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Thread: Rear Wheel Bearing Replacement

  1. #1
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    I believe I have a bad wheel bearing on one of the M trailing arms I'm prepping for install... Turning the half shaft still attached to the hub, I feel and hear roughness in the hub and shaft.

    Anyway... I have read and watched a video on using a slide hammer specialty tool set for this job with the trailing arms attached to the car.

    Here's the Q: Can a shop...
    1) Replace the bearings with the trailing arms off the car with axle removed?
    2) Or should I completely install the trailing arms and then drive the car for the bearing job?

    #2 is more labor cost to remove all brakes etc... But possibly necessary?
    Last edited by kojohns; 04-21-2013 at 10:21 AM.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by kojohns View Post
    I believe I have a bad wheel bearing on one of the M trailing arms I'm prepping for install... Turning the half shaft still attached to the hub, I feel and hear roughness in the hub and shaft.

    Anyway... I have read and watched a video on using a slide hammer specialty tool set for this job with the trailing arms attached to the car.

    Here's the Q: Can a shop...
    1) Replace the bearings with the trailing arms off the car with axle removed?
    2) Or should I completely install the trailing arms and then drive the car for the bearing job?

    #2 is more labor cost to remove all brakes etc... But possibly necessary?
    The critical part of this job is pulling the shaft through the new bearing, it doesn't matter if its in the car or not, its almost better on the car since the TA is clamped to the car, but if you have it apart I wouldn't reinstall the shaft on an old bearing just to drive it to the shop.

    Without the right tools you could damage a new bearing and maybe the shaft as well. Did you buy a TA with the shaft in it or did you put your shaft in, if the arm came without the shaft and the old bearing installed then thats probably where the damage came from, just removing the shaft from a bearing can causes damage. Depending on the age of the the other side it would be a good idea to change the other on as well, and thats a good time to reboot the shaft. It just depends on how far you want to go.Thats one reason Dealer prices are so high they will do things you might not need now but because its the right time while its apart.

  3. #3
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    I purchased an entire rear dropout and left the shaft installed in the TA for the exact reasons you have described. Nothing disassembled yet from TA / Shaft perspective.

    Definitely plan on doing both sides

    So back to #1 vs. #2 ?

  4. #4
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    I don't see why they couldn't press out the old bearing and press in a new one, providing: they have a large enough diameter die to catch the new bearing only on the outer race to press it in, and there is a sufficiently large flat surface on the back side to press against (which I believe there is). Why not take the arm and the new bearing to a shop you suspect will have a press to do the job and one that you're friendly with, and ask them? If they can do such, then all you need is the tool to pull the axle through - and those I believe there are a couple floating around for rent, or you can make one using a 3/4" coupling nut and a 22mm tap (since you have a 2.8 and not an ///M). Good luck.

  5. #5
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    This is an M rear end... Complete M rear swap

  6. #6
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    No its not necessary to do the swap in the car, under the circumstances I would find a shop and just take the TA and shaft (s) before installing on the car.
    I have done it that way in your position and its the way to go. I would inquire if they have the puller tool, I think you would be surprised (I was) that a lot of shops just bang the shaft in without the proper puller, not the way i would want to do it. Use quality (FAG) bearings.

  7. #7
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    Thanks - FAG bearings added to cart ;-)

    Will do some calling around and questioning... The last BMW independent I went to couldn't assemble a strut... I had to redo all their work :-(

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by kojohns View Post
    This is an M rear end... Complete M rear swap
    The only thing that should affect is the ability of making the pulling tool yourself - with the 22mm thread (non-///M) there is enough metal left in a 3/4" connecting/coupling nut to pull it through, with the 24mm ///M thread there isn't much - not to say it wouldn't work, but best bet is to assume you'll need to rent the pulling tool [this is assuming worst case where the axle won't start through the splines... if you can get at least the threads exposed on the outboard side, then the coupling nut approach should still work. Though with a 24mmx2 thread required it's going to be a toss-up in terms of thin-walling a 3/4 coupling nut, or not getting full thread depth with a 7/8th nut (will miss by .020") - personally, having a lathe, I'd build both and see which worked best. YMMV. Good luck - greg

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by albrazzi View Post
    No its not necessary to do the swap in the car, under the circumstances I would find a shop and just take the TA and shaft (s) before installing on the car.
    I have done it that way in your position and its the way to go. I would inquire if they have the puller tool, I think you would be surprised (I was) that a lot of shops just bang the shaft in without the proper puller, not the way i would want to do it. Use quality (FAG) bearings.
    Given the cost of a half-shaft, I wouldn't let them touch it (inserting the HS). But would let them press in and out the bearings - again, assuming they have a die large enough to only press on the outer race... anyone that wants to press via the inner race I'd pack up immediately and find someone else.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by kojohns View Post
    Thanks - FAG bearings added to cart ;-)

    Will do some calling around and questioning... The last BMW independent I went to couldn't assemble a strut... I had to redo all their work :-(
    Sadly seems par for the course :-( and then they want how many dollars an hour?? sigh.

  9. #9
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    Well... At this point... now that the half shaft will be out anyway... May repack and replace the boots. Then should be good for another 100k miles.

  10. #10
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    Alternatively, you could send them to someone that not only has all the correct BMW axle & bearing tools, but also a test-fixture to insure that the trailing arms are straight before wasting any additional parts and labor on them.

    Road trip?

  11. #11
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    Yes... You beat me to it... Maybe ship them to ya! ;-)

    Gotta get some random parts sold first... My fun money for the 3rd car/toy is currently gone.

  12. #12
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    So I was watching this video series on removing and then reinstalling a new bearing and immediately said 'FAIL' ... started out 'ok', but then he switched to washers that pressed on the inner race only for the new bearing install. So much bad info out there...

    FAIL - Start at the 2:30 mark to see what I'm talking about
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX9iCZIVgFY

    Edit... this is another video with a homemade tool... He had a spacer welded in place that was a 0.5mm smaller than the diameter of the outer race:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_NyWX2S68M
    Last edited by kojohns; 04-22-2013 at 11:25 AM.

  13. #13
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    I haven't had to cross this bridge yet... but instead of pressing/pulling the new bearing in: most wheel bearings over the years I've installed (with no known failures), has been to gently tap them in using a broad flat face punch walked around the outer race, and a medium sized ball-peen hammer. The one advantage of said method is that one clearly knows when the bearing is fully seated in that the tone changes significantly when it's there. Don't know if there is something special about the Z bearings, but that's what I'd be inclined to do short of having a press and a proper die.

  14. #14
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    Is 36mm 12pt correct socket for removing rear axle nut on M Half Shafts/Hubs?

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by kojohns View Post
    Is 36mm 12pt correct socket for removing rear axle nut on M Half Shafts/Hubs?
    Yep, but pry up the indentations (used to prevent the nut backing off) first...


  16. #16
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    Any tip for removing the nut torqued to 200ftlbs without having the rotor and brake caliper installed to put the force against (aka... putting an allen wrench in the vented disk against the caliper)?

    Thinking I could put a couple of old lugs nuts through a steel bar and bolt back to the hub... let that steel bar rest on the floor while breaking loose the nut

  17. #17
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    6 ft breaker bar?

    Wait, sorry... that didn't answer all of your question. I'd be concerned with the stress on the hub using the bracing method you suggest, but that's not from an engineering perspective, rather just a paranoid one.
    Last edited by BMWBergy; 04-22-2013 at 01:21 PM.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by kojohns View Post
    Any tip for removing the nut torqued to 200ftlbs without having the rotor and brake caliper installed to put the force against (aka... putting an allen wrench in the vented disk against the caliper)?

    Thinking I could put a couple of old lugs nuts through a steel bar and bolt back to the hub... let that steel bar rest on the floor while breaking loose the nut
    Find a truck repair firm, one that uses 1" drive impact wrenches - they should be able to break it free pretty easily [kind of like trying to tighten/loosen the nut at the top of the font struts: one can try to somehow hold the shaft and use a ratchet, or one can simply hit it with an impact wrench holding the strut shaft with their fingertips].

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by gmushial View Post
    with the 24mm ///M thread
    Greg - was doing a little planning for homemade tool... where did you get the 24mm ///M thread number ? I'm reading it's a 27mm x 1.5 thread on the ///M ? Wanting to make sure I have the threads right before going any further with making / renting / buying the appropriate tool.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by kojohns View Post
    Greg - was doing a little planning for homemade tool... where did you get the 24mm ///M thread number ? I'm reading it's a 27mm x 1.5 thread on the ///M ? Wanting to make sure I have the threads right before going any further with making / renting / buying the appropriate tool.
    Simply: you are correct, and I am wrong, ie, I f'd up. I know the 22 is correct for non-///Ms, in that I built one and used it; but not having an ///M, I dutifully wrote 24mm down in the blank pages of the Bentley manual, along with the 22 for the rest, and never verified it. :-( x1000 When I go to REALoem and check - you are absolutely correct. My apologies. greg

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by gmushial View Post
    Simply: you are correct, and I am wrong, ie, I f'd up. I know the 22 is correct for non-///Ms, in that I built one and used it; but not having an ///M, I dutifully wrote 24mm down in the blank pages of the Bentley manual, along with the 22 for the rest, and never verified it. :-( x1000 When I go to REALoem and check - you are absolutely correct. My apologies. greg
    No worries at all - only validating... have definitely ordered the wrong parts before!

  22. #22
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    Quick update... Bearing Press Homemade Tool Planning

    Received the new bearings and also ordered a 3-5/16" (84.14mm) OD washer that I felt would be a very good diameter for pressing the bearing (85.05mm OD) into the trailing arm. Now it's a matter of getting some all thread, nuts, additional washers, and possibly a pipe flange of 3" OD. Even though this is the appropriate diameter for pressing on the outer race, I still need to ensure that I'm only pressing towards the outer edge of this washer... so probably need a 3" OD piece of pipe or pipe flange from the hardware store. I'll keep this thread updated with the final tool, parts list and overall price for the tool.

    I'm also going to be creating a tool for pulling the half shaft into the hub using a modified spare collar nut.

    Bearing-Press-1.jpgBearing-Press-2.jpgBearing-Press-3.jpgBearing-Press-4.jpg
    Last edited by kojohns; 04-26-2013 at 10:13 AM.

  23. #23
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    Video please!

    I miss the days when guys were trying to do the subframe bushings with makeshift tools__always entertaining to follow the escapades!

    That's an expensive bearing to be fooling around with, and just so you know, the factory tool uses a quite large diameter bolt with very fine threads. Anything approaching that diameter (sorry, it's in the garage, and I'm not, or I'd measure it for you) from the hardware store will undoubtedly be coarse threads, resulting in a very turning high effort. I suppose you'll use a cheater pipe, but the trailing arm better be secured in a suitable vise, on a workbench bolted to the floor.

    Just sayin...

  24. #24
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    Haha... don't worry - not going to be any drama here... I don't do things without a solid plan of attack and tools. I just don't agree with paying BMW specialty tool prices

    Trailing arms are going to be reinstalled for all of this... just too much to go wrong with it sitting on the floor of the garage. I agree on the coarse all thread comments... I attempted my own tool for RTABs with all thread, and it was a real pain... actually broke the all thread... so purchased a $30 tool with fine threaded long bolt. I may buy a Harbor Freight front bearing adapter kit for $100 to have the appropriate screw/bolt to use with an impact wrench. This will greatly ease all of the work... it just doesn't have the appropriate diameter press plate included for pressing in the bearing. The purchased washer will fix that.... or one could use the outer race of the bearing that is pulled out.

    Harbor Freight Front Bearing Adapter Kit:
    http://www.harborfreight.com/fwd-fro...ers-66829.html

    Also purchased this $60 Bearing Separator Kit off eBay to assist with removing the hub from the trailing arm and then again for removing the inner race from the hub:
    http://www.imexbb.com/bearing-separa...t-10856526.htm

    Here's a couple of good videos doing the job with both set of tools

    Removal:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4PK1jXhppE

    Install:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vedv2OyE9BY
    Last edited by kojohns; 04-26-2013 at 04:40 PM.

  25. #25
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    I don't doubt your plan, but a couple of tips:

    Grease the bolt threads__makes a tremendous difference in effort and tool life (ask Clint...)

    Refrain from using the impact; doing by hand is yes, harder/longer, but the rapid turning of the nut with the power tool generates a lot more heat and friction (both are bad)

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