w124 320TE rear wheel bearings

[millo777]

What labour charges would be reasonable for an indie to replace both rear bearings on a w124 estate? ( I assume it makes sense to replace these in axle pairs? only 1 is currently noisy and has play)

Also, I normally source the parts myself, and have found a few options.

Inchcape, £127.44 per side
FAG bearings, £44.95 per side
SKF bearings, £49.95 per side
Lemforder, £49.95 per side

The main dealer bearings seem to be made by Timken, but they don't appear to sell an aftermarket version.

Does anybody have any views on the main dealer alternatives?

 

[DSM10000]

Lemforder are a well respected brand in other areas such as suspension components.

Regarding labour charges, do you have an idea of the time it is supposed to take, how much dismantling etc is required? I would just ask a couple of local garages that you know and trust.

As for changing both, if the other one is neither rough or noisy I would not change it.

Before changing it are the bearing adjustable?

 

[millo777]

I'll book it in with an indie I use a lot, but it's always good to get a ball park figure just to make sure what I pay is in the right area.

Unfortunately the rear bearings aren't adjustable.

I'd do them myself, but reading around it seems a 12 ton press is required, and if Bolide is of the opinion it's the nastiest job on a w124, then I'll leave it to a pro.

 

[carat 3.6]

It is indeed one of the nastiest jobs you can do on a w124, creates the same level of pain as repairing estate rear window frames.

 

[hotrodder]

Coincidentally the offside rear wheel bearing on my 320te needs replacing imminently (no play but getting noisy). Not bought the parts yet but was planning to go with FAG as the internet suggests (quite possibly wrongly) that the kit comes with more replacement fasteners than the SKF which is only shown with a replacement circlip and the large 12 point axle nut

As far the bearing itself goes FAG, SKF & Timken are typically THE three names for bearings, i'm only gonna change the noisy side although the other one which is still smooth and quiet is probably not far behind

One thing i'm kinda curious about from those that have experience of this job... as said it's often stated to be one of the nastiest to do on a s124, at least without the pucker MB tools, due to the shape of the wheel carrier and the need for a properly butch press. Does the run a bead of weld around the ID of the bearings outer race trick not work? Usually the remains of stubborn bearings practically fall out as they shrink & cool after a weld is run around the inside of 'em. Or is it getting the driveshaft out (and then into the new bearing without wrecking it) what makes it a bitch without the correct pullers?

 

[millo777]

Good to know as I've just ordered the FAG sets for both sides.

I'll probably also get the rose jointed bushes changed that also live in the rear hub carrier while everything is dismantled. The other "While you're in there" job is taking the brake backing shields to be powder coated.

 

[BlueQuinn]

When I rebuilt Vespa engines I used to get old bearings out by putting components in a low oven, and then new bearings on by putting the components in a freezer. Are 124 hub carriers removable/small enough that this is an option?

 

[GP801]

Olly and Jack at PCS did one on ours a couple of months back. Book time is 4 hours per side! Ours apparently went very smoothly and only took 3 hours.

 

[hotrodder]

When I rebuilt Vespa engines I used to get old bearings out by putting components in a low oven, and then new bearings on by putting the components in a freezer. Are 124 hub carriers removable/small enough that this is an option?

The hub carrier would fit in a domestic oven but for dismantling that trick often only really works well when the casing or whatever is ally (or mag) and has a significantly higher rate of thermal expansion than irons/steels

 

[millo777]

Just to close this thread off,

I turned out that both rear bearings were fairly sketchy, the brake backing plates had rusted through at the points where the parking brake springs fix to them and the offside brake caliper had partially siezed.

Given how much of a pita the job is, I got both bearing kits from the stealer along with new backing plates, caliper slide pins and anti rattle springs. Pagid pads and discs from ecp.

It runed into an £800 job (Including all parts including Febi hub carrier bushes, and all labour), and from what the mechanic told me, removing the hubs and pressing the old bearings out was the devils own job.

The most annoying part being the brake pad fitting kit, which for rear vented discs on the w124 is seemingly only available from the stealer. £18 each for anti rattle springs seems a bit steep.

 

[Parisien]

It is indeed one of the nastiest jobs you can do on a w124, creates the same level of pain as repairing estate rear window frames.

Have sent you a pm about the above, if anyone else has info that would be great too.


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