Wow! This video unrealistically made me believe this was a cake job. Rear right bearing went out at 70K miles in my 2017 XT. Using the same puller used in the video only separated the hub from the rest of the bearing assembly. Then came 8 solid hours of 8lb sledge hammer, air hammering and chiseling before needing to remove knuckle assembly and eventually press out remaining cartridge pieces from behind. Then, destroyed backing plate when trying to separate it from seized casting. 2nd trip to the parts dept was for a new backing plate. Then, a 3rd trip was necessary to replace the cracked ABS speed sensor. Don't know why removing the sensor isn't step #1. Inadvertently damaging that sensor cost almost as much as the bearing.

OK, so I just did this job yesterday on my son's 2017 Forester and it bordered on nightmarish. If you live anywhere in the rust belt, be prepared and be sure that you have the equipment to tackle this job. With the wheel, caliper/bracket & rotor off (easy) and the 4 hub retaining bolts loose from back of the knuckle, hub wouldn't budge. Tried a slide hammer over the studs...no dice; tried hammering the flange with a 5lb copper sledge...no dice. Finally used a long barrel air chisel with a blunt punch on the loosened hub bolts from in back of the spindle. Dialed up to 140 lbs of air pressure it took 10 minutes of air hammering to push the hub out, completely destroying the bolt heads. Now comes the fun part, removing the hub from the backing plate. Held it on my lap and repeatedly struck the hub, trying to drive it from the backing plate...no dice. Air chisel with punch...no dice. Had to disassemble the parking brake and support the backing plate between two large logs stood on end and drove out the hub with the 5lb copper sledge, bending the bejesus out of the backing plates in the process. Reassembly is a breeze! So, although they are about $100 each from the stealer, I'd strongly recommend buying new backing plates (dust shields in Subaru vernacular) before you start. I was astonished that a 5 year old vehicle had so much rust around these hubs, but the bearing area where they mount is large. This job was a bear!

Thank you for the video. I was able to replace the entire hub assembly just like you showed and it only tok me 90min not too shabby for never have done it before. The only hard part was torquing the 4 backing plat bolts to 48lbs. Now my car sounds smooth again.

Our 2016 Subaru Forester has rear bearing/hub growl, or so I thought. Listening to the whirring on your video, now I'm certain. 71,000 miles. R/R Hub assy. Going to use OEM Parts. Thank You for your video, you just made my day a little easier!

Thanks for the video! This is the one that convinced me to get a hub puller. It still took me 4 hours... But it's done!

This video helped me tremendously! Thank you!! My dealership quoted me $680 to replace one wheel bearing. I said no, started researching, and came across this video (and others). I bought the wheel bearing for a little over $100, and even though it took me about 3 hours (I went slowly, and had to go get some supplies), it was done well and it was fixed! My next one should take about 30-45 minutes at most (but I don't have much rust at all on my hub assemblies). If anyone is doing this at home without an air wrench, I HIGHLY recommend two helper tools - a crowbar to brace across the bearing nuts when you're removing the axle nut, and a "cheater bar" - a steel pipe to slide over the socket wrench/breaker bar handle. Makes the job super easy. And I will echo others' sentiments - this is the last Subaru I will ever own. I've owned Toyotas and Mazdas all my life, and never had a wheel bearing go out, or any other of the quirky CVT issues this car has. It drives like a delivery truck, and has something new wrong with it every 20K miles. A 2014 car with under 100K miles shouldn't have so many problems.

My first rear bearing went out at 120k. My second just went out at 190k. My gosh that thing is a pain. Wanted to get it myself, but ended up making an appointment back to the garage. You guys make it look so easy in the videos. Having the right tools helps, youtube videos helps. But your mechanics jobs will be safe as not everyone can be a mechanic, you guys don’t get paid enough!!. We tried everything. Including a slide hammer. Lol thanks for sharing!.

Helpful. Will be doing this on our 2016 with 106k. Right rear is making noise. Odd, because it’s predecessor, our 2004, has never had a bearing issue and is at 300k and going strong!!

Thank you for your video, just love Chet Atkins and the 8 track too. Best video ever!😊

Replacing mine now. Thanks for listing tq spec for axle nut and hub mtg bolts! Mine made it to 135000 miles.2017 West Coast Forester . 2.5i FJB Edition

Great video. Nothing fancy. Straight to the point. Thank you!!

one item that is worth mentioning is that if you are doing this in your garage on a jackstand, disengage the parking break, as you won't be able to pull the rotor with the binders on. At least on the passenger side. One tool that worked for me for breaking the bearing is a pickle fork. did minimal damage to surfaces and while it was work, an hours worth of pounding freed it up.

Thanks for the video! I've had one wheel bearing go bad at 43,000mi and another at 58,000. Now my forester is out of warranty, and needs another one at 70,000. I will not be buying another Subaru after this one. Thanks again for the instructions.

Is it the same between the AWD and 2wd? I also noticed you used a puller. I started to use a puller too but I was afraid I would damage the axle with all the force needed to pull the hub out

This guy did it in four minutes; between ordering parts (including the hub blaster tool) and whacking with a sledgehammer after spraying with penetrating oil it took me a week.

I always always clean rust where the bearing goes in, carefully not touching the abs sensor. Then apply some copper grease on the bearing, cv axle and 4 nuts that hold it in place. It saves you so much trouble in the future.

Great video!

Thanks for the video. Our Forester'17 is making noise at highway speed. Only 85K kms (~52K miles) on the Odo... Dealer is saying to replace BOTH bearings, at C$815+13% tax, for EACH 😱! I have to shop around.. Wish I could do all this work myself and save significant dough 😥

very nice video. thank you!

Thanks 4 the video it very helpful.

PRO TIP - If the hub is stuck and being stubborn you can use a cold chisel to wedge in between the knuckle and the back plate. Works it out nicely. If you can get just a little bit of a gap first it works even better. Just be careful.

Thank you!

Once I do this will an alignment be needed?

thanks for the video

Do I need to replace the hub if I need my bearing replace?

I have a 2014 just had my wheel bearing changed started making noise at 47000 miles got it replaced at 51000. This guy got a free wheel bearing replacement obviously as he is under 60k

Hey man. Thanks for the video. I had my rear bearing replaced and now I have ABS and traction control lights on my dash on. Is that related? Did they mess something up?

Quick question...when you test the bearing, is the axle at a bind pointing down, or is it at level?

Almost NEVER this easy on most Subies in the rust belt. Replacing my 2010's rear bearings 135,000 miles.

Edited: The torue spec in this video is correct. 190 N·m (19.37kgf-m, 140.1ft-lb). Sorry if I misled anyone.

2017 Outback 70k miles driver side rear bearing done

One wheel bearing of my 18 Forester was bad and was in the 5year/60k warranty. So the dealer has replaced it for free. Now another one has turned bad and is out of warranty. I would DIY. Thank you.

My left rear hub is making noise at only 37,000, but looks like something I can tackle. Thanks!

I’m getting my front left done tomorrow 2017 Subaru Forester 2.5i with 142000km

Not normal to come out that easy! On my 2014 Impreza I used a 1/4 NPT tap on holes after removing the bolt. Be sure to thread the tap almost all the way in for strong threads The hole is the right size for tapping. Then install four 1/4 NPT plugs. Finally I used bolts from the front to jack the hub out. I had some 3/8x3/4 pins to put in the holes so I could use the mounting bolts. Take your time and turn each bolt a little at a time. And I used a slide hammer to remove the flanges first. But with the right length bolts you can leave the flanges in. Before you get the bearing housing completely out use a 3/8 punch to loosen the backing plates some.

This car has obviously never seen salt. I have done 3 of these in NY, minimum of 4 hours of heat, PB, pound, repeat one of them took 10 hours. Always use some type of never seize on everything when you put it back together.

We replaced the right rear wheel bearing on our 2017 Outback at 50,000 also, about to replace the left one at 81K miles.

I like my 09 legacy but I don't think I'll own another subaru again. I think they really missed the mark with the ascent being a turbocharged / cvt. this is crazy. Next you'll be doing a headgasket for them at 59k.

if i jack my car up by all fours and put it in d would both backs spin so i can listen for that noise? i think it's my right as i can hear something when i spin it by hand. from inside the car it sounds like a single engine airplane cruising by at an air show starting at 25 mph and gets louder and faster from there up.

would this be the same process for a 2017 impreza rear hub?

I really should have read the comments on this. Took me 7 hours.

I tried this on my 2017 impreza and the existing barring assembly separated.. the piece that slides over the drive shaft came out but the other piece still remains.. is there any trick to unfu*k myself here..?

is this process approximately the same on a crosstrek (same year same miles_

Even with slide hammer, could not get bearing out. Bearing Started separating NEVER had on get this stuck. Only 77K miles

Do you need to do a wheel alignment afterwards?

Subaru replaced my front passenger wheel bearing at 18000 miles. According to Subaru my 2 rear wheel bearings need replacement now at 80,000

Can you post a link for the hub puller?

So when you use hub puller, it's pulling against cv axle? That won't damage it?

Can you just take the 32mm axel nut off without "unpunching" it? How do i get the nut off its punched in

Hi, if my 2018 forester has eyesight, is the process the same? Or are they additional steps? TIA

Will a '16 Crosstrek be similar?

Same process for the XT?

30k miles and im in need of doing this already.

Did anyone have an issue where the bearing separated but the back half stayed in the spindle? 2016 forester right rear

How did you get the rear to run when it is lifted on a hoist

where did you get that pulley from

Known issue on these. My 16’ has had both rear bearings replaced and I’m doing it a second time this weekend, only at 113,000 miles. Autozone bearings are junk, seeing how the “upgraded” moog ones work this time, and see how many miles I get. Think it’s an under design issue from Subaru.

I just had both wheel bearing replaced on my 2017 Forester with 103000km on the odo. Three days after replacement, the drive shaft dislocated whilst driving the car. What would have caused this? and it may seem obvious, but is this due to poor workmanship?

2016 Forester and it sounds like I have a single engine airplane motor attached to the read of my car. Is it common for wheel bearings going out on these cars?

What is that separation tool called

Never seen a wheel bearing come out that easy 😭 usually have to bolt on an old modified wheel bearing and beat on it to get it out

2018 Forester with 22,300 miles. Pretty sure I have a bad wheel bearing on the driver side rear. That and the weird bucking the thing does all the to 70 MPH and I think it'll be my first and last Subaru.

the rear bearing failure are known issue on these 2017 forester.....some also have aircond compressor and front suspension bushing issue....

I assume this is not a rust belt car. It looks awfully clean.

First Off! This Forester He Is Working On Has 50k Miles So Subaru Should Own This Defect Regardless Of Miles! I Have Astro Vans That Go 500k Miles Never Needing Wheel Bearing/Hubs! Second: This Forester Has Never Seen Salt Or New England Weather! So After Doing Both Sides Of My 2014 XT Once Its Rusted In The Wheel Nut Puller Only Rips The Bearings Out Leaving You With The Seized Housing That Is Rusted! So: All You Need is A Tiny Chisel In The Right Spot and A Big Machinist Hammer Hammer! It Took Me 4 Days Watching KZfaq Videos And Rust Inhibitor Letting It Soak That Did Nothing For Days! Now From Doing It The Hard Way To 5 Hours Doing It The EZ Way! Yes I Have Impact Guns and The 4 Bolts Might Need Extra Impact But If The Bolt Heads Shear Off And They Didn't, No Problem The Hub Will Come Out And The New One Doesn't Come With New Ones But At $900 Plus Dollars A Few Bolts Won't Ever Cost anywhere Near The Cost To Have Subaru Do It! Here We Have A Subaru With 50K Miles! Mine Has 120 Thousand Miles and All Replaced But One! Why Are We Doing This To A 40 Thousand Dollar Car? Well They Gave You A Harman Kardin Stereo System and A Back Up Camera. Put The Camera Under The Car So We Can Watch The Break lines Rust Out Because Stopping Was Always A Great Feature! Amazon Sells This Same Part For $157.00 Genuine Subaru Parts On Line/$300 Dealer Discount And Just A Little Chisel and Hammer Like Shawshank Redemption And A Metric 33mm Socket and Torque Is Very Important! Don't Over Tighten The Wheel Nut Just The 4 Hub Nuts. Anti-Seize Everything Because If You Keep It You Will Be Doing It Again Like Oil Changes And Are The New Standard Of How Long They Feel You Should Be Enjoying Your 40 Thousand Dollars So Renting Your Hubs Makes Money! It's a Pretty Massive Unit But Must Have Just Enough Engineered Grease To Go Over Your Warrantee Period! The Chisel By The Way Goes Behind The Rotor Shield Between The Housing and What Ever They Call It! Mother nature Adds An Entirely Different Procedure! She Seems To Like a Little Chisel :O) I Was Thinking Of UP-Grading To A HONDA PASSPORT WHITE/BLACK Addition But All Raw Steel! So My Question Would Be: Why Are We Working For Our Cars When They Should Work For Us With 50K Miles? That Cost This Money? I'm So Happy With My 1995 Astro Van At 500K Miles Never Needing Wheel Bearings Or Really Anything If Undercoated Before Rusting Out. Can We Interest You In Our Phone Apps. No Thank You I Have Been Screwed Enough Thank You :O)

I want to see you chang one with 100 k from Newelingland not Arazona

went with a Timken unit

Why are you replacing parts on a vehicle that is under warranty?

This video was done in a totally new car ,this removal procese never happen so easy ,this Subaru get rusted and the bearing most of the time gets almost welded to the spindle and it take a lot of effort to remove ,most of the car you will have to remove a lot of suspensions components to remove the 4 bolts that hold the knuckle ,not in the subaru but ,(this cars are very mechanic friendly) but when they get rust jajajaja they rust really bad

The hand brake needs to be off to get the bearing out!!!

For an experienced mechanic at the dealer seems like about a 1 hour job?

Its their supplier called NTN they just slap their own part# on it., mine went out at 30k at the front then at 90k. subaru is using a cheap supplier for their bearings. great video, on another note i noticed subaru use that cheap ass drum brakes on the forester. UGH!

I lost a rear wheel bearing on my 2015 Forester at only 38,000 miles.

This is a nightmare of job to do....it is not that easy this is a newer car....

8lb sledge, as hard as you can

This video is invalid I BOUGHT THE SAME POS BEARING PULLER that bearing came out way TO EASY In this video had to use a 12 ton press in order to get the bearing out almost broke the press. Used about a half of a tank of mapp gas the bearing broke free sending parts across my garage while bending my harbor freight press had about 10 tons of force applied and it wouldn’t move don’t go off this video at all trust me I’m saving your life.

Why won’t Subaru do something about their junky wheel bearings. No it’s not weird. Been issue for years.

That's a whole hub replacement, not a bearing replacement.

should be still under factory warranty.

WAY TOO EASY

these bearings are crap. mine failed at 65K miles the first time and again at 79k miles.

So In 2017 They Re-Engineered The 2014 XT Wheel Hubs To Last 50K miles Renting Parts That Cost 800 To Replace Each? But Astro/Fari Vans Go 500k Miles? They Stopped Making Them! Can We Interest You In Our Phone App? Like A Washing Machine You Would Think That You Wouldn't Have To Work For Shit That Should Work For You But There Is No Money In Selling Shit That Actually Works Past The Extended Warrantee You Paid! 47 Years I have Never Needed Wheel Hub Bearings In Any Car Ever Except a 71 Chevy Nova SS with 1K Miles! EZ Job Bearing and A Race And Grease But Now Its A Hub That Cost (4) $900's Each As Your Washing Machines Have Been Engineered To Fail Renting Parts! Put Enough Grease That Will Go 70k Miles On Our 60k Extended Warrantee From 2016. Some Idiots Have Cars That Last 500k Miles When Engineering Was Quality So That's Done If We Can Interest You In Phone Apps Telling You Your Oil And Washing Machine Has A leak And Your House Is Ruined.

Bulshit no Hub comes off that easy??????yeah right

They do not come out that easy after about 50000 miles total rusted in the hub north east vehicles rust belt sorry not just that simple

In Response! If They Are Pinching Pennies Or Manufacturing This To Fail? They Have So Much Money To Make Commercials Telling How They Love And How Muck Love Goes Into These Subaru's But As The Payments Stop The Rents You These! Maybe If They Had To Change One And Have It The Love? The Love Is Not Working Changing Bearings That Vans at 300k Miles Never Need So If We Can Sell Stuff And You Can Buy And Make Payments And Can Rent! That Is Engineering! We Can Get If They Change their Oil On Wheel Bearings/Hubs. In Manufacturing And 37 Year Old Vehicles Without Cameras One The One I Want Would Be Focused On The Raw Steel In My $100 Thousand Dollar Shit Box Under My Car? I Live Under There Too So?

Definitely not a professional install.

Are you kidding me? Did this car have 10 miles on it? I've been pounding on mine, used heat, slide hammer, air chisel for 2 DAYS and it hasn't moved at all! Now I have to TOW it someplace. Hows about showing us real world and not fantasy land.

Only 50k miles on a 2017? wheel bearing replacement already?WOW Subaru's are garbage.