Front Wheel Bearing R&R

davintosh · #1 10-23-2012, 01:12 AM

We took the X5 on a somewhat extended highway drive over the weekend, and I noticed some noise that sounds an awful lot like a front bearing going out. So I did some searching and didn't come up with any good writeups on replacing that bearing; mostly just people saying it's a bear and it's best to just hire it out. That seemed odd to me since it doesn't appear to be that much different than replacing a rear wheel bearing on other BMW vehicles, nor much different than other front-drive vehicles. The BMW TIS for this job lists a bunch of special tools, but I've seen several how-to videos on YouTube that show how universal kits can be used instead of the special tools... It just doesn't appear that it should be a terribly difficult job. Or is there something I'm missing in all this?

Also, the BMW TIS doesn't say much about removing the race from the hub, and there's mention of (some dealer shops) that the front hub is destroyed & needs to be replaced when replacing the bearing; is this normal, or is it just that the old bearing race ends up stuck on the hub and might damage it?

Thanks for any tips or pointers or links you can offer!

killcrap · #2 10-23-2012, 08:04 AM

the wheel bearing is destroyed upon removal. the hub can be reused, however BMW states that the hub must be replaced. BMW sells all the tools necessary for this repair. The inner bearing race removal tool

83 30 0 493 416

current retail is $703.03+local sales tax.

it is much affordable to use a pry bar, and an air chizel to walk the bearing race out of the hub.

davintosh · #3 10-23-2012, 12:34 PM

Thanks for the info. I'll probably pass on the $700 tool; yikes! This thread covers a similar bearing R&R on an e39; he used an angle grinder to cut a couple of slots in the old race so that a bearing splitter could be fitted on it, then used a gear puller to get the race off the hub.

I had similar problems getting the inner race off the spindle when I changed out the front bearing on my e32; wish I'd known about that trick two years ago!

There are some good ideas in that thread for getting the job done with minimal hassle, but I know it's not going to be a walk in the park.

I'm going to go ahead & order parts for this job, and just do all four bearings. The maintenance records don't show that it's been done before (in 155,000 miles), and if one is rumbling now, it's probably just a matter of time before the others start in.

2 33411095238 Rear Wheel Bearing
8 33406765432 Torx Screw
2 31226783913 Front Wheel Bearing
2 31206751740 Dust Protection Cover
4 33411133785 Collar Nut
4 34211161806 Inner Hex Bolt

I'll do my best to photograph the ordeal & put together a thread on the job when I'm done.

Ricky Bobby · #4 12-11-2012, 07:06 PM

what are the noises/symptoms of bad wheel bearings? anyone have a video?

I still need to get my car aligned and tires rebalanced, but once i get up to about 40 or so, I notice this humming noise that is like going over a metal bridge but quieter. It also varies with different speeds. I hope its not wheel bearings because this seems like a bitch of a job.

andrewwynn · #5 07-17-2019, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davintosh

I'm going to go ahead & order parts for this job, and just do all four bearings. The maintenance records don't show that it's been done before (in 155,000 miles), and if one is rumbling now, it's probably just a matter of time before the others start in.

Doing a bit of research before I replace the SAME bearing that failed less than two years ago (and ONLY ONE to ever fail), I found a bmw service bulletin that clued me in why they fail and it's not from age/miles. It's from impact. Rough pot hole or curb strike, especially if you hit a pot hole asymmetrically pushing the wheel sideways at the bottom.

I replaced 3 bearings on wife's car and figured it's just a matter of time before the fourth will need to be replaced but like my car one that has already been replaced actually needs replacing before the last of four. Seems wheel bearing not a periodic maintenance part.

Overboost · #6 12-03-2019, 02:54 PM

Getting ready to replace my front bearings and hubs on the X5. I am preparing for the job by collecting the tools necessary to make this a fairly straight forward process.

From all my research, it seems the things that do not go well besides pressing the bearing in and out of the carriers are getting the axles in and out of the old hub/new hubs. There have been members that had to beat the hell out of the axle or resorting to dozens and dozens of whacks with a slide hammer to get it the hub off the axle. The same would apply for getting the axle back in the hub when reinstalling.

I hate beating anything if I don't have to so I bought these 2 tools. The first tool from ECS Tuning/Turner was the:

Bav Auto Wheel Hub Puller / Axle Press - 4 lug bolt - BMW & MINI #580367.

This is the deep housing for 5x120 lug pattern. I am hoping the splined axle presses right out or the hub pulls off with little effort. Fingers crossed.

The second tool I got from ECS Tuning/Turner was the:

CV Axle Shaft Puller / Wheel Bearing Hub Installer Kit - Bavarian Autosport
#3673940

Same hopes for the ease of pulling the splined axle back into the new hub.

Fifty150hs · #7 12-04-2019, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overboost

Getting ready to replace my front bearings and hubs on the X5. I am preparing for the job by collecting the tools necessary to make this a fairly straight forward process.

From all my research, it seems the things that do not go well besides pressing the bearing in and out of the carriers are getting the axles in and out of the old hub/new hubs. There have been members that had to beat the hell out of the axle or resorting to dozens and dozens of whacks with a slide hammer to get it the hub off the axle. The same would apply for getting the axle back in the hub when reinstalling.

I hate beating anything if I don't have to so I bought these 2 tools. The first tool from ECS Tuning/Turner was the:

Bav Auto Wheel Hub Puller / Axle Press - 4 lug bolt - BMW & MINI #580367.

This is the deep housing for 5x120 lug pattern. I am hoping the splined axle presses right out or the hub pulls off with little effort. Fingers crossed.

The second tool I got from ECS Tuning/Turner was the:

CV Axle Shaft Puller / Wheel Bearing Hub Installer Kit - Bavarian Autosport
#3673940

Same hopes for the ease of pulling the splined axle back into the new hub.

Wish I'd known about that axle shaft puller tool. It would have saved me hours beating the OE shaft back in. I'll be purchasing one if I have to replace an outer boot again.

Overboost · #8 12-04-2019, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fifty150hs

Wish I'd known about that axle shaft puller tool. It would have saved me hours beating the OE shaft back in. I'll be purchasing one if I have to replace an outer boot again.

Yes sir. It looks like it makes things a lot easier if they are stubborn.
https://youtu.be/nCDBp2jgCeE

cn90 · #9 12-08-2019, 07:42 PM

The video below is a bearing DIY for an ATV vehicle, but you can see Heat + Freeze trick
- Heat the knuckle with heat gun (or propane torch) really well.
- Bearing in Freezer overnight.

For this particular ATV vehicle, the bearing simply drops in with no effort! Unbelievable.

I guess if you use the same trick on X5, you probably need to tap it a bit using old bearing race. Probably no need for the bearing tool.

Can someone try this trick (Heat + Freeze) and let us know if you can get away without bearing tool?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raJL-BK9WwU

wpoll · #10 12-08-2019, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cn90

… Can someone try this trick (Heat + Freeze) and let us know if you can get away without bearing tool?

I can confirm this works on motorcycle wheel bearing etc. (done it many times) but there's a bit more mass in the X5 parts!

When I replaced the rear wheel bearing on my X5, I DID put hub in the freezer for a couple of hours, while I bolted up the new wheel bearing etc. The rear bearing bolts to the knuckle, so no press required.

As I only did one bearing I can't say if cooling it made much of a difference (lack on comparison) but I can say the hub slid into the new bearing without much fuss and I wondered why I had purchased the bearing press tool.

The answer to that question is of course - the front bearing. Except this tool isn't large enough for the front.