Front wheel bearing replacement on 2003 530i, most horrible job in the world :(

[jasper7821]

I decided to tackle the wheel bearing-hub replacement after reading the DIY several times.
First off let me tell you it's WAY more involved than the DIY says it is, although the DIY was for a 540.
Anyways, to get the front lower control arm out of the chassis, there's a plastic cover held on with 2 10mm bolts. then, there's no room for the bolt to come out so you have to take the engine splashguard (or whatever it's called) off and and a lot of the plastic in the wheel well.
I still was barely able to remove the bolt, I had to totally bend some air intake cover to get the bolt to clear.
Also, it was pretty hard to get the carrier to push so far down so the strut cleared the top bolt head.

Than the biggest problem, the 4 bolts that hold the hub on took 30 minutes for each bolt, started at 1 and finished at 5 just for one side, cut my hand about 8 times with the breaker bar.
no air impact tool will fit behind the wheel carrier with all the stuff hanging from the carrier.

Also, it was pretty hard to get the carrier to push so far down so the strut cleared the top bolt head.
Another problem was when the 4 bolts were finally removed, the hub was corroded to the carrier.
I bought the car from Chicago and I guess after so many years they molded together, that took about 20 minutes of banging on the hub with a rubber mallet.

I still need to do the other side, but will probably pay the $140 to do it since those 4 bolts are impossible to get off

I didn't realize that the thrust arm bushings would be so easy to change, wish I would have had a bushing removal tool and a bushing.

Please add input if you know of a easier way to get the 4 bolts off, I guess you could take the whole carrier out by removing all the arms, then an impact gun would fit.

Any suggestions?

[NNY528I]

Beer, Lots of beer.





Oh and bandaids to, they help a lot.

[cnn]

Just curious how many miles on your car when the FRONT wheel bearings go?
Also what were your symptoms?

[jasper7821]

this was my problem, long thread but basically I probably really didn't need to change bearings, only a tiny metal noise, but was screeching with a rock or something stuck between the dust cover and rotor
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1288232

[bimmerfiver]

I decided to tackle the wheel bearing-hub replacement after reading the DIY several times.
First off let me tell you it's WAY more involved than the DIY says it is, although the DIY was for a 540.
Anyways, to get the front lower control arm out of the chassis, there's a plastic cover held on with 2 10mm bolts. then, there's no room for the bolt to come out so you have to take the engine splashguard (or whatever it's called) off and and a lot of the plastic in the wheel well.
I still was barely able to remove the bolt, I had to totally bend some air intake cover to get the bolt to clear.
Also, it was pretty hard to get the carrier to push so far down so the strut cleared the top bolt head.

Than the biggest problem, the 4 bolts that hold the hub on took 30 minutes for each bolt, started at 1 and finished at 5 just for one side, cut my hand about 8 times with the breaker bar.
no air impact tool will fit behind the wheel carrier with all the stuff hanging from the carrier.

I have to ask, why are you removing control arms to do wheel bearings? You mentioned in your other thread the need to do so in order to get to the wheel bearing's bolts...but all 4 bolts are accessible. The lower two are wide open and the upper two can be removed once the strut moves upward.

[jasper7821]

the DIY instructions said in order to get the carrier to move down to be able to get to the 2 hidden bolts by the strut, it said to remove the bolt from the control arm bushing side and one of the sway bar links and remove the pinch bolt.
I assummed that was the only way to get to the 2 bolts, so I followed the instructions.
I didn't completly remove the arm, just the bushing end, not the ball joint end.

[bimmerfiver]

the DIY instructions said in order to get the carrier to move down to be able to get to the 2 hidden bolts by the strut, it said to remove the bolt from the control arm bushing side and one of the sway bar links and remove the pinch bolt.
I assummed that was the only way to get to the 2 bolts, so I followed the instructions.
I didn't completly remove the arm, just the bushing end, not the ball joint end.

I am lost on the island looking for Kate.

The DIY says: "The wheel bearing assembly is held in place from behind by four bolts. Two of the bolts are easily accessible. Two of them are blocked by the shock absorber." DIY is here:

http://www.zeckhausen.com/E39_Bearings.htm

1). I can't understand why you're removing control arm bushings? There are 3 balljoints at the steering knuckle...tie rod, lower control arm, upper control arm. The two control arms...their bushings are 14-18" away from the area you're working. They're not in the way of the wheel bearing bolts at all.

2). Two of the wheel bearing bolts, the BOTTOM TWO are easily accessible. The TOP TWO are merely blocked by the strut. The STRUT is removed from blocking them by simply looseing the PINCH BOLT and removing the sway bar link end. I wrote this last night, see post # 21:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1288232

Can you, using these photos, show us what control arm bushing you removed:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...17&hg=31&fg=05

Did you remove # 4 above ^.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...55&hg=31&fg=10

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...57&hg=31&fg=10

[jasper7821]

Here's the DIY, I followed it exactly, says to remove the front lower control arm from the chassis, and the sway bar link from the bracket on the wheel carrier and remove the pinch bolt, only then will the wheel carrier be able to lower to get to the 2 bolts.
That's what I did, I didn't remove the bushings, just the arm from the chassis

http://www.zeckhausen.com/E39_Bearings.htm


Remove the 18mm nut and bolt holding the front lower control arm to the chassis. A good whack with a rubber mallet should pop the arm out of the chassis attachment points. The arm is not under pressure and can be reinstalled without special tools. The arm is shown in the lower left of the photo with the bright yellow "NO HOOKS" sticker on it. The bolt should be marked "CONTROL ARM" with the laundry pen so it isn't confused with the strut pinch bolt removed in the previous step. When reinstalling, remember that the bolt goes in from the rear of the car and the nut faces the front of the car.

[bimmerfiver]

Here's the DIY, I followed it exactly, says to remove the front lower control arm from the chassis, and the sway bar link from the bracket on the wheel carrier and remove the pinch bolt, only then will the wheel carrier be able to lower to get to the 2 bolts.
That's what I did, I didn't remove the bushings, just the arm from the chassis

http://www.zeckhausen.com/E39_Bearings.htm


Remove the 18mm nut and bolt holding the front lower control arm to the chassis. A good whack with a rubber mallet should pop the arm out of the chassis attachment points. The arm is not under pressure and can be reinstalled without special tools. The arm is shown in the lower left of the photo with the bright yellow "NO HOOKS" sticker on it. The bolt should be marked "CONTROL ARM" with the laundry pen so it isn't confused with the strut pinch bolt removed in the previous step. When reinstalling, remember that the bolt goes in from the rear of the car and the nut faces the front of the car.

I think that's for 540's etc.

I could be 100% wrong, but I'll bet my (entire) set of Tusken Raiders there is no need to touch that control arm (in order to lower the wheel carrier) on your 530.

No matter. Rip those mofos out. Replace them. I'm tired of hearing about them. Replace all your control arms, tie rods, sway bar link ends and enjoy a new chariot! Seriously, you will be pumped and proud you did it all.

[jasper7821]

thanks, if I had the money, I'd replace all the arms. It rides pretty smooth now except the thrust arm bushings.
And when I had the thrust arm off on one side, I checked for play on the ball joint side and there was none, the arm moved totally free (no friction at all) but no play at the joint.

When I do the other bearing-hub, I'll try it without taking the control arm off of the chassis end and see if the carrier still moves down to get to the bolts.

[bimmerfiver]

thanks, if I had the money, I'd replace all the arms. It rides pretty smooth now except the thrust arm bushings.
And when I had the thrust arm off on one side, I checked for play on the ball joint side and there was none, the arm moved totally free (no friction at all) but no play at the joint.

When I do the other bearing-hub, I'll try it without taking the control arm off of the chassis end and see if the carrier still moves down to get to the bolts.

Cool. Replace your Thrust Arms for sure. They are infamous. Bushings fail bigtime. Once you get this done, then you can drink beer.