Rear Wheel Bearings — Replacement (BMW 7 Series E32)

Removal

Block the front wheels, then jack up the rear of the car and support it securely on axle stands. Disconnect the outer CV joint from the drive flange. Tie the outer end of the drive shaft to the body with a piece of wire. Do not allow it to hang under its own weight, as this may damage the inner CV joint. Pry off the lock plate that locks the drive flange nut. Once you have pressed the edge of the lock plate, remove it with a pair of needle-nose pliers.





Lower the vehicle to the ground and loosen the drive flange nut, but do not remove it yet.

Caution: Do not loosen this nut while the vehicle is supported on axle stands. The force required to do so may upset the balance and cause the vehicle to fall off the stands.

Loosen the rear wheel bolts, jack up the rear of the car again, place it on axle stands and remove the wheel.

Remove the brake caliper and brake disc. Tie the caliper to the body with a piece of wire.

Remove the drive flange nut. Using a suitable puller, remove the drive flange.



Use a mallet to remove the pivot pin from the bearing. If the inner bearing race remains on the pivot pin, use a puller to remove it.



Remove the large snap ring that secures the bearing to the housing.



Then tap the bearing out of the housing using a large socket or a piece of suitable tubing.

Installation

Install the new bearing using a large socket or a piece of tubing that matches the diameter of the outer race. Do not press on the inner race. Install the snap ring.



To insert the stub axle into the bearing, use the inner race of the old bearing and a piece of tubing 13mm long and 38mm ID.



First, insert the stub axle into the new bearing until the threaded portion extends out of the inner race. Install the nut and tighten it until the splined portion of the stub axle shaft approaches the nut. While tightening the nut, hold the stub axle flange with a lever or large screwdriver.





Remove the nut, install the prepared piece of tube on the inner ring and reinstall the nut.



Tighten the nut again to the splines. Remove the nut, install the old inner race, reinstall the nut and tighten it again to the previous position. Remove the nut, remove the old inner race, install a piece of tube, reinstall the old inner race, install the nut and tighten it again to the splines.

Remove the nut, old ring and tube. Install the drive flange, install the nut and tighten it securely, but not completely.

Before tightening the stub axle nut, install the wheel and lower the vehicle to the ground.