Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Front wheel bearing replacement.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Front wheel bearing replacement.

    e30 Front wheel bearing replacement.

    Today I had to do a wheel bearing replacement on my 89 325i. This guide should be 100% the same through any model year e30, and probably a few other models as well. I saw quite a few rear bearing replacement DIY's but no fronts, so I took a few pictures along the way.

    -Diagnosis

    Most wheel bearings will present themselves in an audible noise when they start to fail. This will sound like a constant rumble or groan when driving, and get louder with increased speed. The noise usually lessens when you take load off of the bearing that is making the noise, a gradual turn should change the pitch or intensity. A left hand turn takes the load off of the drivers side wheel, right turn takes it off of the passenger. The noise can also be accompanied by a noticeable vibration. You can sometimes feel a bad wheel bearing by jacking the car up and rotating the wheel, but you will hear/feel it while driving long before this is possible.

    -Tools needed

    - Allens
    - 19mm socket/wrench
    - 17mm socket for lugs
    - 10mm socket/wrench
    - Hammer
    - Flathead screwdriver
    - Small bearing 2/3 jaw bearing puller. Autozone has them for rent.
    - 36mm thin wall socket. The OEM brand that the auto parts stores will not work. Sears has them for 9$.

    -Preparation (10 min)

    To get started you will need to jack the offending wheel in the air and support the car with a jack-stand for safety. You will also need to remove the wheel.

    -Replacement (30 min)

    1. Remove the brake caliper by loosing the two 19mm hex bolts holding the caliper to the strut base. Support the brake caliper so the weight of the caliper is not being hung by the brake line. I usually stick the wheel under the car and place the caliper on the tire. (Picture #1)

    2. Remove the allen bolt on the brake rotor. The rotor will fall off when you remove this, be sure not to let it fall on your leg. (Picture #1)

    3. Remove the bearing cap in the center of the hub. Use the flathead screwdriver and the hammer to gently tap the cap out of its hole. When this is off, you will see the hub nut. The nut has part of it bent into a relief in the axle to act as a lock. Unbend the nut with the screwdriver and hammer combo. (Picture #2)

    4. Remove the 36mm nut in the center of the hub. I used a 3ft breaker bar. Use what you have, it should not require a impact. (Picture #2)

    5. (Optional) Remove the two 10mm hex bolts that secures the brake dust plate onto the hub. I only removed this for easier access and to clean things.

    6. Use the bearing puller to pull the hub off of the axle. I had part of my inner bearing race separate from the hub. If this happens You will have to bend the metal inner shield to get your puller onto the race. I didn't have to bend it much and was able to straighten it back out once the race was off. (Picture #3)

    7. (Optional) My hub came without the ABS tooth ring on the new hub. This made it mandatory for me to take my ABS ring off of my old bearing and put it on my new one. I used the puller to take it off, and put it on the new one with a vice using it like a press. Make sure the solid part of the ring is towards the inside of the new hub. (Picture #4)

    8. Reinstall everything opposite of removal. To press my hub back on the axle, it required nothing more than pushing it as far as I could with my hands, and kicking it with my foot the rest of the way. I only kicked it until I was able to get the axle nut on and tighten the nut. There is probably a torque setting on the axle nut. I just tightened mine until the tab lined up with the relief in the axle, and the nut was tight. Make sure you re-bend the tab on the axle nut into the relief on the axle.


    -Pictures

    #1


    #2


    #3


    #4
    -Dan

    #2
    this write up kind of scares me



    Comment


      #3
      The hub nut should be torqued to 290nm (did the job myself today :D)

      Comment


        #4
        How much of a pita is this ?? I think mine is on it's way out. It makes a sound kind of like a train derailing but only at certain speeds. Also there is a slight knocking sound at certain speeds too ??

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by jintermont View Post
          How much of a pita is this ?? I think mine is on it's way out. It makes a sound kind of like a train derailing but only at certain speeds. Also there is a slight knocking sound at certain speeds too ??
          Take a read a few posts up to see what is required.
          sigpic

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by jintermont View Post
            How much of a pita is this ?? I think mine is on it's way out. It makes a sound kind of like a train derailing but only at certain speeds. Also there is a slight knocking sound at certain speeds too ??
            Alot easier than doin a rear bearing.

            Comment


              #7
              Make sure to get a puller with a very thin threaded rod. If it's too large it will try to thread into your spindle.

              We just replaced one, and the inner race was pretty seized to the spindle. We had to heat it red hot with an OA torch about six times and whack it with hammers to get it off with the puller.
              Originally posted by Gruelius
              and i do not know what bugg brakes are.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by thedeal View Post
                this write up kind of scares me
                if that scares you then I'd definitely stay away from doing a blown head.LOL
                sigpic

                Comment


                  #9
                  keep us posted. how did it change the ride overall?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Airplanecar8 View Post
                    keep us posted. how did it change the ride overall?
                    The ride doesn't change, you just don't have the drone from up front.
                    Originally posted by Gruelius
                    and i do not know what bugg brakes are.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      That's weird, my buddy got new bearings on the front of his Mark 4 jetta and the car drove like it just rolled off the lot.


                      "Its preparations are concealed, not published. Its mistakes are buried not headlined. Its dissenters are silenced, not praised. No expenditure is questioned, no rumor is printed, no secret is revealed."

                      John F. Kennedy

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by harrypotter View Post
                        that's weird, my buddy got new bearings on the front of his mark 4 jetta and the car drove like it just rolled off the lot.
                        mk4=fwd

                        did it to my gf's mk4 too.. and yeah, I know the difference in feeling. Wonder how my rear end would feel with new bearings ;)

                        Comment


                          #13
                          im just gona buy new front hubs , they already come with new bearings

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Anguz View Post
                            im just gona buy new front hubs , they already come with new bearings
                            Yeah...they are all come with bearings...when they said "change wheel bearing" they meant "change wheel bearing/hub assembly" and those pics show the process.

                            in fact, anyone know where to buy bearings WITHOUT the hubs? Post a link, don't give me any bullshit like 'they got them at autohauz", gimme a damn link AND a part number!

                            Closing SOON!
                            "LAST CHANCE FOR G.A.S." DEAL IS ON NOW

                            Luke AT germanaudiospecialties DOT com or text 425-761-6450, or for quickest answers, call me at the shop 360-669-0398

                            Thanks for 10 years of fun!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Alright, I hope this isn't a dumb question, but I don't have a bearing puller . . is there anything else I can use or is that like the end all be all tool??
                              DSC_0195 by Webster Burch, on Flickr

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X