1998 528i REAR Bearing the Easy Way!

[cnn]

Hi siny528i,

I bought the set of 3 pullers from Harbor Freight for $20.
PITTSBURGH AUTOMOTIVE Three-Jaw Puller Set, 3 Pc.

https://www.harborfreight.com/Three-...-Pc-63953.html

But to pull the INNER race off the hub, you really need the 5-ton puller I posted.
This is KD Tool 3533, this tool is strong enough to pull off the race.
If stuck, ask a local shop to pull them out for you.

[siny528i]

Hi siny528i,

I bought the set of 3 pullers from Harbor Freight for $20.
PITTSBURGH AUTOMOTIVE Three-Jaw Puller Set, 3 Pc.

https://www.harborfreight.com/Three-...-Pc-63953.html

But to pull the INNER race off the hub, you really need the 5-ton puller I posted.
This is KD Tool 3533, this tool is strong enough to pull off the race.
If stuck, ask a local shop to pull them out for you.

Yeah, bro, thanks!

I realized that already by googling the pic... I got mine from local Autozone (made by OEM)
They all hit or miss unless you want to spend extra $$$, which I don't...

A couple of nights ago I was walking from work and found out big a$$ clamp in my neighbor garbage.
I used it to compress my BMW Genuine Hubs and FAG Bearings. Voila!

Thanks again for awesome DIY,
siny528i

PS. Waiting for weekend to do this job...

[siny528i]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Unfortunately, nothing is easy for me. It's a warzone here. I had to use Impact Wrench at the highest setting to remove E14 bolts. And removed only 2 front ones. Decided to remove everything since I am going to change it all. Had to cut bolt to remove the Guide Link. I am going to replace it anyway.

Now I have to drop Lower Control Arm to have access to Rear Bearing Bolts. I removed the Lower Control Arm's Nut and Eccentric Washer, but stuck with the Bolt...
Its real PITA!

[cnn]

HEAT is your friend.
Get a $10 propane torch (Plumbers torch at hardware store).
Heat exactly where the threads make contact.

For example, for rear hub, do NOT look inside, go to the outside, you will see where the Torx bolts sticking out of the hub: this is exactly where you should heat it up for a good 30 sec.
Then PB Blaster a bit and let it seep inside the thread.
Removal will be very easy.

Heat will melt Loctite (if used at factory), and it also disrupts the rusty bond in the threads.

[nyc951]

CNN:

Thanks for your write up.

I got to the part where I was separating the old bearing from the wheel hub and the 5-ton 2 jaw puller snapped at the hinge (where the bolt goes through the arm).

So do you think I can just get a metal cut off wheel and cut through the outer race and then cut the inner race? I think the old bearing is way too rusted onto the hub, unfortunately.

[siny528i]

CNN:

Thanks for your write up.

I got to the part where I was separating the old bearing from the wheel hub and the 5-ton 2 jaw puller snapped at the hinge (where the bolt goes through the arm).

So do you think I can just get a metal cut off wheel and cut through the outer race and then cut the inner race? I think the old bearing is way too rusted onto the hub, unfortunately.

You can do that. Or better yet, like I did, install New Bearings over New Hubs. They are relatively cheap

[DHoang]

After 22 yrs, my factory original rear bearing (right side) finally went out. Tackled this w/ Cn's excellent initial DIY. But, I guessed since it's the 1st time to renew this for this, my axle hub wasn't coming off the spline end using that industrial strength 3 jaw puller as easily as shown. Neither did it come off using a slide hammer. So the whole subassembly needed to come out so it can be pressed off on a 2 ton hydraulic press.

Preface: since I was going be "in there" to renew the bearing, i bought ~$900 worth of all new parts to renew the entire rear suspension. So when this frozen situation per above reared its ugly head, it made sense to me to just drop the entire subassembly out of the car, and do all the changeouts on a work bench vs. under car. Ok back to the problem at hand:

To drop the entire subassembly, I disconnected the upper shock mount, the half shaft at the differential, pulled out the long bolt that went through the lower A-arm w/ the ball joint & integral link, and disconnected the two bolts of the control arm & rr link at the frame, and the rear emergency brake cable end. This procedure may appear to be a huge undertaking, but I found it to be extremely easy in reality.



Once the whole side subassy dropped out of the car, I stripped the subassy down on work benc down to the 1/2 shaft holding the hub +bearing, and then pressed the hub out on a hydraulic press. it took me until the next morning to see it break free. The hub would NOT come out on the 1st day trying to press it out. So, I left it under max. hydraulic pressure, soaking in pb blaster overnight, and the next day, I kept trying to break it free, and by the 3rd-5th try the following day, it popped out of the spline end. So that's how my 1st pass went w/ this. So fast forward a day, and now it was time to do the other side. Expecting to see the same frozen problem, i was surprised to see the hub on the other side , which was still OK, pop off the spline just using the 3 jaw puller with the 1/2 shaft still connected to the diff. Nevetheless, I followed through the same as before, and dropped the whole thing out of the car to do complete the overhaul





As for pulling out the remaining bearing and installing the new bearing back onto the existing axle flange hub, I decided at the start to just buy brand new axle hubs ($72 / eac) instead of mucking around w/ reusing old. In the end, since I had already worked myself into a frenzy enough trying to get that hub off the axle.... Bypassing this step w/ new hubs turned out to have been a good move on my part as this made all the difference in completing this w/ more enjoyment vs. more stress.

[siny528i]

As for pulling out the remaining bearing and installing the new bearing back onto the existing axle flange hub, I decided at the start to just buy brand new axle hubs ($72 / eac) instead of mucking around w/ reusing old.

Yes, that's a good move! That's exactly what I did!
Sorry about the ordeal you had to come through...

[nyc951]

Yes, that's a good move! That's exactly what I did!
Sorry about the ordeal you had to come through...

As for pulling out the remaining bearing and installing the new bearing back onto the existing axle flange hub, I decided at the start to just buy brand new axle hubs ($72 / eac) instead of mucking around w/ reusing old. In the end, since I had already worked myself into a frenzy enough trying to get that hub off the axle.... Bypassing this step w/ new hubs turned out to have been a good move on my part as this made all the difference in completing this w/ more enjoyment vs. more stress.

I agree 100% with both of these guys. The reduction in stress and time-savings was well worth the cost of two new hubs.

[nyc951]

Adding my experiences to this thread by CNN, as this thread was what I read multiple times to prepare me for the job. I had the "CNN axle tool" made and used a slide hammer for this job. I learned a lot from doing the first side; the second side took me about 3 hours, and that was taking my time to take pictures, eat breakfast, drink water, etc. Pictures below.

1) Can't stress this enough. Use the 3-jaw puller/pusher to "push" the axle in towards the differential. This creates the inch or so of room that allows you to fit a socket behind the hub carrier to remove the four bolts that hold on the wheel bearing. [I didn't do this at first and it took me about 5 hours just to remove those 4 bolts - don't make my mistake]
2) Use a ratchet, short extension and E14 socket to loosen and unscrew the 4 bolts holding the wheel bearing on. Get creative and use leverage via a short pipe, 1/2" drive socket with extension, etc. Use your knees to support your arms where possible as the tools can slip and your arms/hand will hit the sharp objects (brake dust shield = scary) in the hub carrier area. I covered the area with an old mat to be extra safe. Just leave the bolts in that area for now - you'll have much more room to take them out and insert new ones after the wheel hub is removed, which then allows you to maneuver the axle shaft around and create the necessary clearance. My ratchet setup is pictured below.
3) Continue to tighten the 3-jaw puller to completely pull the hub/wheel bearing assembly off the axle shaft.
4) Remove the four old bolts and place new ones in their place.
5) Install new wheel bearing on new wheel hub. Put anti-seize paste on the hub to ease the assembly process.
6) Put anti-seize or some oil onto the axle splines and put the new bearing onto the splines - make sure the splines and bearing match up properly. Just get it on there snug.
7a) Assemble your slide hammer and the "CNN axle tool"
7b) Place a rubber mallet into the hub area, reach over the hub carrier and hold the axle shaft (I held the outer CV joint area), and whack the mallet a few times with a sledge hammer until you can thread on the axle tool. This is why lubing the axle splines helps. Easy with the hammer does it here. Pictures below.
8) Thread the new bolts onto the new wheel bearing. You can torque down the 4 bolts now since there is enough working room due to the axle not being completely pulled into the bearing + hub assembly yet.
9) Use the slide hammer and pull the axle all the way through the bearing + hub. Spray lubricant into the spline area if you need to. Continue to tighten the axle tool after each time you yank the slide hammer [the pulling through of the axle will create slack between the axle tool and hub]
10) Finish the job per CNN's procedure.

[P.S. If I had to do this again, I'd find a socket that's the same diameter of the threaded area of the axle nut. Have that socket welded to the nut and then grind the nut down to the same diameter as the socket. Then this tool, with its smaller diameter, can reach deep through the new hub’s opening and thread onto the axle’s threaded tip, and then you’d be use the slide hammer to pull the axle through the new hub. This would negate my step 7b, which is the need to use a sledge hammer to mount the new bearing + hub onto the axle spline.]


3-jaw puller pushing the axle in an inch or so
IMG_3776.jpg

My 1/2" + 3/8" drive ratchet, extensions and socket setup; these were the only two extensions I needed [again, pushing the axle in an inch or so helped a lot to create the necessary clearance]
IMG_3765.jpg

IMG_3764.jpg

Using 1/2" drive socket + extension for leverage. Be careful as the bolts are tight. Wear thick gloves and cover sharp hardware with mats, rugs, etc.

IMG_3777.jpg

Old hub + bearing pulled off; new one for reference.
IMG_3759.jpg

[nyc951]

More pictures

Hub carrier with bearing + hub pulled off.
IMG_3761.jpg

Use a magnet to pull the old bolts out and put the new ones in
IMG_3758.jpg


Picture of how I pressed the new hub + bearings. I had this SIR tool for 10+ years and finally used it. LOL
IMG_3755.jpg

Mallet placed into hub
IMG_3783.jpg

Whacking the mallet with a 3lb sledge hammer - use moderate aggression.
Stop whacking when you can thread on the CNN axle tool.
IMG_3763.jpg

[nyc951]

More pictures

Thread in the bolts and torque them
IMG_3772.jpg

Prepare CNN axle tool + slide hammer
IMG_3766.jpg

Use the slide hammer to pull the axle through
IMG_3768.jpg

Axle pulled all the way through and time to install new axle nut
IMG_3770.jpg

New axle nut installed. I staked it after torquing to spec.
IMG_3771.jpg