'05 Legacy Front Wheel Hub Options

[LegacyBLErbd]

Hey team!

 

Have been quoted $550 to replace a front wheel hub on my '05 Legacy BLE Spec B Sedan. After doing some research I have determined that it is probably a backyard type job with the right tools and a mate or two with experience. I have found a couple of hub pricings but want to see if any of you have dealt with these brands before or know of any alternatives.

 

Febest - $140

FBJ - $80

Subaru Genuine - $300 ish

 

Any other tips or tricks about the job as a whole would be appreciated too, I think I have a good handle on how to do it but if there are any hidden pitfalls I would like to hear about it.

 

 

[calebwrx]

Can't offer advice on the job itself except to say a shop press would make it 100x easier to press the bearings, you might consider taking off your hubs and take them to a workshop with your new bearings and get them to do the pressing. 

Also steer clear of Febest, I've used their bearings and they don't last. 

[LegacyBLErbd]

Righteo Febest was on the chopping block as it was, havent read too many good reviews about them. From what Ive read, the whole hub comes as a unit with the bearing already pressed in you just bolt off and bolt on in a sense.

[IZichard]

If it is a bolt on hub then the job is pretty simple.

Wheel off, CV nut off, caliper off, rotor off, unbolt hub and slide it off the CV shaft. Then re-assemble in reverse order. (I may be missing a step but that is the gist of it)

 Put a little copper anti-seize on the CV splines before re installing to make the next guy's life easier.

 

You can buy the bolt in hubs both with and without the flange for the wheel pressed in.

If you buy one without the flange (on right in pic) you will need to press your old one out of the old hub, then press it into the new hub. Which as Caleb said is much easier with a shop press. 

 

Only trick is if the CV splines are stuck in the hub, just spray a bunch of CRC/WD40 in there put the nut back on and drive it around for a couple more days then try the job again. Don't get too carried away with a steel hammer trying to whack it out because if you mushroom the end you will have a bad day.

[LegacyBLErbd]

Thanks for that. Im currently shopping for the whole jobbie so I can avoid having to use a press. After a bit of research Im pretty sure mostly every brand makes their units in China, its just about finding the right one I guess.

[calebwrx]

Ahh my bad, i didn't read the title properly 

Yeah you fancy new car guys have the bolt on hubs so if you buy the whole thing it's a bolt on job. 

[boostin]

Take the abs speed sensor out of the knuckle. It's very easy to snap off if you leave it in.

[snowflake009]

I got my hubs from BNT. not sure what brand they are but haven't had any problems. Done the rears about a year ago and the fronts about 2 months ago. 

+1 for removing abs sensor. also a block of wood will stop the mushrooming of the cv spline if your bashing it with a steel hammer. 

 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, IZichard said:

If it is a bolt on hub then the job is pretty simple.

Wheel off, CV nut off, caliper off, rotor off, unbolt hub and slide it off the CV shaft. Then re-assemble in reverse order. (I may be missing a step but that is the gist of it)

 Put a little copper anti-seize on the CV splines before re installing to make the next guy's life easier.

 

You can buy the bolt in hubs both with and without the flange for the wheel pressed in.

If you buy one without the flange (on right in pic) you will need to press your old one out of the old hub, then press it into the new hub. Which as Caleb said is much easier with a shop press. 

 

Only trick is if the CV splines are stuck in the hub, just spray a bunch of CRC/WD40 in there put the nut back on and drive it around for a couple more days then try the job again. Don't get too carried away with a steel hammer trying to whack it out because if you mushroom the end you will have a bad day.

 

Put the nut on backwards almost flush with the stub then hit that if you need some gentle persuasion. Only hit it straight if you hit it on an angle you can really F*** the cv.

[Andy_Mac]

+1 for the wood and hammer.

Not sure if it's the right way or not but have always pulled my axles out of the transmission side first before trying to whack out of the hub to remove the risk to the CV's or diff.

[LegacyBLErbd]

Thanks for all your info guys. I have watched a few videos on this and havent seen any axle removal but the guy did have an air impact hammer type thing which made it easier.

[boostin]

Belting the cv with a hammer can send metal fragments flying, so engage safety squints. It can shock the axle out of the outer cv too, done it many times and then spent the next 30 mins cleaning up the axle splines with a tiny file!