Where can I get front wheel bearings?

[2002maniac]

My pass side started complaining the other day. i tired repacking with fresh grease to no avail.

I'd rather not replace the whole hub. Just need the bearings. Thanks

[Jand3rson]

My pass side started complaining the other day. i tired repacking with fresh grease to no avail.

I'd rather not replace the whole hub. Just need the bearings. Thanks

You have to replace the entire hub, the bearing and the hub are one sealed cartridge assembly. SUPER easy job, takes less than 2 hours for both sides. You can get the best price from BMA. If you have a Bentley, the whole procedure is shown, if not, I can give you a rundown. It's a very easy job.

[2002maniac]

You have to replace the entire hub, the bearing and the hub are one sealed cartridge assembly.

That is untrue. I just disassembled my entire pass. hub and repacked the bearings.

[Jand3rson]

Please, tell me again that I'm wrong. It comes all as one unit, I just replaced both of my front wheel bearings a month 2 months ago.



Whether or not you are able to disassemble the hub and repack the bearings is irrelevant. The point is, they are not intended to be disassembled and repacked, and then reassembled. They are a sealed unit, meant to be replaced as a whole when the bearings go bad. Once the bearings have gone, they affect the entire balance and integrity of the hub and it's ability to rotate properly. But do what you want. I've only been driving and working on E30's for 5 years, what do I know?

[Mike325]

:stupid: They are sealed for a reason.

[2002maniac]

Sounds like a marketing ploy. If I can take the old bearings out, I can press new ones in and thats all i should need.

Replacing wheel bearings is pretty common and simple in most cars and it wont effect the integrity of the hub.


Anyone?

[Jand3rson]

Replacing wheel bearings is pretty common and simple in most cars and it wont effect the integrity of the hub.


Anyone?

Most cars don't have a single unit sealed-cartridge wheel bearing/hub. Like I said, do what you want. But don't try to get people to agree with your misinformation.

[MikesJo]

How do you know when they are going on you? Sounds/Symptoms?

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

How do you know when they are going on you? Sounds/Symptoms?

gets louder and louder the faster you go.

at high speeds like 65mph:
- sounds like a really really loud tire.
- and when you turn in one direction or the other, perhaps to change lanes or go through a bend on the freeway, the noise goes away.

[Rocla]

That is untrue. I just disassembled my entire pass. hub and repacked the bearings.

Repacking meaning that you put SAME bearings back to hub, or put in new bearings with old hub?

If you mean that you just replaced bearings, please tell me where did you find new bearings?

[1991 318is]

Why not? - just because, that's why!

There's no reason that the fronts can't be replaced other than that's the way BMW and the aftermarket sells them. The setup is the same as the rear which is also a sealed bearing and is replaced as a bearing only. From this pic it appears that that the bearing has an SKF part number - possibly it could be purchased by itself. It may be that BMW does this for liability reasons as the ABS ring is part of the assembly and the press work is important. Still it's the same basic setup as most other manufacturers.

[parkerbink]

I agree with Josh, the price differance is negliable and when factoring in time and possible problems caused by not doing it right imho it is penny wise and pound foolish.

[Jand3rson]

I agree with Josh, the price differance is negliable and when factoring in time and possible problems caused by not doing it right imho it is penny wise and pound foolish.

This is what I'm getting at. What you did was just repack the bearings with grease, you didn't actually replace them. If you were to remove all of the ball bearings from the cartridge (which I did when I took my old ones off, just out of curiosity), you'd find (compared to new) that the worn bearings have a very worn surface, very hazy and possibly with surface damage. The cartridge is meant to be replaced as a whole, with new bearings and fresh grease, sealed and assembled in one unit from the factory. It's common sense that the hub and the bearing cartridge are going to have different part numers, they come in separate parts to the manufacturer, who assembles them. This isn't meant to be an open inviation to Joe-Schmoe the know-it-all-kid to go about replacing single components without out knowing properly how to do it. I would be willing to bet money that if you went to ANY BMW mechanic, they would tell you that if they were to do the job, they would replace the entire unit (hub/bearing cartridge), and never just repack or replace the bearing cartridge.

[parkerbink]

I am thinking about this and it seems to me based on this logic, why buy a new waterpump? Or fuelpump? Or valve cover gasket? You COULD rebuild the pumps, You COULD use silicon. OR you could just bite the bullet and spring a few bucks more for a new part.

I'm just saying...................

[TwistyTunedE30]

well...they sell reman waterpumps and fuel pumps etc, and the ones i have had has outlasted the stocker, on many of the cars i have owned, and they are warranteed the same way, but that is because professionals rebuild them, balance them etc. Just get new ones, itll be cheaper and less time consuming than repeatedly taking it apart just to fix something that didnt work in the beginnig.
-Max