Quote:
Originally Posted by SlickGT1
Driveshaft support bearing? The one that goes to the rear or front? Is there one on the front anyway? And why is it a bitch of a job. Asking to get an idea of it.
|
We're talking about the rear driveshaft support bearing. It's not a mechanically difficult job to change the driveshaft bearing, it's just that the driveshaft must come completely out of the car. To do that, you need to remove most of the exhaust and the heat shield. That means removing or cutting off the crusty bolts that hold the exhaust together. (Always fun!) There's really no reason one can't do this on jackstands, but it's one of those jobs where you'll be wishing every second that you had the car on a lift. Even with a lift, when removing the heavy exhaust, it's really nice to have a second pair pair of hands, (plus a bunch of pole jacks).
Also, RealOEM shows the support bearing at $94.
RealOEM.com * BMW E53 X5 4.4i Drive shaft, single components, 4-wheel
If you're taking the driveshaft down, you may as well do the guibo with that kind of mileage..you'll basically have it out already. Chance are it will fall apart in your hands. Also, all those nylock nuts should be replaced. Probably want to pick up the dust shield for the center bearing if it does not come with it.
These things bring back bad memories for me. The first time I tore one of these BWM driveshaft bearings it was from banging a shift too hard in my 1972 Bavaria 36 years ago. That car was barely drivable like that, it wasn't just a vibration from a small tear or a bad bearing, the driveshaft was banging all around. I was basically stranded with no tools or garage, (on a holiday weekend, with no shop or dealer able to do the job). I needed the car the following day to make it about 200 miles for my first day of college, so I had no choice but to do it myself. I changed the driveshaft bearing on my lawn with nothing more than the trunk tool kit, a hack saw, and a couple of wood ramps I cobbled together from 2x4s. I've done many more of these over the years in various BMWs, but that first one was a bear.