Replacing front wheel bearing how-to

[burmaShave]

Hi folks, here's irony for you. The morning after I click buy it now on a set of winter wheels for my 2016 REx, my car does that slow helpless slide to hit the curb on a downhill patch of black ice. I was doing walking speed on an urban back street. Dammit. Front left wheel, it was quite a thump.

The alloy wheel is dinged but not terminal, nothing looks bent or or damaged at the hub assembly, however at 60mph I am now getting that harmonic moaning noise on righthand bends which suggests the bearing is damaged.

I looked into replacement - it looks like the bearing is available as a hub unit, and from the parts diagram at least, it looks like the hub is simply bolted on to the wheel carrier...inshalla. Especially as the part is only $100...

Item 5. Am I right?

 

[eXodus]

I've done those types of bearings before on other cars. It's not difficult, your are right - just 4 bolts. If not stuck.

You have to remove the brake caliper and then the brake rotor before you get to the bearing.

Usually it separates all fairly well. Yet sometimes the rotor is rusted onto the bearing pretty good.

Since the old bearing is dead anyhow - Use Eye protection!! I take a piece of wood and put it against the rotor from the inside and give it a few good blows with a 2lb hammer. - This is not something you want to do if you keep the bearing.

Watch a few youtube videos it's a nice afternoon project.

 

[burmaShave]

Happy days.

I work on all my old cars so I am used to brake jobs as well as generally trying to persuade 30-40 year old fasteners and assemblies to separate. A four year old should be a walk in the park!

Where could I find torque specs?

 

[Pahaska]

I guess very few things change over time. The only problem I ever had with my rare 1960-era BMW 2000 was a front-wheel bearing that I changed in the driveway.

The 2000 was a 4-door big brother to the great 2002. Big, plush seats and the best clutch of any car I have ever driven. I only ever saw one other 2000 on the road.

 

[eXodus]

Probably the i3 should be easy to take apart.
On wheel parts - if the vehicle specs are missing - I usually go by bolt size.

https://applifast.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Applifast_Conversion_Table-Torque.pdf

Get new bolts! they come with treat locker. If you are off by a few pound/nm feet at this fastener size it's usually not as critical.

 

[alohart]

Where could I find torque specs?

The newTIS Website. Oops, BMW had it taken down due to copyright violations, so now ordinary BMW owners are left with the choice of paying a high subscription or temporary access rate to BMW's TIS Website to get this sort of information or paying an arm and a leg for a BMW mechanic to perform tasks that many of us are capable of performing.