Replaced front left CV Boot
 

After replacing Front left wheel bearing at 72,000 kms .now with just 75,000 kms, I had to replace the outer cv boot.
About 1 hour job and didnt have to resort to any of my dealer special tools,but did use OE boot kit :)
*Removed wheel,
*unbolted the lower control arm
*removed wheel hub nut,
*tapped shaft out of hub,
*Pushed the wheel hub/suspension to the front of the car and held it by
securing it with a cable ,thus giving me room to remove CV joint and replace boot.
*Some of you may be reluctant to do this ,but it really is very easy.Put a vice grip on the shaft, tilts the cv joint down and hammer the outside edge of the CV joint away from the middle of the shaft and the c-clip will release with relative ease.
*Cut out torn cv boot ,check, clean,insert small clamp to shaft, then CV boot,then big clamp.
*Replace C clip on shaft with new one and push in Cv joint to shaft
*Fill Cv joint with grease (black ),put the cv boot in its
position,groove etc.Tighten the small inside clamp,tightly with my dealer supplied pincers.(yes,pincers!
*IMPORTANT!before you tighten the big clamp,insert a small screwdriver and
release vacuum from CV boot (failure to do this may shorten life of boot ;))
*Release hub/suspension from cable ,so its loose again and insert shaft into
hub.Shaft will go in nicely but never enough for you to tighten the nut,so
you need tp hold on shaft on the vice grip and tap evenly on the disc/rotor
to pull the shaft out suficiently to have a few threads for you thread the nut.
When you are confident ,you can thread the nut on the shaft ,DO NOT use
impact wrench YET!Do it manually until you pushed most of the shaft out
*Now you can use the impact wrench and tighten it fully (about 250-300Nms).Dont know why BMW recommend 420Nms when all the ones we have removed here,were removed at less than 300Nms!!!
*Tighten the lower control arm but not fully ,fit wheel ,lower vehicle ,tighten wheel to 100-120 Nms and then tighten control arm bolt fully.

Only advantage I had ,was using the lift at work ,but all the can be done on the ground with a car jack ,only awkward is doing the lower control arm bolt

Put this on the truck today...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps7ae12644.jpg

Finally official.

Alignment
New Left F and R Wheel Bearing

I could just cry....but the shop chipped/scratched the Brembos in the process.
Calipers were just repowedercoated in January.

GAHHHHHH!!!! '01 X5... Dad said he noticed the battery light flickering on and off last week. So I said to just keep an eye on it. This morning he calls and said it came on and stayed on. This afternoon, he calls... X is dead. Go to the parking lot he is in check the voltage... 10.9v, Jump it and it start right up... Check voltage again, 9.9v with every light under the sun plus TFS... Luckily he was only 8 mins away from home so I just followed behind him as he drove it home. Find the receipt to when I did it, Geez, damn alternator didn't even make it a year. I did this job 9/16/12... Luckily I have the receipt and a warranty attached to that sucker...

In any case, for those of you with alt problems (And there are a few of you on this board right now) try your best to get an OE Alt from BMW.) I think I read somewhere you can get a reman'd BMW alt for $400? If thats the case do that. I know last year when I was looking into it, it was $750 for the new alt from BMW.. so I said WTH, took a chance and bought one from Pep-boys Bosch reman'd.. yeahhhh... I'm guessing they just painted it, degreasified it and slapped it back in the box.

Uhg, the flash backs of the STUPID PS hose getting in the way is already rattling my bones. Oh well... time to do some wrenching!

Correct me if i'm wrong but can't you get a new Bosch for about 250 though? (not reman)
BMW E53 X5 M54 3.0L Engine Electrical ES#2539391 Alternator - 120amp - 12317501599


Or does your old man drive a 4.4 with liquid cooled alternator? Expensive either way for 4.4
BMW E53 X5 M62 4.4L Engine Electrical ES#517866 Replacement Alternator - 12317540994

Yeah, that sucker is the water cooled version. I just called "The Boys" and they said the new alt is $488.00 I paid $400 last year so it has gone up. At the time last year, I think I saw the alt for $750.

I have the Dinan badge but not a serial number that I remember. Did you have to apply for that?

Yes.

Signature Packages are issued a serial numbered plaque.

You should have checked the resting battery condition as soon as the light came on (let sit for 8 or 10 hrs, V should be over 12.4). If you have a bad battery and continue to drive until it no dies the alternator will be fried.

You can also damage numerous electrical item driving with low voltage, as volts drop, amp draw rises. Blown fuses are best case, worse case big $.

With all due respect to your Dad and You, but his words, if U wrote them correctly, have a certain degree of offensive language. First, Hungarian language belongs to unique Hungarian-Finnish group, indeed unique group of languages in Europe. Second, it's not "wild" as your Dad allegedly state, but unique-google smth about Hungary, look at its capital city-Budapest, learn about Austrian-Hungarian Kingdom (famous K & K Monarchy), and will see what a level of power, culture and everything else Hungary has had and still has. If your father really fled behind an "iron curtain", the same where socialist Hungary was till the late 80/ies, then he must know what I am talking about.
Third,, "gipsy"??? Sorry, but- Roma people, or-Gipsy, are OK, never "gipsy". Do U know what simbol is on Roma national flag? Wheel!!!! A sign of movement, of an ultimate freedom of movement, unchained... Fourth-why Roma people, should or must, or-are expected-by default, to understand Hungarian, as your Dad, allegedly implied? Why almost nobody understands Roma language? Sar e Roma, babo!

Best regards (Czech-s pozdravem, Hungarian-üdvözlettel) from Bosnia & Herzegovina (part of former Yugoslavia),from a member of this forum who still remembers very well the situation before the fall of iron curtain, and Berlin wall, and/ more important/ felt on my own skin..the arrival of the democracy, guided by the USA....