Wheel bearing replace - What should it cost?

[Vanguard]

1992 Subaru Legacy L wagon AWD non-turbo non-ABS

I'm in the midwest in the U.S. With the cold weather that has beset
us, I hear wheel bearing noise from the left front wheel. Goes away
after I drive a couple of miles. I don't hear it when driving from
work to home after the car has been sitting in the work parking lot
for the day but I have heard it the last 3 days in a row when starting
to drive from my garage to go to work in the cold morning. Wondering
what a car shop is going to charge me to replacing the bearing(s).

 

[johninKY]

I'll take a wag at it. Figure $100 for the bearing and new seals and
another for labor. Curious to learn how close I was.

 

[parker w.]

1992 Subaru Legacy L wagon AWD non-turbo non-ABS

I'm in the midwest in the U.S. With the cold weather that has beset
us, I hear wheel bearing noise from the left front wheel. Goes away
after I drive a couple of miles. I don't hear it when driving from
work to home after the car has been sitting in the work parking lot
for the day but I have heard it the last 3 days in a row when starting
to drive from my garage to go to work in the cold morning. Wondering
what a car shop is going to charge me to replacing the bearing(s).

Haha, funny that I found this article. My bearing acutally just jammed
up (NOT FUN). But I ended up buying a new one for bout 55 bucks, and
took me.... give it 4 hours to replace it. Found out though that the
part of the axle the bearing rests on actually got worn down, so now I
need to replace it. Thats fun right there!

--parker

 

[Vanguard]

I'll take a wag at it. Figure $100 for the bearing and new seals
and
another for labor. Curious to learn how close I was.

Dealer quoted $500 for one side. Car shop was close but said to do
both sides at $750 since I've never had them replaced in this 14-year
old car. Apparently this job is very labor intensive since the
knuckle has to be removed from the car to drive out the inner bearing,
press in the bearings and that means disconnecting or removing the
brakes, the strut, tie rod, and axle shaft. Basically they would be
dismantling and reassembling the whole damn suspension and drive to
that knuckle. It was when I read the instructions at
http://arrc.epnet.com/autoapp/8797/8797R08_Front_Wheel_Bearings.htm
that I decided this one I wouldn't do myself.

 

[SuperPoo]

1992 Subaru Legacy L wagon AWD non-turbo non-ABS

I'm in the midwest in the U.S. With the cold weather that has beset us, I
hear wheel bearing noise from the left front wheel. Goes away after I
drive a couple of miles. I don't hear it when driving from work to home
after the car has been sitting in the work parking lot for the day but I
have heard it the last 3 days in a row when starting to drive from my
garage to go to work in the cold morning. Wondering what a car shop is
going to charge me to replacing the bearing(s).

I just did it on my car-- it was not too bad. Getting the knuckle off the
car took about an hour, took it to a local shop, had them press the old
bearing out and the new bearings in. Then about another hour to put all back
togther and then off to the shop for an alignment. Total cost was about
$150.00

Steve

 

[johninKY]

Although it may appear to be a bunch of work involved, it really isn't that
much. Remove 2 strut bolts and the strut is out of the problem. Another 2
bolts and the caliper is out of the way. One pinch bolt down at the ball
joint, the axle nut and the tie rod end and the hub is free. Problem
areas are removing the axle nut and the tie rod end. You can rent an
electric impact gun and a tie rod puller.

 

[Vanguard]

Although it may appear to be a bunch of work involved, it really
isn't that
much. Remove 2 strut bolts and the strut is out of the problem.
Another 2
bolts and the caliper is out of the way. One pinch bolt down at the
ball
joint, the axle nut and the tie rod end and the hub is free.
Problem
areas are removing the axle nut and the tie rod end. You can rent
an
electric impact gun and a tie rod puller.

The impact wrench was one of the tools that I didn't have. I didn't
think about renting one. The cost for buying one would outweigh the
savings of doing the labor myself. I couldn't get the bolts off using
a breaker bar and I didn't like using a 12-point socket since that
could round off the points on the bolt head or nut (I need to get some
6-point sockets).

 

[Kurt Krueger]

The impact wrench was one of the tools that I didn't have. I didn't
think about renting one. The cost for buying one would outweigh the
savings of doing the labor myself. I couldn't get the bolts off using a
breaker bar and I didn't like using a 12-point socket since that could
round off the points on the bolt head or nut (I need to get some 6-point
sockets).

If you can't get the bolts off with a breaker bar, I doubt that an electric
impact wrench would do the job. You need an air tool.

Let's see ... $750 - $150DIY parts = $600 for tools. You can get a compressor,
impact wrench, impact sockets, etc. and have money left over.

 

[Oscar_Lives]

If you can't get the bolts off with a breaker bar, I doubt that an
electric
impact wrench would do the job. You need an air tool.

Let's see ... $750 - $150DIY parts = $600 for tools. You can get a
compressor,
impact wrench, impact sockets, etc. and have money left over.

I broke a 30" 3/4" drive breaker bar with a six-foot cheater pipe on it
trying to break loose a rear axle nut on a VW beetle. Those nuts must be
welded to the center of the earth!

 

[johninKY]

Oscar,

Had to chuckle when I read your comment. Never broke a 3/4 drive but
easily managed to break several 1/2" drive sockets without any problem.
That's why I moved up to the 3/4" stuff and then finally an impact gun.
Getting too old to be pulling on cheater bars.

 

[SuperPoo]

If you can't get the bolts off with a breaker bar, I doubt that an
electric
impact wrench would do the job. You need an air tool.

Let's see ... $750 - $150DIY parts = $600 for tools. You can get a
compressor,
impact wrench, impact sockets, etc. and have money left over.

That is how I have acquired most of my tools over the years-- use the
savings by not paying labor to equip myself. Now I do see all the savings
because I have the tools most of the time.

On the axel nut-- most of the time you can get it off with a socket and
breaker bar. I had one once on an '84 GL wagon that would not come off. I
broke three Craftsmen 1/2 breaker bars, after exchanging the third one the
guy at Sears said "That's it, no more exchanges, at least not at this store.
If you break this one you are going to have to drive." So I took the car
down to the local tire/repair shop and asked how much to loosen an axel nut?
The guy said ten bucks. 10 bucks, 10 minutes, the shop loosened the nut,
snugged it back down and I went home and removed the nut with no drama. So
if you ever have anything nuts/bolts can't get off with hand tools, find a
local shop that will loosen them for you.

Steve

 

[Vanguard]

If you can't get the bolts off with a breaker bar, I doubt that an
electric
impact wrench would do the job. You need an air tool.

I picked up some 6-point 1/2-inch drive sockets today. I didn't like
using 12-point sockets on such hard-to-remove bolts. Picked up a
hefty and long 1/2-inch drive breaker bar, too, so I'll lots more
leverage than before.

Let's see ... $750 - $150DIY parts = $600 for tools. You can get a
compressor,
impact wrench, impact sockets, etc. and have money left over.

We just had our garage broken into and got tools, torpedo heater,
lumber, edge trimmer, and even took the board they kicked out of the
side door. Obviously the compressor and tank would be left in the
garage and probably the impact wrench, too. I found a buddy that has
the setup (air impact wrench) and am waiting to see if he'll let me
use it. When the dealer and car shop quoted such high prices, DIY
became more attractive.

 

[Vanguard]

On the axel nut-- most of the time you can get it off with a socket
and breaker bar. I had one once on an '84 GL wagon that would not
come off. I broke three Craftsmen 1/2 breaker bars, after exchanging
the third one the guy at Sears said "That's it, no more exchanges,
at least not at this store. If you break this one you are going to
have to drive." So I took the car down to the local tire/repair shop
and asked how much to loosen an axel nut? The guy said ten bucks. 10
bucks, 10 minutes, the shop loosened the nut, snugged it back down
and I went home and removed the nut with no drama. So if you ever
have anything nuts/bolts can't get off with hand tools, find a local
shop that will loosen them for you.

Now that's an idea. Pay the shop a fee to have them just loosen and
resnug. I checked on renting an electric impact wrench. $24/day.
Then I remembered by buddy has an air impact setup. Waiting for a
reply on my e-mail to him.