So, a day ago I noticed some grinding while turning either way. Sounded like it came from the front drivers wheel. I get out and check it today and the rotor has a nice 1/4" groove all the way around it. I also noticed that the caliper bracket is rubbing causing this groove. So, I take off the wheel and shake the rotor and it's shifting back and forth, also causing the axle to shift with it and therefore causing the bracket to rub the rotor and cause the groove. What's the deal here? Is it the axle? Hub? Knuckle? I have no idea, I just know it sucks :-/ Thanks, - Justin K.
I would say axle nut is not torqued properly and staked or your wheel bearing is toast. Try giving it sharp jerks back and forth with the car in the air and the wheel on and torqued. It should have no play.
With the wheel on there was play in it :-/ it's got plenty of movement. I also noticed while driving it just kind if floats at highway speeds, and tons of bumpsteer. I get pulled all over the place, but I do need new tires as well.
I am able to turn the gold nut (the one that has a crimp in it) on the axle a little with my fingers. The crimp is no longer in the groove. Unfortunately, I don't have a socket that big at my gf's. Maybe at home...
Pull off your wheel center cap and check torque on the axle nut. Mine is ~150-180 lb/ft (not sure if WRX are any different) and re-stake the nut in the grove. If the hub still moves and the spindle doesnt i would say bearing. I would also give everything else (caliper bracket, tie rod, ball joint) a quick check to be sure they are tight.
Everything else seems fine regarding the brakes/strut, etc. My torque wrench only goes up to 100 :-/ looks like I have to go back to morries and hit the hardware store... The crimp in the nut is 180* from the groove :-/ and I can move it back and forth a bit with my fingers. That just seems wrong. What do I use to stake the nut?
Borrow a bigger one if you can, ive always been taught the torque on the axle nut is important. It is what determines the pre-load on the bearings, and if you have play im guessing that means the hub started to force its way out of the inner races. Chisel/punch and a hammer works fine
Nah, I'm not driving on it. Waiting for the GF to get to her place so I can take her scoob to the hardware store. She picked up the axle nut for me We'll see if that fixes it. So if it doesn't fix it, and it's still shifting around, what else might need to be replaced?
Sears ftw. I put the new axle nut on and there doesn't seem to be any play anymore w00t! Thanks for the advice! I'll have to check it in a few days and see how it's holding up. According to the service manual, the torque specs for the axle nut is 137 ft lbs. I got it as close as possible with a generic "lever" style torque wrench that I had laying around. Thanks, - Justin K.
Ok, now I've got clicking while turning, similar grinding, squeaking while breaking, and some rotational squeaking, clicking... This is stupid
yeah, the rotor still has the 1/4" groove in her, which probably makes it squeak. I was thinking the bearings are probably shot as well. It's just ugly.
What parts would I need to fix the wheel bearings? Is it an involved process? It looks like it's more than I can handle with my limited tools and know-how. :-/
Yeah, now whenever I turn right, my rotor is grinding up against the caliper body, and I still have squeaky brakes, and random squeaking when driving straight. The axle nut is fine. With the wheel off, if I grab the axle shaft and move it in and out, it does move slightly, but the wheel doesn't really move when it's in the air and I do the usual tests. The brakes are torqued properly. I'm tired of it!
If everything is torqued and it's still moving aruond then it sounds like your bearing is gone. I wouldn't drive on it any more because next you'll do damage to the hub and knuckle and it'll get even more expensive.
most wheel bearings require you to have them pressed in. the cheapest way would be to pop your ball joints, take off your spindle, buy a wheel bearing, and take it to a machine shop to get it pressed in. its pretty costly if you take it to a repair shop because of the labor rate.
definitely wheel bearing. definitely needs to be pressed out/in. I have a press.....but in Duluth. but it's not a terribly special piece of equipment, many shops have them.
My past experience with jeep wheel bearings which I seemed to trash offroading more often then you would think is I just replaced the bad one. Once again, that's just for the Jeep, which was an easy quick swap. I'd want someone who knows more about subaru ones to give better advice.
Ughh my car is doing the exact same thing on the passenger side. I've had to torque the axle nut down several times and it finally seems to have stuck but im still getting a lot of noise. Maybe a rotor replacement isnt necessary? Mike
maybe. a failed bearing could destroy your rotor and pads. yep, but if the bearing starts to wear, it will effectively loosen the nut without it ever turning.
Does anyone know of a shop that can press in the bearings for me? I don't want to drive it anywhere, and I think I'm just gonna' give it a shot myself :-/ unless someone wants to help me tomorrow afternoon The car is in new hope until it gets fixed.
