Re: '73 2002a rear brake, possible bearing issue

[Bill Wohler <wohler@xxxxxxxx>]

James Stone <acen@domain.elided> writes:
> Based on what I found this weekend I am thinking it might be the wheel bearing.
> My question is, are there any other things that I may have overlooked.  Also,
> how involved is replacing the rear bearings and what would be a good place to
> have it done.  Dealer, BMW Specialist, German Car Shop, Brake Shop, etc and what
> is a fair price to have both wheels done.

  Assuming your assessment is correct, bearing replacement is not too
  difficult. This shadetree mechanic has replaced his. You need a
  bearing puller (which I rented) and a bearing oil packer, a
  cone-shaped gizmo that attaches to your grease gun to pack the
  bearing with grease. You have a repair manual, right?

  This reminds me of a story... ;-)

  There was once this "bearing noise" coming out of my right rear
  quarter. I replaced the half-shaft, the differential, the bearing,
  and still the noise persisted! Later, I noticed that that the rubber
  bushing that attaches the body to the subframe just forward of the
  rear wheels were old and cracked and so I replaced those. And the
  noise disappeared! My guess is that the road noise is always there,
  but normally the bushing insulates the body from that noise but my
  bushings were so bad, there must have been a good metal-metal
  connection. I also noticed that the clunking noise I had while
  shifting disappeared too. That must have been the metal-metal
  contact as well.

  I'm not suggesting that you need to replace your bushings (because
  of the smoking wheel); I just wanted to tell a story. The moral of
  the story is: the cause of the problem is not always obvious.

- -- 
Bill Wohler <wohler@domain.elided>
Say it with MIME.  Maintainer of comp.mail.mh and news.software.nn FAQs.
If you're passed on the right, you're in the wrong lane.

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