Wheel Bearing - Air Gap Excessive

[Clavurion]

BMW OEM bearings are FAG or KOYO.

[andrewwynn]

FYI OEM bearing from Fcpeuro is not expensive also lifetime warranty I think was under $50.

I would so some crossover tests before swapping the bearing again.

FYI I killed a WSS by leaving in when I used a slide hammer to pull the hub out. You replaced after but I wanted to warn you they don't like impact.

[michaelf]

The sensor was removed before doing any work and has since been replaced anyway.

I will try the crossover test, which makes sense….wire to run the RHS bearing and sensor to the LHS plug for sensor and vice versa. Testing upstream from the sensor. Issue is with bearing/sensor if the error follows.

Now to find some wire. Might have some speaker wire or doorbell wire somewhere.

[michaelf]

I always find lots of sites in the US for parts, but am limited here in Australia….just paid US$35 for shipping of some clips and the alternator gasket from pelicanparts.

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by michaelf

The sensor was removed before doing any work and has since been replaced anyway.

I will try the crossover test, which makes sense….wire to run the RHS bearing and sensor to the LHS plug for sensor and vice versa. Testing upstream from the sensor. Issue is with bearing/sensor if the error follows.

Now to find some wire. Might have some speaker wire or doorbell wire somewhere.

Ethernet wire will work. It's 24 or 23ga solid if good quality.

[michaelf]

I finally got the ethernet cable and ran the test....the error moved from RHS to LHS, so it is the sensor/bearing. One thing I did notice was when looking down the sensor hole was that it isn't metal as you would expect from the side of the bearing. Instead it is black/plastic and have no idea what could have covered up the hole.

More to come.......

Cheers

[andrewwynn]

The bearing is black plastic on the side where the sensor senses. It's the weather seal but also has metal reluctor ring inisde it.

It's very good news that it's not the module.

Have you swapped sensors yet to determine if it's the sensor or the bearing?

I've used knock off sensor I think brand AIP from Amazon they were liked $15. I bought as a stop gap because of same day or one day delivery but the damn thing Judy kept on working so I never reeplaced it up until we sold the car.

[michaelf]

Yep - was happy with that, although not keen on changing the bearing again. Will order the FAG brand as people outlined above if poking around doesn't work.

What throws me still is that the bearing goes into the hub/housing, with the sensor coming in from the side from what I can see (not the front or the back, so would expect the metal outside casing to be seen (same as the other side when I look through the hole). It isn't the ribbed section on the face. See attached

I feel like getting a screw driver and breaking whatever it is out of there and seeing what happens

[michaelf]

And I have swapped sensors/replaced sensors etc. Febest said that they have never had an issue with their bearing (checked their returns) - they were nice and gave a refund still.

[andrewwynn]

The sensor comes in parallel to the side of the bearing and reads from the side. Are you saying there is something at the bottom of the hole in which case yes fish that out.