tires and wheels Wheel Bearing Question

[Guest kellybubba]

My mechanic just told me that i need my driver side wheel bearing replaced and they are quoting me $400 and something. I just wanted to ask you all if this seems reasonable as I have never had this done before. 

 

They also told me that i need 14" wheels because of my rear brakes being converted to disc and that the hubs are too close to the wheels causing some rub. Anyone had this issue? 

 

Thanks in advance

Jeramy

[AceAndrew]

$400 seems a bit excessive, but they're probably covering themselves because likely they haven't done one before.  Search around and you'll find that its a job that you might be able to knock out depending on your mechanical aptitude.

 

If you're in Austin, get a quote from Terry Sayther.  They'll have done plenty before.

http://www.terrysaytherauto.com/

 

EDIT:  Wheels, yes most 13" wheels will not clear.  Check item description here....

http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/2002-brake-kits/02bbk07.html

Edited August 5, 2013 by AceAndrew

[Guest kellybubba]

Terry Sayther Auto is actually the one who quoted me the over $400 price. 

I personally have no way to unpress and press bearings so this job is out of my league.  But it just seems super expensive to me. They said parts would be around $75 and the rest is labor... ugh. 

 

As for the wheels, that makes sense. 

 

J

[Stevenc22]

Im assuming you mean the rear wheel bearing right? The fronts are quite easy to change.

[Guest kellybubba]

Yeah, so sorry, i thought i mentioned that. It's the rear driver side bearing. It was making this crazy loud sound so i took it to them to see if they could pinpoint it. I had removed the hub myself and couldn't find the issue so i assumed it was the axle. They initially thought it was just the wheels but came to find that it was actually the bearing and the wheel size was making it worse. 

[AceAndrew]

Whoops, did not realize it was the rear.  Ok, the price makes a bit more sense now.

[Honolulu]

Rear wheel bearings can be a lot of hassle, or can come out easy peasy.  Try it on E30 rears... either a piece of cake or hours of hammering on the race and your hand.  BTDT. 

 

$325 labor divided by their hourly rate... which is maybe $100... so about 3 hours labor... sounds a little high for an equipped, experienced shop.  But that's what happens when you have to pay someone else to do your work, and why I but what tools I need and do most of my work myself.  Tools generally pay for themselves the first or second time you use them.  The experience also has value down the road.

[jimk]

^{Hey guys,  Remember the half shaft has to come out.  You know the troubles with an unknown car those can turn into, old, buggered, and strippd allen hed screws and the like.  Next the stub shaft nut can be full of suprises too.  Don't poo poo Terry he knows what the  job can entail on a 40 year old car.}

[TR]

I've seen what happens when this job is not done correctly or the repair gets postponed.  If the mechanic has experience working on '02s and does good work I'd definitely consider letting him do this job.

[TobyB]

...and brace yourself for needing a hub and stubshaft, too...

 

Not infrequently, the thing comes loose, it gets driven this way for a while, and

both get buggered.  The owner then takes it to a shop, who puts bearings into it,

snugs it all up.

and sends them on their way.  5k miles later, the bearings fail- but the bearings 

weren't the problem...

 

I've done it.  The 'let it get loose' thing, that is.

 

And I've done a complete R&R at the track in about 2 hours, too.  The only special

tool needed is that socket.  Oh, and a brass drift.  And often, that hub and stubshaft...

But it's not fun.

 

t

Edited August 6, 2013 by TobyB

[FB73tii]

The only special tool needed is that socket.  Oh, and a brass drift.  And often, that hub and stubshaft...

.....and a 1/2" breaker bar, and a long pipe, and bearings and seals, and new CV boots to replace the torn ones, and some EP CV grease to rebuild the CV's while you're at it....and a big cotter pin.  And don't forget locktite for the CV bolts! And a six-pak for when the job is done (unless you are going back on the track...

 

Also, if one bearing has gone bad and the car has high miles, the other one will follow. Do both sides at the same time and rebuild all 4 CV's while your at it. More cost now, but less in the long run.

 

--Fred '69 and '74tii

[TobyB]

I bought an entire 3/4" drive socket set- it was worth it. 

 

t

[Guest kellybubba]

Welp. As it turned out, it was $540 to do that one rear bearing at Terry Saythers. Not the $400 that was estimated so that was a sad surprise. Something about the rear disc conversion making it take longer than the book's estimate because the book was based on drum... So there's that. Moving on

 

They also tacked on an extra $75 to replace the brake switch even though i asked them not to do it. That i would diagnose and do that myself because I just didn't have the money... They took it off even though i said i'd gladly pay for the part. I was super cool about it and the owner said something like 'we don't want your car here anymore'. It was kind of a Turrets moment that took me by a huge surprise considering how nice i was. Oh well. I've read many stories about how he can be abrasive so i was prepared for it. Moving on...

 

Now, here's the next issue i need to tackle... 

They wrote on the receipt, "RR subframe mount collapsed, both steel lower locating straps broken. 

I'll probably make a new post about what that all means but i'll start here. Def not taking it back to them since apparently i'm not welcome. 

 

Has anyone faced this issue before? 

[Stevenc22]

Not sure what that means but there are 2 metal straps on the outer edge of the body just infront of the rear wheels which connect the subframe to the body. They break easily. You should be able to look at them without even jacking up the car to see if they are broken or not.

 

The subframe mounts to the body with a rubber mount. Yours might be perished.

[FB73tii]

I've seen the rear thrust strap ("push rod") bent to hell, but have never seen one break. If you care about originality the part number is 33333428125 and it is #12 in the diagram linked below. If not, you can just fabricate them from thick-wall tubing with the ends flattened and a few holes drilled.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=2583&mospid=47141&btnr=33_0883&hg=33&fg=30

Squishy rear carrier bushing are likely on an older car and you can replace them yourself if you want. Takes a bit of work, easiest if the rear subframe is out but can be done with it in. The bushings are part numbers 33331113342/3, #9 in the linked diagram. IIRC, older bushings do not have left/right, newer ones do, or vice-versa. Some people flip the bushing for camber compensation if the car has been lowered. Plenty of info on this on the FAQ (via search).  Urethane inserts are available to make them stiffer for performance applications. I just welded mine solid (cuz racecar).

 

--Fred  '74tii (solid mounts) & '69 DCOE (solid when I get around to it)