Anyone Change Their Rear Wheel Bearings?

[SuperFreaks 323is]

J used ust wandering if anyone has changed their rear wheel bearings and how hard it is and if you have to special tools or what not? I took it to a mechanic cause its been makin a funny noise and he said he was pretty sure thats what it was, but he said he couldnt do cause you have to something special, and i really dont want to take it to the bmw dealer, so any help on this would be great!!! thanks

[destro888]

Hi there, I'm not an expect or anything but I had my rear bearings done. I can recommend that you do both rear bearings at the same time, even tho you know only one needs to be done. Secondly, that sound that you hear is one that use to bother me to death. Once I changed the bearings, it was very quiet!

[BeachBunny]

Is the noise like a clicking? I'm hearing that on my rear left side... I thought maybe it just had to be repacked?

[SuperFreaks 323is]

[quote=BeachBunny,Nov 8 2004, 10:25 PM]
Is the noise like a clicking? I'm hearing that on my rear left side... I thought maybe it just had to be repacked?

[snapback]227112[/snapback]

[/quote
no mine is more like a boom type noise, almost like your riding inside a metal drum, a low frequency sound, so i dont know but thanks for the information destro888 that helps out a lil bit!

[billB]

Other than a wheel bearing puller you don't need any special tools. You may buy one from any autopart store for about $30. They sell it at Sears for about $40. You only going to use it once; and yes do change both while you at it. When done you not going to believe the difference in your ride.

good luck

billb

[chowder]

i have a 93 325i

the other day i heard this sound...best way to describe it is like if you dropped a bunch of little metal balls on a piece of metal...

wheel bearing? or no?

and, is this an easy fix where i (not the most mechanically inclined fellow) could do it?

i was told by a shop that they could NOT do it because they needed some special tool or something to get to it (major wheel shop)

inputs suggestions?

[Speedy-325is]

Originally posted by billB@Nov 8 2004, 09:47 PM
Other than a wheel bearing puller you don't need any special tools. You may buy one from any autopart store for about $30. They sell it at Sears for about $40. You only going to use it once; and yes do change both while you at it. When done you not going to believe the difference in your ride.

good luck

billb

[snapback]227137[/snapback]

dont forget the 31mm socket. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND AIR TOOLS!!!! makes it easier, cuz it can really be a B!T*H to do if you have never done it before. its prolly gonna take you 3 hours or so for each side.
you need to drop the muffler, and the rear axle shaft is coming out too. (loosen the axle bolts into the rear diff before you take the brakes off or its gonna spin freely....TRUST ME!!)


Mark

[Speedy-325is]

Originally posted by BeachBunny@Nov 8 2004, 09:25 PM
Is the noise like a clicking? I'm hearing that on my rear left side... I thought maybe it just had to be repacked?

[snapback]227112[/snapback]

no, its not worth repacking...REPLACE IT NEW....youre gonna pay a shop a few hundred $$$ to do the job, so dont go cheap.

they cost around $60-100 depending, any more and YOU ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF!!!!!!!!!
i get them for about $65, so if u cant get them cheaply lemme know.

and yes, it is a clicking noise that speeds up the faster you go. it will start to turn into a humming *whir*whir*whir* sound after a bit.....then its getting really bad.

it usually is the left rear on 99% of e36 that goes out first....dunno why though.

Mark

[chowder]

Originally posted by Speedy-325is+Feb 9 2005, 06:14 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Speedy-325is @ Feb 9 2005, 06:14 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-billB@Nov 8 2004, 09:47 PM
Other than a wheel bearing puller you don't need any special tools. You may buy one from any autopart store for about $30. They sell it at Sears for about $40. You only going to use it once; and yes do change both while you at it. When done you not going to believe the difference in your ride.

good luck

billb

[snapback]227137[/snapback]

dont forget the 31mm socket. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND AIR TOOLS!!!! makes it easier, cuz it can really be a B!T*H to do if you have never done it before. its prolly gonna take you 3 hours or so for each side.
you need to drop the muffler, and the rear axle shaft is coming out too. (loosen the axle bolts into the rear diff before you take the brakes off or its gonna spin freely....TRUST ME!!)


Mark

[snapback]288873[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]

so you're saying it's not easy, and that (since i don't have a way to get the car up high enough to mess with the axle) i should take it in.

and do you think it's the wheel bearing even? i'm not so sure if it is or not...but yes there is a whirring sound...

and it's actually my RR or passenger side rear...

[fushuman]

Direct question,

How can you test and assure that a bearing is faulty?

sometimes a noisy wheel could be a bad tire, or sticky brake pads, or diff in the rear if is low on fluid.

I know most mechs. in order to test a bad bearing, they would lift the car and spin the wheel to see if the rim doesn't wobble or they would grab the wheel and move it around to see if there's some kind of play.

but is the a better way to determine a worn bearing?

[Gator]

Direct question,

How can you test and assure that a bearing is faulty?

Generally when you put the car into a turn, if the bad bearing is on the side that is loaded, it will make more noise. It will make less noise when unloaded.

[Turbodefrost]

I would highly recommend taking it in and letting a mechanic do it. I had a bad bearing and ended up stripping two puller kits, and screwing up my entire rear axle, ceizing my CV joints, and turning a $100 fix into an $850 fix! So whatever you do, know what you're doing first!!