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bmw wheel bearings

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 4:25 pm
by jkycia
I am planning on replacing my wheel bearings.
I see that the OEM bearing kits are way cheaper than original BMW kits($85)
on pelican parts. Does anyone have experience and advice about this? Are the cheaper ones ($28-35$ by FAG and SKF) just as good?

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 8:47 pm
by Mike W.
Nothing special about wheel bearings. Any reputable manufacturer and maybe some that aren't should be ok. Might, stress, might only last 75 or 100K instead of 200K+, but might last just as long.

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 10:35 pm
by JodyStevens
FAG and SKF are both quality bearings. I think the OEM bearing is FAG if I'm not mistaken.

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 11:22 pm
by jkycia
Thanks, I will go with the non-original bearings.

Bearings

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:37 pm
by RonDwyer
Since BMW doesn't make bearings they buy them to the appropriate size. I had to make an emergency repair to my CS Coupe at a parts shop near Mt. St. Helens after the mountain almost ate my spindle. Turns out the NAPA interchange said my bearings also fit some sort of common wheel assembly for a tractor. Worked fine, I gave up on trying to reach the summit after that.

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2015 12:38 am
by wkohler
I have some recent experience with this.

The FAG bearings are OE front and rear for the 530i/528i. The M535i had SKFs in front. The M535 shared bearings with E23s and all I could find were SKF, but I bought FAGs for the 530i.

For rears, I ordered a couple FAG kits from SSF and they came in a different manufacturer's box and while the photo on the site showed two bearings, two grease seals and a lock ring for the 30mm nut, it came with two grease seals the same size (not suitable for either side), a cotter pin and an o-ring. I sent them back ($28 ea) and ordered from BMW at $64 ea. the repair set is supposed to come with two bearings, two grease seals and a lock ring. The BMW kits came with two double-sealed SKF bearings and a lock ring.

They went in fine and were the same width as the originals, so I could reuse the original shims.