1999 X5 Front Carrier Update
 

Currently updating front end of early build 2000 X5 due to bearing and hub assemblies becoming very hard to. Wanted to know anyone has done this before I think I’ll have to get new axle shafts but unsure if newer one will work.

From memory, the very early cars has slightly smaller diameter front axles, along with different front wheel bearings, CVs etc. so it's possible that parts for the later cars won't fit (almost certain in fact).

Best bet is you use your VIN at RealOEM and determine the exact parts you need.

I’m sure the axels won’t fit but I’m wondering if I bought newer axle shafts, would they fit in the tranfer case, unfortunately realism won’t tell me that. Thinking about switching outer cv joint as the splines are probably the same.

I don't know the answers to your question, but I'm local in South Jersey too. I do know there were a number of design changes between the 2000 and 2001 X5s though.

Definitely work with real OEM to determine which exact part numbers


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So the parts needed for this upgrade will consist of: updated carrier, bearing and hub, new axel shafts and wheel speed sensor. Coding may be required for wheel speed sensor if possible, for larger diameter of read point of sensor (not sure). The whole reason for this inquisition is that the hub is no longer available anywhere. Real oem is only going to point me towards that hub that is no longer availible

1999 X5 Front Carrier Update
 

Supersedes:

31216751731 (03/01/2000 — 09/22/2003), nonexchangeable retrospectively
31211095625 (09/01/1999 — )

Part 31216761575 was found on the following vehicles:
X5 E53   (10/1998 — 09/2006)

Same carrier part on all e53. looks like they did switch in 2003 to the current part. Is your build date before march 2000?

It looks like they beefed up the bearing size after 3/2000 so they list the carrier as non exchangeable however the hub looks like the same part so the inner bearing race is the same.

If the bearing has the same number of abs bumps it will read correctly size doesn't matter just the count of bumps.

The tension strut and control arm are listed as same part entire e53.

So: it looks like the CV is identical the full run of e53.

As long as bearing has the same abs bump count you should be good to go with a hub carrier swap.

I would recommend swapping the bearing carrier (aka knuckle), the hub and bearing of course. CV axle should be compatible. Abs sensor not sure. Betting yes. So that should be some very good news for your project.

I'm not sure that ALL those items are different - the point of RealOEM is to compare part numbers between earlier cars and later ones.

The only obvious difference I can see is the axle shaft diameter - 27mm on the earlier cars and then 29mm on the later ones. Not sure if the splined ends vary in size or only the shaft itself. I had though I'd seen two different sixed for the wheel bearing too but RealOEM says the wheel bearing, hub and carrier are all the same.

Other vendors list two front wheel bearing sizes - 45 x 85 x 41 and 49 x 90 x 45. I'm a little unsure of how accurate any of this is, as the reference part numbers from the alternative vendor's smaller wheel bearing don't early link back on RealOEM to a smaller bearing - it just says it's a superseded part number (replaced by the larger bearing).

All this isn't very helpful sorry... it seems that some real-world measurements are called for. Andrew, are either of your cars fitted with the early axles?

My cars have the newer hardware which started 3/2000 build dates are 7/2000 and 5/2001 but the axle diameter only affects the outer boot size (there is a A and B boot style depending).

The outer CV has only one part number and also the hub.

The hub must be 45mm. The bearings are either 90 or 85 mm OD and the last number must be the width.

So since they apparently don't have a standard order of size for bearing dimension, these are the sizes I've concluded:

Before 3/2000: 85 OD 45 ID 41 W
After 2/2000: 90 OD 45 ID 49 W

Since the bearing is quite different the knuckle is clearly not exchangeable but I see no reason you can't swap both.

The hub is apparently long enough to make up the 8mm difference in width because there is only one hub part listed all e53.


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Realoem is good a little confusing on this particular situation. Wish I had two side by side but....I was comparing parts online and ones receive for pre 4/2000(along with wrong dust shields). The carrier is obviously bigger because the dust shield is about 5-6mmm larger in diameter. Which sorta matches the difference between old and new bearing style.

So I think what this needs is new carrier, bearing and hub, and wheel speed sensor; as they appear to be totally different in design from what I’ve seen online.

Now the problem, the matting surface of the cv joint end appears larger in the newer style, therefore requiring a new axle shaft or (I just found) CV end. Now it would be great to just pop the CV end off and put new style on, but as Wayne said there is a difference in shaft diameters. Guess I’ll be crawling in a junk yard somewhere unless anyone has spare one laying around that could measure the end shaft diameter.

Just measured spline to hub and measured 33mm and shaft size is 27 at the depression before the small end of the boot so I’m not sure the CV end will work with the old shaft.

1999 X5 Front Carrier Update
 

I just looked at real oem they don't show an outer CV part number for the earliest 99 production. What month/year is production?

You may have to replace the whole CV

its a 12/99 build date, and Meyle makes a CV repair and i'm sure it's not for the pre 04/00 versions. If the splines aren't the same i'll have to replace both axle shafts, therefore more doubt as to the fit in the transfer case.

So RealOEM is suggesting all the items necessary for exchange of old components to updated ones. Wow! what and expense. I think i'm going to search for some part outs. Good thing is that they're showing the newer axles will fit the trans axle

Wow didn't catch the inner diameter specs being the same, mating surface on the CV joint looks larger on the newer style. I guess I could just get a hub and see if it will work with existing CV splines.

Andrew, on your previous post about not listing an earlier style hub, at the bottom of the realOEM list for front axle, there is a wheel bearing kit along with other kits, that has the hub with the old part number. But as you said if the inner diameter is the same i don't see a reason the axle cv end won't fit.

I have a new front wheel bearing for my car sitting in a box at home (long story) - I'll confirm the OD and ID tonight. Just to remove any doubt about the bearing size nomenclature at least.

Awesome! Thanks Wayne

Andrew, while this seemed reasonable, it seems it's not correct. :confused:

The new bearing measures: -

OD: 90mm
ID: 49mm
Width: 45mm

This means the smaller bearing is: -

OD: 85mm
ID: 41mm
Width: 45mm

Which means that the hub and the carrier must be different.... so they'll all need to be replaced - or located at a wrecker. :(

So just measured bearing I pressed out (twice).
Overall width - 85mm
Inner race width - 45mm
Depth width - 41mm

Although, new style hub would work but, would bottom out, the cv end would not rest on the inner bearing surface but the hub.

Don't know where in South Jersey you are, but a quick search for Axle shafts in NJ show that Hyway garage in Lumberton, A Micciche in Voorhees and Albion in Berlin have some 2000+ X5s you can scavenge. I used car-part.com to search the local yards.

I was going with the part number spec for the hub which didn't have a different one for pre 3/2000.

The plan was to replace the carrier and bearing just need to know if the hub is different which if ID bearing is different than hub is different.

I have to change a CV boot soon. I may know the answer to spline size on the post 3/2000 soon.


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Not correct, the inner race of bearing for both styles is a diameter of 45mm as confirmed by parts distributor this morning. The only difference is overall width and depth.
So the newer style carrier must be deeper, with a larger opening on the inner side of carrier to accept the larger CV end.

So the only real question is can you replace just the outer CV or full CV axle. Also: it appears the abs sensor is different so that as well.

Can the parts distributor confirm the abs bump count? I can't imagine it would be different. It would greatly complicate things to have a different abs ring count.

I don’t believe they physically have the smaller bearing in stock. I’m just going to take a “leap of faith” in this case and follow a recoding path of necessary. But realoem is listing everything for the exchange and it seems this is a necessary exchange, I would presume they are the same.

My digital Vernier calliper says 49mm ID - I guess I'll find out when/if I use this bearing! :confused:

So 49mm is the inner diameter of the bearing meaning hub shaft is the same? This is why I’m being so cautious there’s no definitive answer until I see. I’m getting a 12/00 setup from salvage yard with cv ends so I’ll see what I have to work with

Yep, on the newer setup the race inner dimension is 49mm, so the stub shaft on the hub (pressed into the bearing) must also be 49mm (slightly less actually but you get the idea...).

12/00 will be the new model. Wife has 07/00 and it's the same as mine 05/01. Hers was the last month with under hood OBD 20-pin port. I call her car a 2000 1/2 model year.

You are getting a complete knukle with hub and abs?


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