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      08-10-2012, 09:43 PM   #1
Kgolf31
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Wheel Bearing on the way out, ALREADY?!

I had a HPDE today, and during Tech they told me I had a wheel bearing starting to go. I was shocked when I head that because during my shake-down and the prior 10 autocrosses this year, I never had that problem.

Sure enough though, the wheel wiggles. Stayed fairly constant throughout the day. On the way home, right hand turns the wheel is starting to sing away. UGH.

31k miles on the car, how can this go out already? It's on the right front.
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      08-10-2012, 10:21 PM   #2
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I changed out the left front hub on my M Coupe not too long ago. To replace the wheel bearing, you have to replace the whole hub. It's a pretty easy DIY if you want to do it. I rented all of the needed tools from autozone.

Here is the thread I have on the replacement http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthre...ight=front+hub.

I owe my experience to a bone headed mistake though not something like wearing out a wheel bearing by autocrossing too much! I doubt that one could autoX too much
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      08-10-2012, 10:30 PM   #3
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10 autocrosses, bigger tires, bigger sway bar, better brake pads, wheel spacers, mabey running more camber than stock, mabey some "spirited driving" .... What could possibly go wrong with something designed for a stock street driven car.


Mods change how the bearing is loaded and then you are loading it even harder when racing. Stuff breaks, especially stock parts doing something they were not designed for and racing puts a hail of a load on tires, wheels, studs, lugnuts bearings and suspension components.

Back 30 years ago when I was racing stock cars on short tracks, the hobby stock and enduro classes had to run stock wheels with no mods or welding on the wheels allowed. They were constantly ripping the outer rims from center of the wheel or having the whole wheel pull right through the stock lug nuts. You could count on seeing it happen at least once every race. You didn't dare running stock size radial tires either back then in those classes, cornering would rip the tread off. The carnage from those 2 classes made for a heck of a show on friday, saturday and sunday night.
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      08-10-2012, 10:38 PM   #4
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Quote:
10 autocrosses, bigger tires, bigger sway bar, better brake pads, wheel spacers, mabey running more camber than stock, mabey some "spirited driving" .... What could possibly go wrong with something designed for a stock street driven car.
Wheel bearings going out, doesn't usually have to do with mileage, but rather the type of use. A track car will get new front bearings every year or two and rears every 4 years.

Things that wear out wheel bearings:
-weight (including g's)
-excessive camber

If the wheel wobbles at all, it is very bad. You can usually hear it before then.

By the time I was finished posting a relply with my phone, someone had something smart to say:




You are probably running excessive camber and driving fast.

Last edited by seank; 08-10-2012 at 10:48 PM..
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      08-11-2012, 08:15 AM   #5
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Blah, I guess that makes sense.

The camber (-2.3 front), brake pads, spacers (for clearance of camber, 5mm) was only added a month ago. I guess everything else all brought together made it worse.
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      08-11-2012, 02:35 PM   #6
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Yeah, it does, and I'm already planning on mine going in the not too distant future.

Gotta "pay to play" as the saying goes. And you've found some new fun ways to play in the past few days!
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      08-12-2012, 12:44 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seank View Post
By the time I was finished posting a relply with my phone, someone had something smart to say:
Who me Gotta have a little fun.




On the serious side I truely commend you for taking the hard driving to the track. There are way too many idiots that don't and do stupid stuff in heavy traffic. You don't need to be a millionaire and a dedicated car to race but playtime does come with a price. The most fun I ever had racing was with a bunch of friends from high school and a $75 1973 Monte Carlo. We spent more money on beer than we did the car and had a blast beating the snot out of it for an entire season.


Everything changes when you are racing. Your fluid changes, lube and other maintenance intervals and repairs.

On race day, you need to give everything a good looking over between races to try to catch a potential problem and after you get it home I suggest you get the car in the air the next day and get a good look at everything, especially suspension, wheel and tire related and don't overlook the mounting points on the chassis for sway bars, shocks, a-frames etc... Make sure to check the wheels for cracks, check the lugs and check tires for any cuts, buldges and separation.

Do your post race inspection the day after you get home so you have time to get parts and repairs done right and are ready for the next weekend, don't wait to do it the day before a race and try to rush repairs.

And most importantly, have fun and be safe.
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      08-12-2012, 03:10 PM   #8
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My front left wheel bearing went at around 58k miles - car was never tracked, and the max camber it ever had was -1.2. Luckily it was covered by CPO.
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      08-13-2012, 06:04 AM   #9
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I also replaced the front bearings on my Z4M Coupe at about 50,000 Km (~31,000 miles). Only the left bearing was shot, but I decided to replace both left and right as a set.
The car has never been tracked and the suspension setup is stock.
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      08-13-2012, 09:08 AM   #10
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how do they come out on this car??? simple job???
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      08-13-2012, 09:20 AM   #11
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Well, alittle update here.

Car went into service. It wasn't the wheel bearings that I thought...it was my lower control arms.

They are replacing both sides, CPO yada yada...$50 out the door.

Of course, they tried to sell me new pads, rotors, and a alignment as well. This is of course right after I put new HP+ pads on the car, mic'ed the rotors, and got an alignment a month ago. LOL gotta love BMW.
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      08-13-2012, 12:28 PM   #12
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Gotta love having a warranty on a race car LOL
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      08-13-2012, 02:42 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pmmjarrett View Post
Gotta love having a warranty on a race car LOL
Yea, not too shabby I'd say.

Both lower control arms were replaced. Of course BMW decided to re-align my car taking it back to "spec" form...UGH!

No worries though, they said come spring they'll align to what I want it at! (Since it's going into storage soon and seeing no more autox or track this year).
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      08-14-2012, 06:04 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kgolf31 View Post
Yea, not too shabby I'd say.

Both lower control arms were replaced. Of course BMW decided to re-align my car taking it back to "spec" form...UGH!

No worries though, they said come spring they'll align to what I want it at! (Since it's going into storage soon and seeing no more autox or track this year).
soon ?
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      08-14-2012, 08:28 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by inTgr8r View Post
soon ?
1 more year of college, I don't take the car with me...too much of a risk of damage.
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      08-14-2012, 09:23 AM   #16
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Just changed my 2 front wheel bearings assembly after 60 000 kms.
The left one was noticeable. Mostly track driven with camber and sufficient Gs
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