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How to change front wheel bearing on BMW 5 Touring (E61) – replacement guide

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Important!

This replacement procedure can be used for:
BMW 5 Touring (E61) 525 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 545 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 530 d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 525 d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 535 d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 530 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 523 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 525i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 550 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 530 d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 520d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 525 d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 520d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 525 d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 530 d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 530 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 525 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 535 d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 523 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 520d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 520 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 530 d, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 520 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 530i 3.0 , BMW 5 Touring (E61) 523i 2.5, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 525 i, BMW 5 Touring (E61) 525i … View more

The steps may slightly vary depending on the car design.

This video shows the replacement procedure of a similar car part on another vehicle

All the parts you need to replace – Wheel Bearing for 5 Touring (E61) and other BMW models

Alternative products

Wheel bearing kit

Replacement: wheel bearing – BMW 5 Touring (E61). Tools you need:

                      Wire brush
                    
                      WD-40 spray
                    
                      All-purpose cleaning spray
                    
                      Brake cleaner 
                    
                      Copper grease 
                    
                      Combination spanner #9
                    
                      Combination spanner #18
                    
                      Drive socket # 10 
                    
                      Drive socket # 16 
                    
                      Drive socket # 18 
                    
                      Drive socket # 21 
                    
                      HEX bit no.H6.
                    
                      Shock absorber socket
                    
                      Wheel impact socket #17
                    
                      Ratchet wrench
                    
                      Torque wrench
                    
                      Tap wrench
                    
                      Impact screwdriver
                    
                      Crow bar
                    
                      Hydraulic transmission jack
                    
                      Wheel chock

Buy tools

Replacement: wheel bearing – BMW 5 Touring (E61). Tip from AUTODOC:

Do not re-use the bearing assembly of your BMW 5 Touring (E61) car.
The wheel hub bearing replacement procedure is identical for both wheels on the same axle.
All work should be done with the engine stopped.

Replacement: wheel bearing – BMW 5 Touring (E61). Recommended sequence of steps:

Step 1

Secure the wheels with chocks.
Step 2

Loosen the wheel mounting bolts. Use wheel impact socket #17.
Step 3

Raise the front of the car and secure on supports.

Step 4

Unscrew the wheel bolts.

Replacement: wheel bearing – BMW 5 Touring (E61). Tip from AUTODOC:
To avoid injury, hold up the wheel when unscrewing the bolts.
Step 5

Remove the wheel.
Step 6

Spread the brake pads. Use a crowbar.
Step 7

Unscrew the caliper bracket fastening. Use a drive socket #18. Use a tap wrench.
Step 8

Disconnect the brake hose. Use a crowbar.
Step 9

Remove the brake caliper together with its bracket.

AUTODOC recommends:
Tie the caliper to the suspension or to the body with a wire without disconnecting from the brake hose to prevent depressurization of the brake system.Make sure that the brake caliper is not hanging on the brake hose.Don't press the brake pedal after the brake caliper has been removed. As a result, the piston can fall out from the brake cylinder, and brake fluid leakage and depressurization of the system may occur.
Step 10

Clean the brake disc fasteners. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 11

Unscrew the brake disc fastening. Use HEX No.H6. Use an impact screwdriver.
Step 12

Remove the brake disc.
Step 13

Clean the wheel hub fastener. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 14

Disconnect the ABS sensor wiring.
Step 15

Clean the fasteners connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 16

Prop up the steering knuckle. Use a hydraulic transmission jack.

Step 17

Unscrew the lower fastener connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a drive socket #18. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 18

Unscrew the fastener of the stabiliser link bracket. Use a drive socket #16. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 19

Remove the fastening bolt.
Step 20

Clean all joints of the arm. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 21

Unscrew the fasteners of the headlight levelling sensor. Use a drive socket #10. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 22

Disconnect the headlight levelling sensor.
Step 23

Unscrew the rear fastener connecting the control arm to the subframe. Use a combination spanner #18. Use a drive socket #18. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 24

Unscrew the front arm fastener. Use a combination spanner #18. Use a drive socket #18. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 25

Release the lower fastener connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a special drive socket to remove the shock absorber. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 26

Lower the hydraulic transmission jack by 10-15 cm.

AUTODOC recommends:
Replacement: wheel bearing – BMW 5 Touring (E61). Lower the transmission jack smoothly, without jerks, to avoid damaging components and mechanisms.
Step 27

Disconnect the steering knuckle from the shock absorber strut.
Step 28

Clean the wheel hub fastener. Use a wire brush. Use WD-40 spray.
Step 29

Unscrew the end fastening nut to the steering knuckle. Use a drive socket #21. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 30

Disconnect the tie rod end from the steering knuckle.
Step 31

Remove the rear fastener of the control arm.
Step 32

Remove the arm.
Step 33

Unscrew the wheel hub axle nut. Use a drive socket #18. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 34

Remove the hub and the bearing together, since they are a sealed unit.
Step 35

Clean the hub bearing mounting seat. Use a wire brush. Use all-purpose cleaning spray.
Step 36

Install the new wheel hub with a bearing.
Step 37

Tighten the hub. Use a drive socket #18. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 110 Nm torque.

AUTODOC recommends:
The wheel bearing unit must not tilt on the axle pin.
Step 38

Fix the shock absorber strut on the steering knuckle.
Step 39

Install the fastening bolt.
Step 40

Remove the support from under the steering knuckle.

Replacement: wheel bearing – BMW 5 Touring (E61). AUTODOC experts recommend:
Lower the hydraulic transmission jack smoothly, without jerks, to avoid damaging assemblies and mechanisms.
Step 41

Connect the tie rod end to the steering knuckle.
Step 42

Reinstall the control arm.
Step 43

Install the rear fastener of the arm.
Step 44

Screw the rear fastener connecting the control arm to the subframe. Use a combination spanner #18. Use a drive socket #18. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 45

Reconnect the headlight levelling sensor.
Step 46

Screw in the fasteners of the headlight levelling sensor. Use a combination spanner #9. Use a drive socket #10. Use a ratchet wrench.
Step 47

Treat the hub where it contacts the brake disk. Use copper grease.
Step 48

Install the brake caliper bracket.
Step 49

Tighten the brake disc fastening. Use HEX No.H6. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 16 Nm torque.
Step 50

Install the brake caliper together with its bracket.
Step 51

Tighten the brake caliper bracket. Use a drive socket #18. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 110 Nm torque.
Step 52

Connect the ABS sensor wiring.
Step 53

Attach the brake hose.
Step 54

Tighten the lower fasteners connecting the shock strut to the steering knuckle. Use a combination spanner #18. Use a drive socket #18. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 81 Nm torque.
Step 55

Tighten the fastener of the stabiliser link bracket. Use a drive socket #16. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 65 Nm torque.
Step 56

Support the arm. Use a hydraulic transmission jack.
Step 57

Tighten the front fastener connecting the control arm to the subframe. Use a combination spanner #18. Use a drive socket #18. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 100 Nm torque.+90°

AUTODOC recommends:
Important! Be sure to use new fasteners.
Step 58

Tighten the rear fastener connecting the arm to the body subframe. Use a combination spanner #18. Use a drive socket #18. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 100 Nm torque.+90°

AUTODOC recommends:
Important! Be sure to use new fasteners.
Step 59

Tighten the fastening nut connecting the tie rod end to the steering knuckle. Use a drive socket #21. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 165 nm torque.
Step 60

Remove the support from under the arm.

AUTODOC recommends:
BMW 5 Touring (E61) – Do not lower the transmission jack sharply to avoid damaging components and mechanisms of the car.
Step 61

Tighten the fasteners of the headlight levelling sensor. Use a drive socket #10. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 7 Nm torque.
Step 62

Treat all joints of the arm. Treat the shock strut fasteners. Use copper grease.
Step 63

Treat the surface where the brake disc contacts the wheel rim. Use copper grease.
Step 64

Clean the brake disk surface. Use a brake cleaner.

Replacement: wheel bearing – BMW 5 Touring (E61). Professionals recommend:
After applying the spray, wait a few minutes.
Step 65

Install the wheel.

Replacement: wheel bearing – BMW 5 Touring (E61). Tip:
To avoid injury, hold up the wheel when screwing in the fastening bolts.
Step 66

Screw in the wheel bolts. Use wheel impact socket #17.
Step 67

Lower the car and working in a cross order, tighten the wheel bolts. Use wheel impact socket #17. Use a torque wrench. Tighten it to 120 Nm torque.

AUTODOC recommends:
BMW 5 Touring (E61) – Without starting the engine, press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm.
Step 68

Remove the jacks and chocks.

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