FRONT WHEEL BEARING/HUB HELP
 

Hello All, does anyone know if there is a good write up anywhere that I can reference. I need to replace the front wheel bearing on the 2002 x5 because its gone bad I can hear the sound when I am driving and now its getting louder... Did the 9-3 o'clock check on the tire and there is a little movement there. And do you know which way it would be easier to replace both the bearing and the hub ? do they come pre-assemble together and greased? any idea lets share. Thanks in advance

TIS: Replacing front Wheel Bearings
 

This should help

Thanks for the information 2001 X5, it shows that there is difference between 2001 and 2002 ?

I think difference is in the size of the bearing. 45mm or 49mm.

The sizes are different, newer x's have a wee bit larger hub and axle but the install is the same

It seems like the key is in that B90 tool, the question is do i need that tool if I am installing the hub/bearing together?

lebahawk, how does it sound like and how did you zero in to identify the bearing as the culprit?

Maybe it is just the lower control arm out, not the bearing.

The way I checked it is by driving I can hear the noise starts at around 45 mph and increases as I work my way to 65 MPH almost like Grrrrrrrrrrr sound ! also when I reach 80 mph the sound gets lower but when i slows down or decelerate also the noise gets louder.... statically i jacked up the vehicle and did the check by grabing the tire side to side and feel if there is a movement and there was a little movement when i did the 9 :3 oclock check. Another simple way you can do it too if you have a hoist you can put the vehicle up in the air take off the tires and put it in Drive and hear the noise !!!! I doubt it its the arm because it would not make this kinda noise when driving.

=[ i have the same problem. i hear sounds just like you do but its touch and go. Sometimes i do sometimes i don't all during turns and once it stayed on even when parked and driving straight. I am not sure if its the bearing problem but keep us up to date and maybe i can get this fixed aswell.

I don't think your issue is a bearing issue. if you hear it only when you turn or parking, it sounds more like a linkage issue in the suspension i.e. tirerod etc.. if its a bearing you would hear it constantly as soon as you pick up speed

thanks lebahawk. i think you are right.

Ok finally done, replaced the front left bearing and the hub, It was a great learning experience to change it took me a couple days because the dealer did not have the hub in stock so had to wait for the following day to complete but most important that the noise is gone :) Battery went dead as well so had to replaced the battery also. Truck is back on the road now !

Nice job lebahawk.Did you use the B90 tool afterall?What was the hardest thing you found when replacing the hub/bearing?
Thanks for the input:thumbup:

You can normally diagnose a bearing by going around a corner. The tone or pitch of the noise will change when doing this as the weight of the truck will move to the other side of the car.

I was planning on using it but I couldn't find a store where I can rent one... so I end up using the slide hammer that i rent it from Auto zone to pull the hub from the old bearing, and I used the universal bearing puller discs that I also bought from harbor freight to pull the old bearing and install the new one.... the tough part was re-installing the axle back into the hub it was pain it took lots of hammering on a 2x4 block! but I had to hammer it enough so i would be able to install the axle nut back on. It wasn't that bad over all but you need to have some patience as your doing it.

I agree that was one thing I did when driving at 35 mph or so and start it rotating the steering wheel to the left and to the right and you would hear the noise go away when the weight is transfered to the good side.

this is the link of the tools that i used
FWD Front Wheel Bearing Adapters

17 Piece Heavy Duty Slide Hammer Kit

Thanks Lebahawk,
Thats great input which will give confidence to many here to do the same job.
I have mates that work for BMW dealer and even they have difficulty even with specific tools and they also have to hammer it.
So ,if anyone is going to have to hammer anything in my X,I prefer to be me;)

Again ,thanks for sharing:thumbup:

Did you use loctite or similar glue when you applied bearing to hub?
Thanks:thumbup:

No that was one thing I didn't do but I read about it after I got done :( it was a tight fit anyway but will see I hope it doesnt matter that much

No..You should be fine!I did a lot of bearings on other cars and never used loctite and never had a problem.
Well done ..again:thumbup:

So I'm getting ready to do this on my 01. I have the bearing, hub, dust sleeve, circlip and nut. I can see how the slide hammer puller works to remove the hub but how did you get the old bearing out of the housing?

I used the universal bearing puller discs ... its available from harbor freight I am sure its available somewhere else, but this is where I bought mine.

sorry im late!!! i hear also a humbling ( rythmic) noise from the front passenger wheel when braking and driving normaly . it s like << if if if if if >> or << chin chin chin>>. the noise comes back after driving the x for some time. ( i have got new pads and rotors)
do you think it is a bad wheel bearing????

I would check the brake pads and make sure things are okay there, you mentioned you just had the brakes done so it could be that you need to have some anti seize lube on the shims or something check it out. The bearing noise is constantly on when driving does not go away and come back. Good luck !

Lol i changed them 3 months ago . The noise is like a rubbing sound ( it is rythmic and get faster when driving at high speed

Ok if brakes are ok, then that factor is out. check the tire ? sometimes if the tire has an uneven wear it would make a similar sound too. Also one thing you can check is to drive the car and cautiously try to swirl it around at low speed and see if the noise go off and come back when the weight of the car transfer on to the opposite side. get a feel for it.

I just did both my front bearings, WOW, not a fun job. I could not get the hub off either side with the slide hammer. I took the whole steering knuckle off and knocked it out with a sledge hammer, I used two steel crow bars to prop the steering knuckle on top of cinder blocks. I also gave a good pound to the bearing after I took out the clip. I found with the first side it was hard with the Harbor Freight bearing tool to break the locktite bond. The bearing breaks when you get the hub out, separating the broken part off the hub is not as difficult as I thought but it takes a lot of time, keep pushing it along with a chisel until you can get your bearing puller on. On my second wheel I had a HARD time getting the axle out of the hub, I got inpatient and wacked it out with a sledge hammer-I paid for that- I damaged the threads and needed to buy a new axel end, plus the boot, PLUS the TIME. Its HARD to push in the new bearing when the knuckle is off the car, I had to add an extension bar and its hard to get torque when the knuckle wants to jump and move PLUS working with harbor freight tools you always have the fear that the tool will bust before your finished. (I am not knocking Harbor Fright they are FANTASTIC for giving us cheep one time tools). I worked alone, when getting the axle nut off I hooked a copper elec, wire around the wheel rim to hold the socket tight on the nut while I was further away with a iron pipe on my beaker bar. Not sure I would do this again knowing how much time and "oh *%$&*", lots of those loud snaps that your not sure if it broke free or your tool busted! good luck and leave lots of time

Sounds like drilled rotors.

just looking for an update from the OP, what did you unbolt to give you the access to get the CV shaft out of the way to use the bearing press discs? Did you just unbolt the strut and have enough room to swing the wheel carrier out of the way?