wheel bearing shot...
 

So yeah...wheel bearing is effed I guess. I've been told it's an easy a relatively easy fix. I really just have one question: Is it hard to take off the hub? You know the big bolt/thing behind the center of the wheel? Does that have anything to do with removing it? I would post pics but my comp is in Reno at my new house and I'm not yet.

I know I need to get that off and have a new wheel bearing pressed into the hub. It will be my first time doing this fix so I've been trying to get help from everywheres.

:?:

Sorry, I 'm not sure on the procedure, but I know Scott )sperry) and Dean have had bearing work done, they would have the best input.

Meh, I'm doing it today after work.

The easiest way IMO is to go by Subaru parts and get the bearings and seals, tell 'em you're picking it up for a shop that's going to do the work, and a lot of the time they'll give you the jobber price and save you some cash.

Here are the parts you'll need to do the front bearings on a WRX:

(Qty 2) 28015AA070 Oil Seal - Front Axle, Outer
(Qty 2) 28015AA021 Oil Seal - Front Axle, Inner
(Qty 2) 28016AA011NT Bearing - Front Axle
(Qty 2) 28044AA000 Nut - Axle
(Qty 2) 28035AA010 Snap Ring F (can get by without 'em)

Should be about $150 from Subaru if you get the jobber prices. You'll probably need different part numbers for a '96... but these P/Ns might be a starting point for figuring out what you need.

Then jack the front of the car up and take the axel nuts off, to release the front half-shafts from the hub. Then disassemble the rest of the bits that attach to the front knuckles. Make sure to mark the steering tie-rods and camber bolts so you don't screw up the alignment when you re-assemble everything later. Detailed instructions for the WRX are here: http://www.seccs.org/tech The procedure will be very similar for the '96.

Once you've got two disassembled knuckles and a box of bearing parts. Pick up some decent grease, since the bearings from Subaru are only packed in shipping grease. I use Redline CV grease available at Summit. It's pretty good synthetic grease for the price. Bring the knuckles, parts and grease to a machine shop. I brought mine to Aims over in Sparks. They charged me only 1 hour labor to press out the old bearings, pack the new bearings w/ the supplied grease, and reassemble.... about $65.

Once you get the parts back, re-install them on the car, taking care that the alignment is stays true, and making sure to torque everything to spec. And you should have a new set of bearings installed for about $200, give or take (hopefully the '96 parts are cheaper than the WRX bits). I believe Lithia quoted me like $900 to do that job.

The one thing to make sure of before you start tearing the car apart: call the machine shop and make sure they're not too busy to do the bearing swap, and make sure you've got a ride there, since you're car won't work very well with the front knuckles removed. ;)

Here's the contact info for Aims if you want to give them a shot:

Aims Machine Shop Inc
(775) 359-8866
1575 Glendale Ave
Sparks, NV 89431

Dang, thanks Sperry. We were doing fine except that we need the old bearing out and the new one pressed in. So my bud is doing that for me at a shop while I loaf around here at work, which is nice. I probably need a new axle assembly too.

Now isn't it true that if I one bearing goes the opposite one will go soon too?

Yeah, it's best to do 'em both at the same time. And it's also good to make sure you get some good grease in 'em while you're getting 'em done since they'll last that much longer.

ALL DONE. Now I can really see how these AGXs work...

I hope somebody reads this...but when a bearing is going can you feel the tire move side to side while you are driving? As if it was drifting? I haven't done the wobble test yet but I was just curious.

Sound is bad long before you can feel it. That sounds like tie rod or ball joint.

Jack up one corner and push/pull the top/bottom of the wheel/tire. Wheel bearing will allow movement while the strut stays still. ball joint the strut moves, and side to side slop is tie rod, or possibly steering rack bushings.

Other bushings could be going as well, but those are the biggies.

ANYBODY AVAILABLE EVER TO ASSIST IN REPLACING AN AXLE? I'll pay somebody I guess if I have to I just don't know what the heck I'm doing down there. I take everything apart just to sit there boggled. And $300 dollars for labor is shitty, I barely came up with $200 to buy the parts.

Axle or hub? An axle is a quick job, provided nothing goes wrong (and only about $70 in parts). A hub involves bearing replacement, and requires a shop press, but the parts installation/removal is still not complicated. What exactly are you trying to do?

Personally, I'm out of time for a few weeks, it looks like.

NM, my roommate is going to help me next week. I'm replacing the wheel bearing and axle.