Evening all.

Just come back from weekly food shopping on the back of a truck - front wheel bearing's gone. I've got a spare bearing, but my problem is this: I've organised (did it earlier today) to take my caravan down to near Portsmouth tomorrow, stay in it overnight, & then put it into storage. Everything's booked, and tomorrow was going to be the first day I've towed, and also first caravanning experience. And now the bearing is screwing all this up. I have 2 questions:

i) Does anyone know of a garage that could fit my wheel bearing tomorrow (Saturday 25th Nov)?
ii) Is there anyone in the area who has the tools/knowledge who I could help to do it?

It'd be great if the bearing didn't mess up my plans for the whole weekend!

Answers on a postcard, please...

yes where abouts are you in the south east?

He's in Windsor in Berkshire

Hi guys. Just got back from taking the car into a garage - managed to find one that could have a look at the car today, so I'm hoping I might have it back later...

Thanks for your offer, though, AMR. Maybe you could help me with some advice - the guy at the garage muttered something about the car would have to stay there if anything else - particularly the driveshaft flange - was knackered. Firstly, does this sound likely? Secondly, would this have happened within about 5 miles of the bearing going? I drove the car about 5 miles to the garage this morning - very slowly - so I'm hoping no other damage will have been caused. Would have had it trailered this morning, but only get one recovery per breakdown...........

Luckily, I've already got a pair of front bearings, so I didn't have to wait to get hold of one. Have rung the campsite to tell them I'm not likely to make it today - what with it being my first towing & caravanning experience, I don't want to tow my first 50 miles in the dark!!

well i doubt it was the bearing that did any damage (as ive never heard of them doing any other damage), but its most probably a completely different incident. lucky the mechanic found this or you would have had the driveshaft fall apart and you would end up stuck with no drive.

there is no "drive shaft flange" on the front wheel of a 300 because they are rear wheel drive so only have drive shafts on the rear axle ,

So just be carefull what this garage trys to charge you for ,

I am a bit surprised and concerned that they didn't realize the 300 is rwd

as you have supplied the part they should only hit you with a bill for labour and if a professional garage cannot change a front wheel bearing in an hour I for one wouldent go back there .

so all in all at present rates of about £40.00 an hour + vat even with charging you for grease you shouldent have to pay more than £50.00

oh and by the way I have towed caravans for over ten years and I would much rather tow at night when there is less traffic on the road

good luck

This is weird, you say the front wheel bearing went and then the garage talks about driveshaft flanges?! Makes no sense to me why the mechanic would be looking at the rear of the car if the front wheel bearing had gone.

Also, what actually happened? Bearings don't just 'go' usually, they can grumble on for a long time just getting gradually worse. I believe they can do damage to the driveshafts (rear) if seriously neglected though?

I dumb can they get

There is almost no chance of drive shaft damage in any case. Obviosly the front has no drive shaft and secondly no mater ho bad the rear wheel bearing (if the rear was the problem one) the drive shaft will be fine.

I've had a rear wheel bearing so bad there was a bout 2" play in the wheel

Good evening, gentlemen.

You seem to be correct in your eatimation of the mechanic's prowess. I got a call about 12 to say that the bearing was done & the car was ready to pick up. Wahey, I thought. Went over, paid my £56, and then took the car back to the garage before I even got off the forecourt! Strange rubbing/grinding noise was still there. Ended up talking to the guy who did the bearing, took him a little way in the car to demonstrate. His response was that he hadn't taken the car for a test drive himself (implication - someone had) so he hadn't heard the noise. Had a look at the wheel, and then he mentioned something about seeing a shiny patch on the suspension & rubbed-down section of the wheel....

Drove the car home very very slowly, to the smell of burning rubber, to find that I couldn't get the wheel nuts off because they'd used an air wrench or something. So, another tow truck arrives, loosens the bolts with the aid of a bit of scaffolding pole, and I've changed the wheels back to the originals. Going round the block, the noise seems to have gone, but my confidence is a little shaken, particularly as I'm towing tomorrow for the first time, and it's 50-odd miles to the storage site! I'll let you know how it goes if/when I get back...

Mick, you're right - towing in the dark probably fine. However, as it's my first time I'd rather be able to see what I'm doing!!

Thanks for your support, guys.

if you still want to use those wheels just get a set of spacers and extended studs didnt click you had just put new wheels on when the problem started ,

sussed it , the volvo offset is 32-38

as far as I can tell bmw 3 series could have an offset of either

3 series (E30) 4 x 100 **** 15...25***** 57.0 which I think you have

3 series (E30) M models 5 x 120 18...20 72.5 which are 5 stud and wont fit

or

3 series (E36, E46), Z3 5 x 120 35...42 72.5 also 5 stud so no good

depending on model

therefore your offset is wrong and causing the wheel to rub on the suspension so as I said before you will need spacers for these rims to fit
basically to push the inner rim away from the suspension

Hello again. Still got a problem!!!!!

With the original wheels on, the RH front cup for the spring (whatever it's really called) is now in contact with the tyre. There was over an inch of clearance yesterday!!!! Driven the car around the block once yesterday & twice this morning.

1) Does anyone know what's happened?
2) Is there anyone around who can help me fix it?

I've got a spare car, so I can probably get the part off that, but I haven't got a clue what to do, and I bet I don't have the right tools!!!

Please ring me on 0787 675 7327 if you can help. This has really screwed up my weekend! I also need to get my caravan moved in the next two weeks, as my friends are moving so I'm losing the storage I have. HELP!!!

Incidentally, thanks for the detective work, Mick. They're the normal E30 bottle top alloys, which have a lower ET & bigger centre bore. I hope putting the wheels on didn't cause this problem...

Then again, the car's done about 180k or so now, so she's doing well!!

Sounds like the spring cup has rusted around its welds to the strut itself and collapsed. That will certainly explain the burning rubber smell as the tyre will be in contact with the cup when moving.

I have ET30 15" wheels and there's plenty of clearance. So I very much doubt that has caused it. Looks like you'll be needing a new strut, petefarrel360 may have a spare...

It does sound like the spring cup has colapsed. You wont be able to drive the car like that.

Its a case of either a good s/h strut, get yours repaired or go for a exchange repaired unit.