Also, what is your feeling on non-OEM parts? I found a website called Buyautoparts.com that sells both OEM at a discount and non-OEM

http://www.buyautoparts.com/buynow/2006 ... Am1O8P8HAQ

Hi guys, sorry for the million replys today. I want to make sure I purchase the right part because I think I am thrown off by Double E's purchase.

I also saw the parts on the same website for 150 each, so I am not sure what Double E purchased, and how he managed to get both for 150?

Here is the link again, I am looking at Part #2 -- http://discountinfinitiparts.com/parts/ ... mCallOut=2

Is #2 the right component to purchase?

hsingh2088 wrote:Is #2 the right component to purchase?

that looks right

To anyone considering a DIY front bearing replacement on an M35x (AWD) I would like to add a few 'tips' to asavage's awesome guide above which I followed to a successful replacement this evening. His guide was written for an M35. I have never replaced a wheel bearing before and I'm not a mechanic so having this work out splendidly is quite rewarding. Again, thanks asavage! Sadly, the bearing had only 40,000 miles on it Crazy but that's what winter and salt do to cars in Canada. The bearing was producing the symptomatic whirring or propeller noise.

The axle nut on the M35x (AWD) is 32mm not 24mm as noted in the guide.

Definitely have a helper close by to start the car and turn the wheel to create clearance. I did the removal without a helper and it was a huge pain. Called in the wife for the re-assembly.

You can remove the caliper and rotor as a single unit, leaving the caliper attached to the rotor and prop them up inside the wheel well. This approach avoids the issue of keeping the pads separated with a block of wood but it does reduce the work area inside the wheel well. I propped up the caliper and rotor on a milk crate. If I was do it again, I would find a way to hang it somehow because the brake line as a tether is fragile.

Getting the axle nut, caliper bolts, ABS/speed sensor bolt and bearing bolts out was way easier than I expected. Having short and long sockets and ratchets helps. The clearances are quite tight.

Removing the ABS/speed sensor required some careful prying. I used a chisel with a sharp wide edge to distribute the force across the width of the plastic plate.

Getting the bearing out of the hub bore was a challenge because there is only a very small target area for the hammer and little room to c*** the hammer. It just doesn't seem right to have to bash the bearing out but it seems that's the only way.

Really important to scrape out the crud in the bore, sand it and put a little lube as asavage suggests. Makes putting the new bearing in a whole lot easier.

While probably the obvious thing to do for everyone except me, put the bolts in their holes then the shield then insert the hub and tap it in snug then get the bolts threaded and then a final tap using a block of wood at the top and bottom until you're sure it's sitting evenly. Make sure the ABS/speed sensor probe hole on the back of the bearing is lined up with hole in the side of the bore. I tried to put the bearing into the bore without first putting the bolts in and threading them a few turns. Made alignment impossible. I wasted a good 45 minutes before 'dah' moment.

I couldn't find the torque spec for the axle nut so put it at 80lbs.

It took me about 3 hours but if I had to do it again, could definitely be done in less than an hour.

Hope this helps.

I'm glad you posted the differences with the X version, Thanks.

asavage wrote:I'm glad you posted the differences with the X version, Thanks.

I'm delighted to have made a contribution. If it were not for your guide, I would never have attempted to do it on my own. I should have provided the back story on what really got me researching bearings and the process to replace. It was an estimate of $1,800 to replace both front bearings! I brought the car to a local shop (in Bedford, Nova Scotia) called "Coast Tire" which I had a little confidence in. They drove the car and concluded that I should replace both bearings. It gets better. They said that "the ABS sensors often break when replacing the bearing so they wanted to have new ones available before proceeding". They said the two ABS sensors were about $800 for the pair. The two bearings and the labour was the other $1,000. Again, they made these recommendations based on a test drive only. I paid them $35 for the assessment and then took the car home. My sense was that only the right side bearing was worn. I jacked the car up and checked for play and only found it in the right side. I ordered the bearing online from a Canadian supplier for $135 delivered. The ABS sensors are sealed plastic probes inserted into what appears to be an aluminum bore. The only way I could see them getting broken is if someone (incompetent) tried to remove the bearing without first removing the sensor.

So, I saved myself about $1,500 even after buying a set of impact sockets. It's so nice to not get ripped off.

There's a reason why the auto repair industry has a bad reputation.

Question. Can you describe specifically how you pound the hub out of the bore? So much of the outer part of the hub is blocked by the bore and chassis behind it that it seemed impossible to get a direct hit from behind the hub. Would detaching the tie rod be an option to get a better angle?

Do you mean, removing #4 from #1?

(click on image for larger)


If so, on the RWD version there's enough room to swing the hammer at the hub. I imagine that for the AWD version, I'd have to use a drift and alternate on one side of the CV joint and the other, my helper turning the wheel full-lock alternately, but that's only a guess from doing this job on other vehicles with a similar setup.

Yes, the bearing from the knuckle. Upon further reading I think it would be a lot easier if 1) the car is on a hoist and 2) one backs off the bolts holding on the hub then taps those with a hammer and punch.

asavage wrote:Do you mean, removing #4 from #1?

(click on image for larger)


If so, on the RWD version there's enough room to swing the hammer at the hub. I imagine that for the AWD version, I'd have to use a drift and alternate on one side of the CV joint and the other, my helper turning the wheel full-lock alternately, but that's only a guess from doing this job on other vehicles with a similar setup.

You can buy Timken bearings from Amazon for $77 each and free shipping. Timken bearings are superior to the OEM from Nissan/Infiniti. I bought two of these for my 2010 Infiniti EX35. Solved the humming problem.

http://www.amazon.com/Timken-HA590125-A ... n+ha590125

I changed the hub on my 2006 M35x this weekend..a couple tips:

remove the axle nut before you jack up the car and take of the tire. If you dont you will have to find a way to keep the axle from turning while you try and remove...a block of wood under a lug nut to the floor did it for me and was able to get ti loose.

for removing the axle from the hub, the FSM said hit it with a block of wood and hammer..well mine wouldnt budge and i feared of braking something. I rented/borrowed a hub pulling kit from local adavance auto (you can do this free of charge with their loaner tool program). With this it was simple to push out the axle from the hub and the added benefit was you can hit the puller kit that was now attached to the lugs and it popped the hub right out for me.

thanks for the posts and pictures here..saved me a couple hundred $$$
i also used the Timken hub bought on Amazon..car nice and quiet today

It's humorous that the Timken HA590125 appears to be a "universal" front hub, in that it is listed to fit both the M35 and the M35x versions.

I soooo wish the pics to this how-to were available.

PJS3 wrote:I soooo wish the pics to this how-to were available.

You can't trust technology, it's not reliable.

IOW: try looking at the pictures again. You may have been viewing at a time when I was rebooting my server. It's not a mission-critical setup.

I got TIMKEN HA590376 from my '07 RWD from rockauto...

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.ph ... 4311&jsn=1

^I got the same Timken assembly for my RWD base M45

Longtime Lurker saying thanks for the info in this thread.
As expected this .75 hr job took me (2x+1) to execute so i was right on schedule.

My '07 groans only when cold (first few miles after sitting overnight) and turning right. Bearings?