front wheel bearing replacement - got ideas?

[David.X5]

$400 is reasonable for this job. I haven't found such a reasonable Indy around here.

I'm doing mine now as I had the knuckles off to drop the subframe to get to the upper oil pan gasket. It's just a little more work at this point. The upper oil pan gasket is looking like a 20-hour job...

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by Riggodeaux

I get it, if you have the tools to do the job. If not, a quality indy charged me $87.40 for the bearing and $322.32 for labor. So - the economics point to buying the tools and DIY, so long as you don't value your time at too high an hourly rate
But then, I'm not as young, strong and flexible as I once was ......

I'm retired so I have all the time to work on my cars. I rather spend money on tool instead of paying a mechanic. Found a shop that would rent me a bay with a lift and use of their tools for 20 bucks an hour or 100 bucks for the day.

That's quite a markup on parts, FAG BMW OE wheel bearing can be had online for about $45.00

[TriX5]

Originally Posted by Riggodeaux

You guys are gluttons for punishment doing the bearing job. When my front right started roaring, I did a little research and then turned it over to a competent local indy shop. The tech said it was one huge PITA, despite having the proper tools.

I did both sides on my (now sold) 4.8iS. It was fairly straightforward once I bought the 20 ton press from HF. You need a fair number of sleeves, bushings and pieces of pipes to use as helping pieces while pressing the old item out and the new one in. But assuming a decently stocked tool box and a press, this is not an impossible task.

[David.X5]

After pressing out the bearing race that stays in the knuckle, I can't imagine trying to do this with a small press or on the car. If you have a decent press and remove the knuckle, it isn't a bad job. I also have that 20 ton HF press (a decent value at $150 with coupon...), and it seemed to take the whole capability of the press to get the bearing moving. I suspect a 6-ton or 10-ton press wouldn't have worked. I know some people say they do it on the car, but it seems like that would dramatically increase the PITA.

Going to clean up the knuckles now and POR-15 the outer parts before reassembling... Going to be purty!!!

[Ricky Bobby]

Actually David its quite easy with the proper tools to do it on the car - this tool kit worked perfectly for me and I used a 20% off coupon at HF -

FWD Front Wheel Bearing Adapters

Only thing needed was to replace the threaded rod that comes in the kit with a heavier duty rod, nut, and extra washers from Home Depot, the black one in the kit stripped out first try. But after replacing the rod, the cups and plate adapters in the HF kit worked flawlessly - I even split the cost of the tool with one of our members and sent it to him and he performed both his front bearings with the same tool.

Only things I took off were disconnecting the bottom of the strut, brake rotor, and caliper, if you disconnect the bottom of the strut and push the axle out of the hub you have plenty of room to move it back and to the side so you can get your wheel bearing adapters in there - this is also when I did the outer CV boots at the same time as well

[David.X5]

I guess mine were more stuck than typical then. I have a similar tool (mine has a 1 inch threaded rod) but the bearing half in the knuckle wouldn't move with it. Knuckles was off the car, so I was pushing one breaker bar while counter holding the other - not optimal.

After reading a little about the loctite 638, I realized I should heat to 250C to soften for removal - i did not try that.

Back of the envelope engineering now - If your bearing was installed per specs with that loctite, there is something like 6-7 tons of force needed just to break the loctite (50% coverage, 3000-3500 psi shear strength, about 9 square inches)

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Actually David its quite easy with the proper tools to do it on the car - this tool kit worked perfectly for me and I used a 20% off coupon at HF -

FWD Front Wheel Bearing Adapters

Only thing needed was to replace the threaded rod that comes in the kit with a heavier duty rod, nut, and extra washers from Home Depot, the black one in the kit stripped out first try. But after replacing the rod, the cups and plate adapters in the HF kit worked flawlessly - I even split the cost of the tool with one of our members and sent it to him and he performed both his front bearings with the same tool.

Only things I took off were disconnecting the bottom of the strut, brake rotor, and caliper, if you disconnect the bottom of the strut and push the axle out of the hub you have plenty of room to move it back and to the side so you can get your wheel bearing adapters in there - this is also when I did the outer CV boots at the same time as well

Go to HF and get their Greenlee hole hydraulic punch.

Hydraulic Punch Driver w/ 5 Hydraulic Punches & Dies

For what it cost to replace the forcing screw with a decent OTC forcing screw you can get the hydraulic punch. The hydraulic power head works with the forcing screw that comes with that HF cheap front wheel drive bearing kit or you can do what I did and buy a 3/4-16 harden steel threaded rod. The HF power head is rated at 10 ton. Never had a press in wheel bearing that wouldn't come out with using this press. You don't ruin the threaded rod because you are not using the threads to exert a force on the bearing.

[David.X5]

Man I hope there isn't a next time, but I'll look to set up this combo. It's nice the threads are compatible.

[upallnight]

If you are DIYing it you are already saving a ton of money, so might as well buy some tools to make the job a little easier, at least that what I tell Mrs. Upallnight. LOL

[cn90]

I don't understand why the assembly line used Loctite to install bearing. It is juts not necessary. Honda, Toyota do not use Loctite in the press-in bearing.

Now, if Loctite is used, then a bit of heat (propane torch on the inner race for 15-30 sec) should melt the Loctite.

When I did my E39 REAR bearing (similar setup as E53 Front bearing), the combo of separator and puller works great zero issues.
During install, I applied antiseize, so it is easier the next time. Although I don't anticipate the next time lol...b/c another 150K from now, the car is probably in the junk yard.