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?
bmw wheel bearings
bmw wheel bearings
"Rusty" ' 80 528i 5 speed manual, 285k miles,
'98 528i Automatic, 120K miles...no name.
'98 528i Automatic, 120K miles...no name.
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.
Mike W.
02 525ita. Wife's, aka grocery getter
02 530i. New to the fleet, 3 pedals.
03 QX4, AKA the Datsun. Finally got the 4WD vacationmoble to stop smoking.
07 Xterra. Still on the DL, a purchase from hell.
02 525ita. Wife's, aka grocery getter
02 530i. New to the fleet, 3 pedals.
03 QX4, AKA the Datsun. Finally got the 4WD vacationmoble to stop smoking.
07 Xterra. Still on the DL, a purchase from hell.
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JodyStevens
- Posts: 347
- Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2012 9:58 am
- Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
FAG and SKF are both quality bearings. I think the OEM bearing is FAG if I'm not mistaken.
Last edited by JodyStevens on Tue Jun 23, 2015 5:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
'78 Euro 528i Rubinrot Metallic. Who else has this color?
Bearings
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.
Ron Dwyer
Milwaukee, Wi
14 Audi A8L TDI
03 530i
08 F150 4X4
Milwaukee, Wi
14 Audi A8L TDI
03 530i
08 F150 4X4
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.
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.