Thought it was a front wheel bearing

[lovethelib]

Over the last few months i have noticed a slight noise which i thought to be front right wheel. I had a similar rear end problem that turned out to be wheel bearings (Hub).

Subaru confirmed front wheel bearing but after further checking and changing CV shaft inform me that it is coming from the Diff/Gearbox which requires a 1 - 3 k OVERHAUL.

The car is manual MY04 with 220,000 KMs. I have trawled the forum and have not been able to locate a similar thread.

Is this a common problem - wnat are my options.

[Robbks]

Subaru CONFIRMED a front wheel-bearing
but changed a CV shaft.
now decide it's a diff/ gearbox issue...

WTF...?

where are you located?
find a better workshop than a Subaru Stealership

[lovethelib]

Thanks for that.

Actually it is a little less black and white than that - needless to say that the CV shaft was worn and would have had to be replaced - but they also found that there was a problem with the Diff Bearings.

Yes I do plan to look around but wanted some advice re the problem of the bearings.

Sunshine Coast

Subaru CONFIRMED a front wheel-bearing
but changed a CV shaft.
now decide it's a diff/ gearbox issue...

WTF...?

where are you located?
find a better workshop than a Subaru Stealership

[Robbks]

Sunny coast...
Take it to Al and Miles at AMAuto. (Noosaville)
http://www.amauto.com.au/home.html

I've seen front diff issues in Foresters, but not personally in a 6speed.
the 6 speeds usually lock up the centre diff, which makes the car hard to turn on full lock (inside wheels will skip and box/ cv's will clunk)

[kiks]

Go see Al or Miles.

If its a front diff issue they have the hookups.

Also a CV is 50-100 bucks drop off pick up at driveline services at brendale. Depending on wear.

For it to be a diff bearing something is amiss. It will be found though.

[lovethelib]

Final!

I went to the service centre in Brisbane and had a calm chat about the situation - they paid me back all the money that I had spent with them for the CV shaft and labour. They saw the error of their ways and agreed that their diagnosis techniques were not up to scratch – I cant help but feel they were more worried that they had been caught out.

First a big thank you to all those who have read and posted.

IT WAS THE FRONT BEARING - I may have fallen foul to some inefficient or deceptive practices of a well known car service franchise in Brisbane.

* Subaru in Noosa had pinpointed the fault as front wheel bearing
* My weekly travel to Brisbane meant that I had to get it sorted locally and took it to well known franchise close to my work (who also confirmed FWB)
* Submitted to service - got a call saying that FWB ok CV had worn and needed to be replaced - that seemed OK!
* Picked up from service - noise still there informed me that "car requires front diff overhaul and LH drive shaft"
* I figured someone was yanking my chain!
* Book in to Noosa Subaru (Saturday morning) to change FWB - noise gone and drives like the day i bought it.

I would not like to name the company until I fully understand their motto " our experience and honesty is your guarantee of quality"

Thank you all again!

Over the last few months i have noticed a slight noise which i thought to be front right wheel. I had a similar rear end problem that turned out to be wheel bearings (Hub).

Subaru confirmed front wheel bearing but after further checking and changing CV shaft inform me that it is coming from the Diff/Gearbox which requires a 1 - 3 k OVERHAUL.

The car is manual MY04 with 220,000 KMs. I have trawled the forum and have not been able to locate a similar thread.

Is this a common problem - wnat are my options.

[Alkem1st]

That's terrible. Glad you found them out and didn't get ripped with an unneeded overhaul.

I think I have this issue, bought an 04 lib GT and didn't notice the sound during the test drive as it seems to get louder when the car is warm. Thought it was brakes as it goes away a bit under braking but can't find anywhere that the rotor shield is rubbing and the pads have heaps of meat. Seems like a front wheel bearing but what were the symptoms in your case?

[Tradewind]

Wheel bearings with a sometimes shorter than usual life seem to be a bit of an Subaru thing

I have a mate with an Impreza GC and its always needing a LH rear wheel bearing just like most of its mates of that model/year. Seems same with Liberty's, a wheel bearing here or there. I have had plenty cars in my life and apart from an Old F100 4WD that had had water in the wheel bearings causing them to be shot before their time I had no other instances of WB failing. In saying that I know the bearings are wearing from the first minute the car is driven but mostly the rate of wear is ultra slow - except in a few random models of vehicles - a couple of Subaru models being some of them. Some early Kia light trucks - the bearings only lasted 40 000km and gonski.

[Alkem1st]

Cool, i've never had a wheel bearing go before so not even sure what to look for. Had a GC rex for 5 years but that was fine. Hopefully it's a cheap enough part and easy enough job.

[kiks]

Because Subaru wheel bearings did not change from 1980 to 2005. And the fronts have not changed from 80 to 2012+. Why do you think sti's 05+ run 114 hubs? And gen 4 2005+ run a slightly different rear to earlier gen4/gen 3.

Shit fails, is also only 120 dollars, a 32 mm, 17 and 14mm socket away from being changed. could do it on the side of the road heh.

[Alkem1st]

Glad to hear it's straight forward and cheap enough. Had fun cracking the driveshaft nut on the rex when I changed the CV boot last year , hopefully the lib isn't so tight or it's back to the longass breaker bar...

[cliffo3rb]

Shit fails, is also only 120 dollars, a 32 mm, 17 and 14mm socket away from being changed. could do it on the side of the road heh.

Is that price for a whole hub assembly? or just the bearing?

[kiks]

Entire with studs. From the states. 110 and 160 locally f/ r for a gen 4

[Alkem1st]

What's a good site to source such parts from the states?

[JaffaSIX]

hey,

Where have you guys found Wheel bearings for $160?
Cheapest I can find one from Subaru is $215