Removal and installation the front wheel bearing (BMW 3 Series E46)

Removal requires a special BMW tool.

If noise appears in the area of the outer wheel when turning, particularly on a sharp turn, this indicates damage to the wheel bearing.

Removal

1. Mark the position of the corresponding front wheel relative to the hub with paint. This will allow the balanced wheel to be installed in its original position during assembly. Loosen the wheel mounting bolts with the car on the ground. Raise the front of the car, place it on stands and remove the front wheel.

2. Pry up the hub cap with a screwdriver and remove it. Be sure to replace the cap with a new one. When installing, a used cap does not provide the necessary tightness.



3. Knock off the stopper with a chisel (arrow on the illustration) nuts with neck "1".



4. Secure the front wheel and lower the car onto its wheels.



5. Unscrew the nut with the neck.

The nut is tightened with a high torque, so when unscrewing it, the car should be standing with its wheels on the ground. To prevent the wheel from turning when unscrewing the nut, ask an assistant to press the brake pedal.

6. Remove the caliper and secure it with wire, refer to Section Removal and installation the front brake guide.

7. Remove the brake disc, refer to Section Removal and installation the front wheel brake disc.



8. Disconnect the ABS pulse sensor "1" from the steering knuckle "2".

9. Remove the hub using a puller and the existing wheel mounting bolts together with the bearings.

Removed node (hub with bearings) the bearing must not be reused.

If the inner bearing race does not come off the steering knuckle, remove the shield and protective cover, and then remove the race using a puller. To remove the shield, use a socket wrench to remove the three M6 screws at the inner diameter.

Installation

10. If the shield was removed, put it back in place with a new cover.

11. Screw the BMW-312110 guide sleeve, included in the tool kit, onto the entire length of the steering knuckle thread.



12. Install the new bearing unit on the knuckle using the BMW-312110 tool. Remove the guide sleeve.

13. Lightly tighten the new neck nut.

14. Install and secure the ABS pulse sensor.

15. Install the brake disc, refer to Section Removal and installation the front wheel brake disc.

16. Install the caliper, refer to Section Removal and installation the front brake guide.

17. Install the front wheel so that the markings applied during removal match. Pre-lubricate the centering belt of the wheel disk on the hub with a thin layer of bearing grease. Do not lubricate the wheel mounting bolts. Replace rusty bolts. Tighten the bolts.

18. Lower the car onto its wheels, engage the gear, and apply the parking brake. To lock the front wheel, ask an assistant to press the brake pedal.

19. Tighten the nut with the neck to a torque of 290 N·m and peal it. To do this, drive the nut flange into the groove of the knuckle axle with a punch.

Once the nut has been tightened to the specified torque, the bearing assembly cannot be reused.

20. Apply a sealant, such as Loctite 638, to the hub cap and reinstall it. The cap must be replaced. If a previously used cap is installed, the seal cannot be ensured. In this case, water that has penetrated can damage the wheel bearing within a short time.

21. Tighten the wheel mounting bolts crosswise to a torque of 100 Nm.

[You can read the original on the website «www.bmwman.ru»]