Subaruist Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 I'm used to the 1st Gen. Subaru Brats, I knew jut about every screw and bolt in them by name. My 2nd Gen Brat needs at least the right front wheel bearing, and with the 1st Gen Brats, it was a breeze of a job, easy as anyone could ask for;so I got the stuff, got down there with everything and started in on it - and... How the hell do I get these bearings out? They are not like 1st Gen Brats, so I look it up, and it says they can only be taken out and/or installed with a press at the dealer !!! Oh NO!!! - NO!!! - NO!!! I doubt I would actually need a dealer, a decent mechanic should be able to handle it, but still, the mechanics in my area have been miserably disappointing in their competence alone!, to say nothing about what they would want to do such a job! The place that told me I need bearings also told me that I have a problem with my power steering, -except that I DON'T HAVE POWER STEERING (Idiots!) - AND, it appears that when they checked it, they left the axle nut LOOSE !!! (idiots!) The bearing really does need replacing, even thought the Brat dries ok with out it, and the horrible noises have disappeared since I took it apart and put it back together - and tightened the axel nut!. But the grease was dark with rust, and the bearing balls were rough with rust. I could really use some good news here - like I don't really need a press at all?, or I can get an inexpensive toll to do it? Something? anything? (Sniff,sigh...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naru Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Hammer and punch for the win. Only hit the outer race. Use a smallish hammer and alternate the punch position 180 degrees between hits. They are actually difficult to set up in a press. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BratRod Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Did all 4 of my front ones with a hammer, punch, and a big socket. Wasn't a difficult job. Just be patient with it. Getting then out is easy, too. Just hammer them from behind. I opted to take my knuckle off for this job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftwneon Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaruist Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Good replies and info once again guys. - I still have two (smaller) problems though - #1: I do not have a place to work on my Brat, so I have to get away with doing things like this in a back parking lot of an empty store or something, and in order to do this, I would have to at least take the axle off (I am assuming that will not have any unpleasant surprises), much less takin the knuckle off. #2: Assuming I CAN do so one way or the other, I would still need something to do the hammering part. I don't have a socket that big and would not want to buy one just for this, although I will keep an eye out for such at the local yard sales, thrift stores or whatever. I am assuming I can use a regular nail hammer to do the hammering, don;t have a sledge. I am also wondering if I could find the right size piece of scrap metal. Funny thing is I saw a piece of round hardwood about the right size just the other day at the thrift store, held it in my hand and thought, nice, I have no use for it though.... Lol... This will take some thought and searching, etc. But at least I know that it is possible to do myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djellum Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I would take the assembly to a machine shop. the one I used local pressed out the old bearings, tanked the housing, greased and installed the bearings and seals for $35 a side. had it ready for me the next day but I dropped it off late, they could probably do a 1 day turn around if you get there in the morning. you could even have them torque in the axle if you wish and then it would only be a half dozen bolts and an axle pin to put them in. if you have more money than time you can pick up a couple of housings from a junk yard or parts car and have the machine shop put everything in those, then just switch them out into your car. if you change the ball joint at the same time (usually a decent idea) then you can have the whole thing ready to drop in and drive in minimal time. they may even have a back area to put the car while they do the job. I have seen some other equipment sitting inside their fence while they worked on part of it, but Idk if they will extend that courtesy for a car. you could use a bit of wood or something, but it absorbs impact and you should be careful the end doesn't start to deteriorate and get wood splinters in your bearing assembly. If you plan to remove the assembly to take it in somewhere then either replace the ball joint, or pull the unit still attached to the lower control arm so you don't ruin the ball joint. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hsoj Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 For "pressing" the bearings back in, I use an old bearing I ground down on a belt sander so it would slip in and out of the knuckle. That way you can just tap it in with a hammer. I did notice a difference between 2wd knuckles and 4wd knuckles if you plan on going the jy route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaruist Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 (edited) I would take the assembly to a machine shop. the one I used local pressed out the old bearings, tanked the housing, greased and installed the bearings and seals for $35 a side. had it ready for me the next day but I dropped it off late, they could probably do a 1 day turn around if you get there in the morning. you could even have them torque in the axle if you wish and then it would only be a half dozen bolts and an axle pin to put them in. if you have more money than time you can pick up a couple of housings from a junk yard or parts car and have the machine shop put everything in those, then just switch them out into your car. if you change the ball joint at the same time (usually a decent idea) then you can have the whole thing ready to drop in and drive in minimal time. they may even have a back area to put the car while they do the job. I have seen some other equipment sitting inside their fence while they worked on part of it, but Idk if they will extend that courtesy for a car. you could use a bit of wood or something, but it absorbs impact and you should be careful the end doesn't start to deteriorate and get wood splinters in your bearing assembly. If you plan to remove the assembly to take it in somewhere then either replace the ball joint, or pull the unit still attached to the lower control arm so you don't ruin the ball joint. Good call on the ball joint.In the old days when I off-roaded and beat the crap out of these, I always kept a spare pair, as a ball joint is one of those things that can drop a Subaru dead on the road, and were fairly cheap to get (then). I also very much like the idea of getting the housing and having that done. I will have to check and see if I can find a pair. Money is more than tight right now, and if I had it to spend, I would be buying new rotors/hubs just for good measure. Hard to imagine someone doing them for only $35a side - but aside from the part being out of the vehicle already, I guess taking it to a machine shop instead of a mechanic is a good move. I simply do not/cannot trust the local mechanics here. I have seen a lot of inexcusable incompetence and times where I asked for a particular job done and they did not do what I paid them to. Yours seems like the best and most intelligent solution overall if I can swing it. Edited August 19, 2014 by Subaruist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djellum Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 check craigslist. there may be a good old boy doing mechanic work in your area under the table. generally cheaper, and gives you another pool of talent to pull from. I have a few friends who do side jobs and are great mechanics, but of course they are not in your area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaruist Posted August 20, 2014 Author Share Posted August 20, 2014 (edited) check craigslist. there may be a good old boy doing mechanic work in your area under the table. generally cheaper, and gives you another pool of talent to pull from. I have a few friends who do side jobs and are great mechanics, but of course they are not in your area. If I were to first get some recommendation from someone (here) about a particular mechanic, I might, and know of only one that I would trust so far. Otherwise, the mechanics in my area are idiots and people who don't do the job I paid them to do for the most part. - By the way, in Medfod, Oregon, DON'T TRUST LES SCHWAB FOR ANYTHING! They can't handle the simplest estimate for a serious safety-oriented problem, and tried to tell me that I needed work on my power steering - my Brat does not have power steering, and when I pointed that out, they stuck to their story anyway, maybe hoping that I was irretrievably stupid or something. - By the way, on this same subject, The REAL problem was that my Axel nut was loose (before I tried anything on it) . Either they did not actually check the problem out properly, or they took the wheel off and then did not tighten the axle nut. Either way, that is a FAIL. Either way, they demonstrated complete irresponsibility and utter incompetence on about 3 or 4 issues, so they will not be doing ANY work on my vehicles, not even changing a tire! - AND, since I attempted to to the bearings myself (Hense this thread) and discovered the real problem, and tightened things back up like they belong, the problem has 100% vanished without the slightest effect or noise, etc. I am still going to do the wheel bearings. and a lot of other stuff as well. When I was at my lowest point on this issue, just before coming online and posting this thread, I thought to myself "If someone just up and gave me a Corvette for free, and said it needed a whole lot of fixing up, how would I feel about that?" 2nd Gen Subaru Brats are worth more to me than a Corvette. I love them, I love this Brat. and if I have to do a whole lot of work and spend money every time I have it to spend, then its worth it! I do have the advantage that I don't have a wife or kids or other dependents of any sort, so I can go that way . (Thankfully! lol) Edited August 20, 2014 by Subaruist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djellum Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 schwab is not a place to get anything but tires. they don't hire mechanics they hire manual labor and make them work on cars. occasionally you get one where someone has some skill, but that is hit or miss and isn't designed that way. I think Gloyale has a shop in corvallis but that is still way far away. you can maybe post in the want adds here looking for some mechanic help. might be theres a member who has a home shop nearby who is willing to help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaruist Posted August 21, 2014 Author Share Posted August 21, 2014 schwab is not a place to get anything but tires. they don't hire mechanics they hire manual labor and make them work on cars. occasionally you get one where someone has some skill, but that is hit or miss and isn't designed that way. I think Gloyale has a shop in corvallis but that is still way far away. you can maybe post in the want adds here looking for some mechanic help. might be theres a member who has a home shop nearby who is willing to help Actually, I like your previous suggestion. Machine shops are rarely the habitation of incompetence. They do the very specific and direct jobs. They usually know what they are doing, and since the part would be out of the vehicle, the job would be quicker and easier than having a mechanic of any sort do it. IT all depends on me finding that housing and finding it as cheaply as possible, yet is good or better condition to justify using it, if not getting fancy and maybe even painting it, lol. The ball joint may be inexpensive, and I should be able to do it myself easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coronan Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Can anyone provide part numbers for this job? I see 2 different styles listed for the rear. Napa lists a 2 piece double roller or a 2 piece tapered roller for the inner and outer. Which is right for a gen 2 brat? http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Result.aspx?Ntt%3dwheel%2bbearing%26Ntk%3dKeyword%26Nty%3d1%26N%3d599001%2b101982%2b50068%2b2068002# Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coronan Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I Read this and am still confused. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/107722-pictorial-wheel-bearing-guide-4wd-rear/ Napa parts do not look like the parts installed.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 The first 2 "rear" bearings down on that page listing are both likely right.....the NTN one for sure. The NTN is the OE bearing for subaru so I'd get it. The listings below that for "inner" and "outer" would be for a 2wd EA81 vehichle application (FWD wagon, sedan, hatch) but of course Brats never came 2wd so ignore that. What you pulled out may be the original 3 Piece setup...with 2 narrow tapper bearings and a large spacer between.....this design sometimes can spin one of the thin bearings......and is not as simple as the 1 piece, large double roller that replaces it. Subaru changed to the new style somewere around 87~88. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coronan Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 I'll get the NTNs comming Part Number: ATM 2123001 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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