Parts for your 1999 Subaru Forester-Wheel hubs

1999 Subaru Forester wheel hubs: what they do and how to look after them

Wheel hubs are absolutely used on the 1999 Subaru Forester (SF series). This is confirmed in the Subaru Factory Service Manual for the 1999 Forester (Front Axle and Rear Axle sections), which details the hub, bearing and axle spline interface, and in Subaru’s OEM parts catalogues (FAST/EPC) that list separate front and rear wheel hub components and studs for this model. Reputable service manuals covering the SF Forester also outline hub and bearing removal, press-fit procedures and axle nut torque requirements, further verifying the fitment.

On this Forester, each wheel hub is the sturdy, splined flange the wheel bolts onto. It sits inside a double‑row sealed bearing that’s pressed into the steering knuckle (front) or rear housing. The driveshaft passes through the hub and locks in with a large axle nut. Together, the hub and bearing let the wheel spin true, keep the tyre running smooth, and carry the car’s weight through every pothole and corrugation Aussie and Kiwi roads can throw at it.

These hubs are low‑maintenance by design, but they do live a hard life. If the bearing inside the knuckle starts to go, it’ll often present as a droning or humming that gets louder with speed, a faint rumble when cornering, or play you can feel by rocking the wheel at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions. Left too long, it can chew out the hub or affect ABS readings.

When servicing a 1999 Forester, good workshops will check hub condition and bearing smoothness any time the wheels are off. If replacement’s on the cards, following factory procedure matters:

• Press the bearing in and out squarely, supporting the correct race so load isn’t driven through the balls.
• Inspect the hub journal and flange run‑out