do remove the knuckle and put in in my bench vise for easier access. It has all the right sizes and works perfectly.

 

A dremel would eventually work it's way through the outboard inner race - get the largest, toughest cutting wheels you can find..... Or just buy a cheap puller and grind the arms to fit under the lip of the race. Hell - buy a bearing seperator and drive the hub out of the race with a brass punch. There's a lot of ways to get it off.

 

GD

Edited July 5, 2011 by GeneralDisorder

[Rooster2]

You could use an impact of any type - though a cheap battery or electric one might not do much at times. A pnuematic or quality electric/battery operated impact will do the job nicely. Mine *claims* it makes 650 ft/lbs but I doubt it. You can also easily do it by hand with a ratchet and a cheater bar or just a long handled ratchet or breaker bar.

 

And yes - with the exception of removeing the outboard inner race from the hub, the FWD service set has everything you need to do a wheel bearing with hand tools.... without removing the knuckle from the car. Though I almost always do remove the knuckle and put in in my bench vise for easier access. It has all the right sizes and works perfectly.

 

A dremel would eventually work it's way through the outboard inner race - get the largest, toughest cutting wheels you can find..... Or just buy a cheap puller and grind the arms to fit under the lip of the race. Hell - buy a bearing seperator and drive the hub out of the race with a brass punch. There's a lot of ways to get it off.

 

GD

 

 

 

GD, thanks again, sounds like sage advise.

[unibrook]

Rooster, I have done a rear wheel bearing with a Hub Tamer.

I have a detailed writeup I can send you. Then you will know what is involved. if you want it: nwlovell at yahoo.

[Rooster2]

Update................

 

Last Thursday, with the help of a friend, we tackled replacing the RF wheel bearing on my 99 OBW. It took 5 hours to complete the job. Most of that time was spent removing the races from the spindle and knuckle. The hub tamer kit from Harbor Freight worked okay, but was not of the highest quality. The large bolt with the fine thread came with a flaw in the thread. We had to file the threads to be able to thread the bolt. So much for Chinese craftsmanship. Afterwards, I got to thinking that maybe the races could be removed more easily if antisieze was used upon installing the new bearing.

 

I don't know if I would want to do this job again. It is just so labor intensive and frustrating to remove the races. It is a job prolly better left to someone who has a press, or access to one.

 

My car sure drives better with a new bearing. On Thursday, I am getting a 4 wheel alignment, and hope I can drive on for many more miles.

[GeneralDisorder]

Update................

 

Last Thursday, with the help of a friend, we tackled replacing the RF wheel bearing on my 99 OBW. It took 5 hours to complete the job. Most of that time was spent removing the races from the spindle and knuckle. The hub tamer kit from Harbor Freight worked okay, but was not of the highest quality. The large bolt with the fine thread came with a flaw in the thread. We had to file the threads to be able to thread the bolt. So much for Chinese craftsmanship. Afterwards, I got to thinking that maybe the races could be removed more easily if antisieze was used upon installing the new bearing.

 

I don't know if I would want to do this job again. It is just so labor intensive and frustrating to remove the races. It is a job prolly better left to someone who has a press, or access to one.

 

It gets better after you have done a few and know what to expect. Usually takes me less than 2 hours. I would have returned that flawed bolt to HF - they are good about stuff like that. For the record mine was not flawed in any way - though I have managed to tear up the washers that go under the bolt head..... but such is the fate of washers and I will procure replacements when neccesary.

 

My car sure drives better with a new bearing. On Thursday, I am getting a 4 wheel alignment, and hope I can drive on for many more miles.

 

Good job! Glad it worked out for you.

 

GD

[smackvt]

what you r looking for is a hub shark try napa and use that name:)

[idosubaru]

what you r looking for is a hub shark try napa and use that name:)

i think that's the same thing/idea as the Hub Tamer, which is talked about here often, like earlier in this thread:

Rooster, I have done a rear wheel bearing with a Hub Tamer.

 

if so, they have the same issue i believe - rather expensive for someone just doing one wheel bearing job.