rear wheel bearing job w pics

[Todd Black 88]

Never sieze! Mine just spin out.

[Thizzelle]

what's a bitch is the little allen screw that is always seized. I had to drill through my screw to get rotor off

[Todd Black 88]

Yeah, I am rebuilding the entire rear of my car and compared to the work required for the trailing arm bushings to be done, rear wheel bearings are a breeze.

Speaking of which, how are you supposed to torque the trailing arm to subframe bolts with the car on 4 wheels and the suspension loaded, like the manual says? Wtf?

[reelizmpro]

Welp, one side was completed but the side with the noisy bearing I am going to take to my uncle's shop. I can't seem to get the axle out of the hub. Looks like it fused together from driving on it too long (i kept putting it off). I used penetrant overnight, heat and a 10lb sledge hammer. It would not budge. I was going use a hub puller but was afraid of stripping the threads on my hub since the driveshaft is still inside. M3 hubs aren't common, nor are they cheap. Maybe an air hammer will work. Anyway, for those who have noisy bearings, it's better to do them sooner than later! The entire job isn't too bad actually. When taking the rotors off, make sure the parking brake is down. It's easy to forget.

[Todd Black 88]

I hit them with my bfh a couple times and they slid off by hand.

[reelizmpro]

This is what I used to get the inner race off the shaft without resorting to grinding or burning it off. Bearing separator, 19mm socket and S14 valve shim/washer. This worked well because there was a lip on the race that the bearing separator was able to grab onto.



As for the lock plate and nut...The nut goes on first and then the plate is knocked over it with a socket or flathead.

Did you take your rotors somewhere to get turned and checked? I too had to use a sledgehammer to remove the rotors and feared that I had ruined them. When I installed the rotor and spun it to adjust the parking brake I thought it had too much run out but then noticed that due to the rust/corrosion behind the rotor, it wasn't sitting completely flush on the hub. I had to clean it up and pound it down with a rubber mallet to get it flush and the run out problem was solved. Now I see why shops would take a wire wheel to the hubs every time the rotor comes off and apply plenty of anti seize.

[Todd Black 88]

Alright, this is going to be a stupid question, but when installing the axle nuts on the half shafts/axles, do you put the lock washer on then the nut, then tighten, Or do you put the nut on tight, then tap the lock washer around the nut?
I had to remove the lock washer before I could get the nut off, so I would assume it goes on top, but the design of the washer doesn't seem like it should go that way.

[Todd Black 88]

I had the same issue when I first bought my car. Block of wood and a bfh got the rotors off. I had to replace them though, due to run out issues after the bfh assault.

I am now attempting to get the rear trailing arms off the subframe. Now those are bloody tight. Where do you guys put the rear jacks when removing or lowering the subframe? I need to get that passenger bolt out, and my gas tank is full.

[reelizmpro]

My compressor isn't strong enough so I had to use a cheater pipe on the 1/2" breaker bar which combined with the heat, was easily removed. My damn rotors are very seized to the hubs though. I gave up for the night. I'll tackle them in the morning.

[e30conv2]

Barry that 30MM nut can give you problems. Did you have to torch the nut a bit that helps too. The best is a Snap On 1/2 air gun.If you have a strong enough compressor.

[reelizmpro]

I finally started this job as well after putting it off for so long. I used a cheater bar on the 30mm axle nut...no problem. Knocked the axle out with hammer and socket...no problem. Caliper is off, then the ro...ohhhh hmmmmm the damn rotor is frozen to the hub. Hit it with a bfh, heat, breaker bar...no go. Going to tackle that in the morning with "the 1/2" bolts and nuts through the caliper hole method." Now that I think of it, when I bought the car it had new brakes all around so I've never changed the brakes on my M3 in my 14 years of ownership. I guess they didn't use any antiseize.

[Todd Black 88]

I love owning a car that spent the first 15 years of its life in California, and garaged.

1.5 hours in to the job so far. Exhaust off, wheels off, brakes off, diff out(replacing), axles off, hubs out, bearings out, and new bearings in.

Now I have to get the stuck inner races off my hubs........this could be a drag.

[MattAvino]

Im looking around for the best deal for bearings for all 4 corners. Then I can tackle this.

[millsamus]

Wtb rear hub. Lol

[///M42 sport]

Did u guys grease the threads?

antiseize the threads on the hub. silicone grease on the bearing surfaces.