Wheel Bearing Project Complete (56k death)

[entirelyturbo]

THERE IS HOPE!!!

All I needed was one of these bad boys right here...


... to cut into the offending nut like so:


and BAM! the nut comes off and the bolt slides right out:


The hub is off:


The strut is out:


And the left rear side is now apart:


Now I feel like a dumbass for beating the shit out of my rear quarter

But oh well, it's done, onto the next side.

[vrg3]

Cool, I'm glad it came out. What's done is done.

[entirelyturbo]

Oh boy, now it gets interesting.

First off, this side was just as difficult as the other side, but I managed to break that same bolt loose before I rounded it off. It actually involved me putting the breaker bar on the bolt, a crescent wrench on the nut up against the hub, and using my floor jack to push up against the breaker bar in order to break it loose.

The long bolt that goes through the two control arms took my 3rd Craftsman wrench to an early grave:


Who says I'm weak now?

But that same bolt did something really interesting... it ripped apart the rear control arm bushing on its way out. I actually had to use a tie-rod fork in order to get the bolt out:


So now I have ripped-up bushing remnants stuck in my control arm, and a bushing sleeve fused to the washer, which is stuck on the bolt head:


I think what I'm going to do, instead of taking the next day trying to get the sleeve off the bolt, I'll just get a new bolt and bushing and get the remnants of the bushing out of the control arm.

Okay, off to work.

[douglas vincent]

Now just wait and try to get your wheel bearings out of the hubs! I suspect your windows wont be intact.

They can be a serious, serious, SERIOUS BITCH! IF they were really truly fubarred, then they will have kinda grafted themselves to the hub wall. I had to heat them via a plasma cutter and then use a sledgehammer to break them out. A 5 ton bearing press wouldnt touch them.

Good luck, I feel your pain!

[entirelyturbo]

My friend who works at a body shop says he will use their press to pop the old bearings out and the new ones in for free.

I'm knocking very loudly on my wood desk that it happens with no hang-ups

[entirelyturbo]

Well, I'll be sending the hubs off tomorrow for the new bearings to be pressed in.

In the meantime, here's what I discovered tonight.

Remember that clunking I was describing? You heard it pretty good in the vid I put in the first post of this thread. Well, I think I found what it was.

The rear crossmember was shifting under either acceleration or braking, and after shifting so many times, it basically opened up the bolt holes in the crossmember. Observe:


See how they're kinda ellipsoidal instead of circular? I could actually count up to 4 clunks when I would take off, which appears to be each hole hitting its respective bolt.

I already had one threaded hole in the body stripped out, and now it appears I have two, as the other bolt on the driver's side came out without any turning.

So now it appears I'm gonna hafta come up with a different rear crossmember, and tap two new threads in the body. So that brings up a question: Am I correct in saying the body is steel? What would be an appropriate cutting oil for steel that I can use to tap the new threads in. When I retapped the threads in my XT's heads for the exhaust studs, I used kerosene for my cutting oil since I heard that was the best for aluminum and it worked great. Any thoughts on that?

[entirelyturbo]

Actually, I've heard the holes in the crossmember are SUPPOSED to be like that, to allow for adjustment upon installation. I unfortunately paid no attention to it when I dropped my tranny, so I dunno. Can anyone confirm that please??

Anyway, my progress. I had a friend try doing one bearing for me, my right rear which was my worst one, and he said it took him an hour and a half to swap them!! He said the old bearing literally broke into pieces on its way out. So telling me he didn't have time or the tools to do the rest, he gave the other 3 back to me. Hey, I can't complain, he did that one for free.

But the other three were DEFINITELY not free. I didn't feel comfortable having some Joe Schmo do them, so I just took them and a tube of KY Jelly to the Subaru dealer and $380 of labor later, all 4 bearings are installed (the service advisor insisted that what they did was essentially $1100 worth of work, so I supposedly got a good deal ) Whatever, time is of the essence here as I started summer school yesterday. So here are the replenished hubs (the dealer cleaned up the 3 they did real nice, my friend just did the bearing):



The old bearings were pretty scored as you can see in these poorly-focused pictures:


I am rather pissed at myself right now, because I screwed up the axle stub on my left front axle trying to get it out, so I can't put the nut on it. Yep, that means I have to BUY a new axle, but it's my 4WD axle up front, so I will just get a 2WD axle from cvaxles.com so it will match my right side 2WD axle And they're pretty close to me so I think it will be here by the end of the week. The right side is just fine though, so I put that hub on:


That bushing that I ruined getting the rear hub off? Josh, I understand just how much you HATE bushings. I had a fun time getting the old one out, but I really have put some blood, sweat and tears into putting the new one in. I lubed it up real good before trying to put it in ( ) and I've used several rudimentary machines to get it in, and here's one:


I've got it almost all the way in, the lip on the back side is still not all the way out though.

Struts, I ordered new strut rod bushings or whatever they're called, the little foamy bushing that sits at the top of the strut rod, so those should be in tomorrow.

I hope to have all 4 hubs and struts on the car by the weekend, and I'll finish the stuff like the parking brake (gasp!) over the weekend.

There is hope, I can see light at the end of the tunnel!

[entirelyturbo]

I am so thoroughly disgusted right now.

Does anyone know just how much the strut rod bushings (or whatever they're called that hold up the dust boot on the strut) are???

Subaruparts.com lists EACH front one at $32, and EACH rear one at $55.37. That's list.

My dealer overcharges a bit, and then I get my wholesale discount, so I pay about the same as I would through Subaruparts.

So that means for all 4 bushings, I just got screwed out of $157.52.

FOR 4 FUCKING BUSHINGS!!!

And no, Advance nor Autozone carry them, dealer-only part. I tried.

I seriously am able to go nowhere this weekend. I'm going to have to actually swap my springs onto my new struts ASAP so I can get my deposit back on the spring compressor. That will be the money that takes me through next week until I get paid.

[entirelyturbo]

I woke up late, which pissed me off, but I started work. I got the passenger front side completely back together


Lunchtime now, and I'll update with more progress.

[evolutionmovement]

Sorry I haven't followed this. Did you mess up the axle end by hitting it with a hammer? Always use a mallet if you did (happens with boats a lot). Maybe you can fix the end with a thread chaser. However, buying a thread chaser in the right size may cost almost as much as a new damn axle.

For the dust boot, do you just mean the rubber thing that hangs out over the strut rod? Did you check into getting some boots from an off road truck steering or suspension set up? One long boot may even fit two struts if cut or something.

Steve

[entirelyturbo]

Yeah, I must have messed up the axle that way. I haven't gotten to the rears yet; I hope I didn't do the same to those.

The boots weren't the kicker, it was the bushings that hold them up. I ordered new ones thinking they weren't gonna be that much, but whatever. Too late now.

But something else has come up, and it has me so pissed off that I probably won't be online for a week or two until I figure out what I'm going to do with this car, with both my cars, and with Subarus in general.


This is as far as my driver's front rotor will go on. Apparently the cocksucker that did my bearings and installed my studs must have slightly bent them outward somehow, far enough out that they won't slide through the rotor holes.

I tried bending them inwards with a vise, and have already slightly damaged the threads on the studs (even though I put rags on them to cushion them). I refuse to bring a hammer anywhere near these things, because that's how I fucked up my old wheel bearings to begin with.

Right now, it's raining and dark outside, so I will have no problem going right to sleep for the rest of the night. That's gonna be about the only way I keep from doing something stupid, endangering either the car or myself.

I'll see you guys in a week or so.

[IronMonkeyL255]

Hmmm.....

To get the studs out, you could put a socket on the back, around the stud (so when it pressed out, it'd be in the socket) and just press it out with a C-clamp.

Just a suggestion that will keep the hammer on the shelf.

[entirelyturbo]

It's funny how I expect like 50 replies telling me to stick it out and don't give up, and them I'm surprised when there really aren't any... Why?? Coz I do this sorta thing every week

Anyway, it so happens that my grandfather has re-registered his truck, and also granted me permission to use the wagon as much as I want. That at least gives me some breathing room to figure out what to do.

BTW, my XT has decided it doesn't wanna play the daily driver role (clunks in the front [figures ], leaking rack, spongy brakes, MC maybe, and typical air suspension woes). So I don't feel comfortable driving it at this point.

I finished swapping the struts over, so I got my money back for the spring compressors, which leaves me to take care of these 3 remaining issues:

1) Put the rear end back together
2) Wonder what I did with all the parking brake parts
3) Deal with this wheelstud issue.

IronMonkey, I was already pondering the exact method you described. It sucks that I will probably have to get more new wheelstuds, but what can ya do?

As always, more updates and pics as I go along.

[entirelyturbo]

I will never let the guy at the Subaru dealer touch anything related to my cars ever again.

Turns out the driver's rear hub also has its studs slightly bent. I can get the rotor on, but it will be a bit difficult, bad enough that I'm concerned of ruining the threads on the studs.

Speaking of those, I have come to a conclusion: Our wheelstuds are made of Jello. I already have a wheelstud on the aforementioned hub which got banged up somewhere bad enough that I dunno if I can get a lug nut on it. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the guy at the dealer did that shit.

Anyway, I only have the rear hubs on with the long bolt that goes through the two control arms. I can't get the trailing arm to line up without disconnecting the swaybar it seems, so I will attempt that tomorrow, and then if all goes well, I'll put the rear struts in.

[entirelyturbo]

Talk about not being able to see the forest for the trees.

I didn't hardly do anything with this car for a couple weeks, mainly because I wasn't quite sure what to do, and also because I was just too pissed off.

I was trying to think of a way to remove these bent studs without hammering them out, and I had cut one off the front left side with a grinder. I tried several different C-clamp positions but nothing was working. I left it alone for a while.

Then, I dunno how or why it happened, but the most basic and obvious idea came into my head. I had been instructed by several people (including Brat4by4) to put a lug nut on the bent studs and tap them back into position. None of them understood how anxious I was about bringing a hammer anywhere near these hubs. But I developed that idea into something even easier: put a lug nut on the studs and then just take your lug nut wrench and use your own muscle power to bend them back...

I tried that, and whaddya know??? They bent back and the rotor slid on perfectly

Unfortunately, that was AFTER I had already sawed that one stud off, but I honestly don't care. I'll just run with 4 studs on that wheel. The threads on them aren't perfect, but I tested them and I can put lug nuts on them without too much difficulty, so I'm just gonna use them. I put the rotor on and put the brakes back together:


So that's out of my hair.

Next is putting the parking brake back together, which honestly isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I was quite nervous about working with drum brakes since I've never done them before, but I asked my dealer to make me a photocopy of his parts diagram which shows all the parking brake parts and exactly where they go. Coupled together with the Haynes' surprisingly clear and easy-to-follow instructions, I got the left side parking brake back together without any real hiccups:


So now I'm going to do the right side in the same fashion, then test them to be sure they're right, then put the driving brakes together on the rear, then I want to retap the holes in the body for my center bearing that I cross-threaded when I did my tranny drop, and then I just have to buy lug nuts and once I get it off the jackstands, take it straight to the alignment shop, and I WILL be able to drive this car again!!!

[entirelyturbo]

Finished the parking brake and driving brake stuff...

Gonna hang out with some friends tonight and then I'll do the center bearing stuff tomorrow.

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Yes, use a breaker bar and some man, and it should come off.

I too rarely wear closed in shoes, most of the time I don't wear anything.

Everytime I go give hardy a hand with something he's always barefoot in the garage. Dont know how he does it, i cant stand being barefoot. Not even on the beach.

A good breaker bar should get those bolts loose... if that doesnt work try an even bigger bar.

-Brian

[douglas vincent]

My God you are insane! I don't know if I could take the pressure of not having my wagon running that long!

Of course I am insane as well, having to have mine down, what, 5 times for major engine rebuild, tranny rebuilds and what not. Chirst.

And I get a definate "I told you so!" on the wheel bearings. Man, aren't they an exspensive bitch!!!!!!!!


Keep hangin in there! Because when you die, you might be happy. At least thats what my wife tells me. She is getting a little pissed with me for the time and money I have spent on my wagon and not on her. I gotta lay low...........

[entirelyturbo]

WWAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

Nothing ever goes right. Ever.

I wrapped everything up today, the center bearing thread re-tap was a complete success, and I bought lug nuts for it today. I put them on, put it on the ground, check everything to make sure I didn't miss any bolts or nuts or anything, and head straight to work with plans to have them align it.

Just about everything is fine, the new bearings are silent as a mouse, the clunking is totally gone, everything is fine except for one thing: my right rear strut is making a lot of noise on bumps. I hesitate but I'm already late for work so I just drive it there, missing as many bumps as I can.

They do the alignment (I wish I had waited now) and when I get a chance, I pull the back seat out and check the strut. The nuts are tight, so it's not loose. I push up and down on that corner of the car and watch the mount... Sure enough the strut rod stays completely still while the mount moves with the car. SONUVABITCH!!!

So now I have to rush-order a strut mount from the stealership and hope to swap it out Friday before I head to my much-awaited Static-X concert.

I'm not going to drive it because it's that bad. It makes horrific noise even over a painted line on the road. I'm gonna take the wagon to school tomorrow since my granpa's not using it for the morning, and then I'll just carefully drive my XT to work and back until I get this fixed.

Why do I keep putting myself through this? Why have I spent all this money chasing after problems that never seem to go away? Because I still loved driving this car, even just to work and back, so much that I have no other option...

[THAWA]

Bah, I thought you were going to say the bearing came apart. Glad it's running again, topmounts are nothing. You should hear the SVX.

[jamal]

I also have been having similar hang-ups. Here is what I had to do to get my lateral link (without an endlink tab) off:



The bushing was stuck to the bolt, so after completely melting the bushing apart with a torch and still not having it come off, I borrowed a sawzall and a metal blade and cut through it. Now I'm finding that no dealers around here have the bolt that goes there to adjust toe. I'm currently driving around with a grade 8 bolt from home depot in there. You can also see how the same thing happened on the other side. I had to bring the long bolt to home depot to have them take it off.

Well, I guess I could just update my thread. Good luck with your stuff.

[entirelyturbo]

I swapped the strut mount, then took it for a drive.

The sound I was hearing before is gone, but it still sounds like something is loose back there whenever I hit a bump.

This feeling is spread throughout the entire car. The previous tightness and feeling of newness that the car had is no longer there. Everything feels loose and unsteady.

Honestly, since I have a 30-day warranty on my alignment that I did at my work, I think I'm gonna have someone do it over and tighten down all the bolts and nuts and whatever that they find loose. I did do this entire project with hand tools, so it's entirely possible that I don't have some of the bolts as tight as they need to be.

Other than that, consider this project done and (I guess) a success.

Anyway, here's a pic of her in all her ugliness sitting outside right now:

[THAWA]

I now know why you feel the way you feel.

[entirelyturbo]

Hehe Hardy, I did all this work and I'm still not done, and the car still looks like ass...

There are a lot of noises coming from this car. I mean a lot. I'm growing concerned already. I think I know what one is... there is a clinking sound coming from the rear whenever I hit the brakes, only when I'm moving. I think that's probably because I have no shims on my rear pads. I never have actually, but somehow I've gotten away with it till now.

But there are still clunks and squeaks and all kinds of stuff that I'm not too thrilled about.

In retrospect, for anyone else who might wanna do this, I will say a few things:

- You really need air or some sort of power tools to do this. Suspension parts that haven't moved in 15 years are not fun to tackle with hand tools. You may, and probably will, run into a situation where a bolt simply won't move and must be sawed off, or breaks or something, so be prepared.

- Make sure the bearings you buy have grease in them, if they don't grease them thoroughly. Keep track of all your bearing seals too.

- For the rear, you need to detach the swaybar from the control arm, otherwise it will be too difficult to reinstall the hub when the time comes.

- Be patient, and keep track of all your parts. You will have lots of little bolts, nuts and various parts that will need to be organized (especially parking brake stuff).

And be prepared to spend some money. I don't see how anyone can do this project for less that $500.

[THAWA]

What grease did you use with your bearings? The grease it came in or the wheel bearing grease?