I have a 2002 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport. There is a slight rubbing noise when I make wide turns and I suspect it is the wheel bearings. How much should it cost to replace these, and how thin is the ice I am skating on if I put it off?
Disc brakes will sometimes do this when the wear gets the disk too close to the wear indicator. I’ve had a bent metal dust shield act the same way.
Don’t make any assumptions until it’s looked at. It’ll likely be either new brakes or an inexpensive fix.
However, let’s say I’m wrong and it IS the bearing. And it seizes. On the highway. This winter. In a blizzard. At night. The ice you’ll be skating on will be thin indeed.
Have it checked. Dont’t take chances.
I had a similar issue and it was brakes rubbing. It also can be your rear differential if wide means sharp turns? It also could be wheel bearings too.
Make sure the tire pressure is set properly on each side. Lastly the rear tires are matching in tread depth/make/model/size.
I normally hear brake shields, low discs, etc, described as a screeching or squealing, rather than a rubbing. If this sounds like metal to metal “rubbing”, then it may very well be one of the above. If it doesn’t, it could still be bearings, but it could also be a tire rubbing somewhere, which you should be able to find due to it having rubbed a spot clean, or rubbed the paint off something.
Either way, it should be found, and if it’s merely a tire rubbing, avoid turning that hard. Does the car have the manufacturer specified sized tires on it?
Could be a wheel bearing. If the noise is minimal when driving straight and more audible going around a curve, it’s likely a bearing. Also, the frequency/pitch of sound varies only with roadspeed i.e. it’s independent of engine RPM.
I’ve had to replace 2 rear wheel bearing on my 2000 Forester. A local shop quoted me $325 parts & labor, but I do the work myself - the bearing & seals costs about $100, plus $30 for the machine shop to press the old bearing out & new one in.