2. Remove the retaining plate that holds the drive flange nut in place. Using a pair of needle-nose pliers, pry the edge of the retaining plate out.
3. Lower the car to the ground and loosen the drive flange nut, but do not remove it yet. You will need a long crowbar.
Do not attempt to loosen this nut while the vehicle is on the axle stands. The force required to loosen this nut may cause the vehicle to fall off the axle stands.
4. Loosen the rear wheel mounting bolts, jack up the rear of the car again, securely place it on the axle supports and remove the wheel.
5. Remove the brake caliper and brake disc (see chapter Brake system). Hang the support on a piece of wire so that it does not interfere with the work.
6. Loosen the drive flange nut. Using a suitable puller, remove the drive flange.
7. Using a mallet, tap the pivot pin out of the bearing. If the inner bearing race comes off with the pivot pin (this happens often), use a puller to remove the collar from the journal. If it does not come off even with a puller, take the journal to a workshop and have it pressed out of the collar.
8. Remove the large retaining ring that holds the bearing to its housing,..
...then use a large socket or a suitable piece of pipe to pry the bearing out of the housing.
9. Installation is basically the same as removal in reverse order, but keep the following in mind:
- Install the new bearing using a large socket or a suitable piece of pipe with an outside diameter that matches the diameter of the bearing outer race. Do not press on the inner race. Make sure the bearing is seated as far as it will go. Install the snap ring and make sure it is seated correctly in the groove
- BMW dealers use special tools (Part # 23 1 1300, 33 4 080 and 33 4 020) to install the stub axle into the bearing, as the smooth section of the stub axle between the flange and its splined section is usually pressed in and knocks out the inner race of the bearing when the stub axle is installed. You can, however, install the stub axle without these tools, using only the old inner race and a 13 mm long piece of pipe with an inner diameter of 38 mm.
- First, insert the stub axle into the new bearing until the threaded portion is visible from the inner race. Put the nut on and tighten it until the splined portion of the stub axle rests against the nut. You will need to hold the stub axle flange with a lever or large screwdriver while you tighten the nut.
- Remove the nut, install your piece of pipe centered on the inner race, put the nut on and tighten it again until it butts into the splines.
- Remove the nut, install the old inner race, push the nut on and tighten it again until it stops in the splines. Loosen the nut, remove the old race, install a piece of pipe, reinstall the old race, push the nut on and tighten it until it stops in the splines. Remove the nut, old race and pipe. Install the drive flange, push the nut on and tighten it securely, but do not try to tighten it all the way until the car is lowered to the ground.
- Install the wheel and lower the vehicle to the ground before tightening the stub axle nut to the specified torque.
10. The rest of the installation is carried out in the reverse order of removal.