Replace Front Wheel Bearing

[juxtaposed]

I have a 2000 Subaru Legacy Outback Wagon, and it was just confirmed that my drivers side front wheel bearing is shot (The GF drove into a very steep driveway at 30+ MPH and slammed the tire). The car is way out of warranty and the cheapest place I found that would do it is still over $400. Is this something I can do myself in the driveway? and if so, do I need any special tools? Thanks.

[mtsmiths]

Woah, find another shop if you can't do it yourself (I didn't). We had the left side done on our '00 Legacy, and it only came to about $215.00, including realigning the front end.

[juxtaposed]

Thanx, tell me about it, that's huge money that we just don't have right now. Im gonna keep calling around, but would just as soon do it myself if I can. I've done bearings on other older cars in the past, but nothing as new as a 2000, so I am concerned that it may be more then I can do.

[SevenSisters]

A couple ways to do it:

 

Remove the knuckle and have a shop press out and replace the bearing and then have an alignment.

 

Spend $300 or so on the tools (Hubtamer).

 

See if you can rent the tool.

 

See if someone responds that bought the less expensive Harbor Freight bearing tools. Not sure if they will work alone.

 

A lot of board members have done this and may be able to offer additional help. So far I've only needed to to a rear.

[joeo]

I recently did this on my 1990 Legacy wagon. It wasn't too bad - bought a new bearing and had a local shop press it in. Took some pictures and notes of the process. Hope you find it helpful:

http://www.lovehorsepower.com/SubaruDocs/wheel_bearings.htm

[idosubaru]

wheel bearings can be tricky for a number of reasons. if you want to save money, buy the bearing (subaruparts.com maybe, super cheap) and take the hub to an automotive machine shop. they should pack it and install it for about 50 dollars. then install the hub yourself. removing the hub is easy and straight forward (In my oppinion) compared to wheel bearings. i did this last year and they charged 100 dollars to do both front hubs.

[JT95]

Had the same deal on my 95 wagon recently. A couple of folks mentioned removing the knuckle yourself and then have a machine shop press out the old and in the new bearings. Pressing them out can be a bit of a trick and you'll bust your tone wheel if you aren't careful--that's assuming you have a hydraulic press yourself. Let a shop do it--it won't take them any time to put it on the press and they won't charge much because they don't have to fool with disassembly/assembly because you're doing that.

[unibrook]

Grossgary has the right idea. This will be least muss and fuss. My bro and I did our '82 GL wagon bearings all the way around. It is doable. Go slow, be careful...you will get there.

 

wheel bearings can be tricky for a number of reasons. if you want to save money, buy the bearing (subaruparts.com maybe, super cheap) and take the hub to an automotive machine shop. they should pack it and install it for about 50 dollars. then install the hub yourself. removing the hub is easy and straight forward (In my oppinion) compared to wheel bearings. i did this last year and they charged 100 dollars to do both front hubs.