BMW wheel bearing removal tool

[Dervacumen]

You might say this is a long shot, but anyone got a BMW wheel bearing removal tool I could borrow?  Or know someone in the Bay Area, CA that might?  I need to replace my rear wheel bearings and the reading I've done basically says I'm a moron for trying to do it without the tool.  And I ain't payin' $250 for a tool I'm only using on two wheels.  Although it would still be cheaper than taking to a mechanic.

[DrumAnBass]

Ouch; yah I feel your pain. My former Bimmer got really expensive really quick, right after the warranty expired... I think they are great cars as long as you get rid of it before the warranty expires! I went Japanese for my next car, and I am glad I did so.

[danny_galaga]

i cant say for sure about your bmw, but most wheel bearings are not a huge task for most workshops. you should phone a few (non dealer) workshops and see what they say. it should be less than you buying the tool...

[Dervacumen]

Ouch; yah I feel your pain. My former Bimmer got really expensive really quick, right after the warranty expired... I think they are great cars as long as you get rid of it before the warranty expires! I went Japanese for my next car, and I am glad I did so.

You know I haven't really had that big a problem with this one.  This is 1993 with 175K miles and I've probably sunk less than $5K on repairs (except oil changes) since I bought it in 1997.  And one of those was a $2500 head gasket that is notoriousfor failing on this model.

i cant say for sure about your bmw, but most wheel bearings are not a huge task for most workshops. you should phone a few (non dealer) workshops and see what they say. it should be less than you buying the tool...

The going rate is about $250-$300 per bearing.  Something about this design makes these significantly more time consuming that even the front bearings on the same car.  I'm guessing I'll remove whatever I can and take it to a machine shop to be pressed out and the new one pressed in.  I think that may only be $50-$100 for both.  The darn bearings are only $30 each.

[danny_galaga]

there ya go! you had the answer al along (",)

[TOK]

Never worked on a BMW, but I suspect the extra expense somehow involves how the hubs are connected to the rear, since it's a rear wheel drive car with independent suspension.

I was taken aback by your comment of it not being expensive to own... 5 grand in 4 years is very high in my opinion.

[Dervacumen]

Never worked on a BMW, but I suspect the extra expense somehow involves how the hubs are connected to the rear, since it's a rear wheel drive car with independent suspension.

I was taken aback by your comment of it not being expensive to own... 5 grand in 4 years is very high in my opinion.

I think you're right about the way the hubs are connected.

But I've had the car for 10 years (1997-2007), not 4.  So with the exception of the 90% failure rate on the head gasket which I figured was inevitable (and really expensive) , very little else has gone wrong.  A few tubes here and there, a fuel rail, a battery, the same piece of body trim 3 times, a windshiled and another wheel bearing.

[danny_galaga]

im surprised by the wheel bearings actually. normally the wheel bearings seem to last longer than the car! its one of those components that is just impossible to engineer a lower life cycle. unless its something russian, but then its not deliberate!

also, if you wanna own a luxury car, you have to be prepared to pay the luxury running expenses 

[Samstag]

Have you tried renting the tool from Autozone or another parts shop?  If they have it, rental is usually pretty reasonable.

[DrewKaree]

What Samstag said.  Dunno if you've got AutoZone, but you've got PepBoys, and I know I saw a commercial on some show that talked about them renting tools out.

[danny_galaga]

rent? schment! hes got a beamer. let him pay the man!

[Dervacumen]

Autozone does have a slide hammer and a generic bearing puller but the bearing puller won't help in this case.  I have a generic one already.

Funny thing, this.  Yesterday the brake lining warning in my other car came on which means I'm dangerously close to having no front brakes left.  So I ordered the parts and hopefully can get those repaired in the next couple days.

Which of course means I need to have the one with the bad wheel bearing fixed today, so I guess I'm going to have to pay someone to do it.  I don't have the experience to be confident enough to complete the job in an afternoon.

rent? schment! hes got a beamer. let him pay the man!

You're killing me.  Have you looked at the used market value of a 15 year old car lately?  With $175K miles?  The only reason I still have this car is I can't Pay the Man for a new one.

By the way, the car that needs front brakes is an even older BMW with fewer miles, only 130K.

[danny_galaga]

ok, ill get off your back! but folks, bear in mind that just cos an old european car is cheap to buy, doesnt mean it will be cheep to fix (other than mine, bones and stingrays of course  )

[Dervacumen]

No harm no foul!

After all, BMW = Bring My Wallet, right?

Yeah, it's expensive when you have to take it to a shop, but it's giddy fun to drive, and genereally speaking there are not alot of issues.  It handles like an F'n charm.  I got this car because my wife worked at a body shop and the original owner was going through a divorce and the car wasn't ready after she rear ended someone.  She was moving so she let go at a really great price (and a complete repair was paid for).

Just so happened that I needed a new car at the time, so it was steal.


By the way, I ended up taking it to shop down the street who specializes in these things and even they couldn't get the bearing out even with the special tools.  It had fused with the axle (as I had read is common) and it took about 4 hours. Uhgg.

If I had tried that it would have taken at least a month.

[TOK]

I had the fusing thing happen on a motorcycle steering head. Had to pry bearings apart, then very carefully cut inner races off with a Dremel. No fun!