Rear wheel bearing removal

Rear wheel bearing removal

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adam quantrill

Original Poster:

11,538 posts

243 months

Saturday 18th October 2008
quotequote all
Well I've got around to replacing one of the wheel beariungs on the 350i. Problem is how to get the bearing shell out - I suppose I'll have to have it pressed out.

Does the man with the press need to press on the minute parts of the bearing shell visible in the cut-aways (see arrows)? Or can he just press against the remaining bearing and hope that the ball bearings cope with it?


adam quantrill

Original Poster:

11,538 posts

243 months

Saturday 18th October 2008
quotequote all
I did give it a good whacking in the barn and also had a go with the vice (it's a big 'un, big egough to crush "Alien"'s head in ;^)
but it didn't budge. I might have a go with the oven but it's roast dinner day tomorrow so I'm sure we don't want greasy smells in it!

Of course the whole thng is too big for the oven so presumably you just leave the door ajar?

adam quantrill

Original Poster:

11,538 posts

243 months

Sunday 19th October 2008
quotequote all
I'm going to use heat on it this afternoon.

While I'm on the subject what's the best sort of grease to use?

adam quantrill

Original Poster:

11,538 posts

243 months

Sunday 19th October 2008
quotequote all
Cool - I have some castrol LM handy.

Well the heat seemed to do the trick - I played a blowtortch on the hub carrier for abou 10 mins while pressing with the vice.

There was a 'ding' and the bearing shell moved a bit, and after about a half hour it was out resonably far so I used my "adjusting tool" (16lb sledgehammer) to knock it out the rest of the way.

However, disaster struck pressing the new bearing in, my indestructable vice went 'ding' and one of the jaws fell off! So it's in but needs another 15mm to finish it. Time for the professionals!

adam quantrill

Original Poster:

11,538 posts

243 months

Monday 20th October 2008
quotequote all
THanks for the offer Leigh - I have a friend who's an aircraft engineer and he finished it off this morning.

Yeah the vice might have to be welded - but can you MIG weld cast? Last time I tried it, it wan't very strong.

adam quantrill

Original Poster:

11,538 posts

243 months

Tuesday 21st October 2008
quotequote all
I just got it back from my friendly engineer, he said it needed two people to work the fly press to get it fully in!

However they used the old bearing shell which has been turned so it doesn't stick in the 'ole. So if anyone else needs to do this job, let me know and I can lend out the old shell for the pressing-in part of it.

adam quantrill

Original Poster:

11,538 posts

243 months

Wednesday 12th November 2008
quotequote all
D'oh! Now the other side has gone (causing only my 3rd tow-truck call-out in 15 years of wedging). At least I have practice though.

At the angle the wheel is sitting I would guess that all the oil seals are trashed this time, luckily I found an extra one recently. I'm on the trail of extra seals in case anyone is interested.