R60 Countryman Wheel Bearings
#1
R60 Countryman Wheel Bearings
Just making this little thread since I replaced both front wheel bearings in our 2013 All4 this weekend. The writeups in the How-to section are pretty good, and it seems the R60 is very similar. I just never found anything specific to ours.
I did both fronts even though I knew only the driver side one was roaring. Likely due to the same pothole that took out a rim a month or two ago.
Steps were simple enough. Take off the two bolts that hold the caliper brackets on (and thus the caliper with it). I used a 5/8 since I didnt have a 16mm in my current tool box.
Next, the rotor.
Then take off the 32MM axle nut.
At this point the 4 bolts holding the wheel bearing are back behind right next to where the CV sits. They are also 16mm. Again I used a 5/8, a swivel, and a 3" extension to get to them. Was difficult to get a breaker bar on anything, just being on jack stands, but I managed. Tapped with a sledge to pop the assembly loose from the spindle. No problems with the speed sensor. It is just bolted inside the spindle. Bearing removal doesn't affect it.
The trick is to push the CV axle inward. This lets you get the big socket and extension back in there. On the first one I rigged up some ridiculous thing zip tied to the hub to keep the axle back.
On the latter one, I found jacking the suspension up slightly under the lower ball joint, helped to strighten out the CV shaft for better bolt clearance, and instead of the silly zip tie thing, just pushing the axle in and sticking a screwdriver in one of the axle notches held it back in there.
Still kind of a paint to get the bolts re-torqued but, doable. Also a piece of electrical tape on the swivel helps 'keep it up' while you are getting it back behind the spindle
Now all I have left is tire noise lol
I did both fronts even though I knew only the driver side one was roaring. Likely due to the same pothole that took out a rim a month or two ago.
Steps were simple enough. Take off the two bolts that hold the caliper brackets on (and thus the caliper with it). I used a 5/8 since I didnt have a 16mm in my current tool box.
Next, the rotor.
Then take off the 32MM axle nut.
At this point the 4 bolts holding the wheel bearing are back behind right next to where the CV sits. They are also 16mm. Again I used a 5/8, a swivel, and a 3" extension to get to them. Was difficult to get a breaker bar on anything, just being on jack stands, but I managed. Tapped with a sledge to pop the assembly loose from the spindle. No problems with the speed sensor. It is just bolted inside the spindle. Bearing removal doesn't affect it.
The trick is to push the CV axle inward. This lets you get the big socket and extension back in there. On the first one I rigged up some ridiculous thing zip tied to the hub to keep the axle back.
On the latter one, I found jacking the suspension up slightly under the lower ball joint, helped to strighten out the CV shaft for better bolt clearance, and instead of the silly zip tie thing, just pushing the axle in and sticking a screwdriver in one of the axle notches held it back in there.
Still kind of a paint to get the bolts re-torqued but, doable. Also a piece of electrical tape on the swivel helps 'keep it up' while you are getting it back behind the spindle
Now all I have left is tire noise lol
The following 2 users liked this post by iwashmycar:
Crazy Airborne (07-20-2018),
mikey_t (07-18-2018)
#2
The following users liked this post:
iwashmycar (07-18-2018)
#4
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#6
I don’t offhand. I believe I did the 4 bolts to one ugga-dugga, and the axle nut to three ugga-duggas ;P
#7
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The following 2 users liked this post by Rcraigs:
akmini (09-10-2021),
iwashmycar (09-28-2020)
#10
Front wheel bearing - DIY Video You Tube
Here is a link to the best video I found for replacing the Front wheel bearing on a Mini Cooper Countryman. the audio is in French but that's not the important part anyways.I have replaced both front wheel bearings and one rear wheel bearing so far. Just waiting for the last one to go out the right rear.
Last edited by akmini; 12-24-2020 at 12:25 PM. Reason: added content about wheel bearing replaced so far
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