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[K9Leader]

Not sure exactly which sub-thread to put this on (tires and wheels or suspension/brakes/chassis or DIY) so just picked this one.

2011 128i, manual, 141k miles. Reluctor rings on axles are corroded so wheel speed sensors are getting erratic readings so ABS and traction control warnings/problems.

I have the new axles and am looking at the replacement procedures. The problems are that the axle nuts are very rusty - one has a lot of rust but you can make out that it was once an axle nut but the other is so bad it looks like one of those blooming onion appetizer things made out of rust so I'm not sure there is even anything for a socket to grip. Assuming I can get those off, I am expecting the axles to be seized into the splines of the hub/bearings and will be a challenge to get off, perhaps even damaging the bearings/hub in the process.

I've never done any work like this on any car so I'm doing a lot of reading and watching lots of videos. I've also wondered about replacing the bearings as they, too, have 141k miles on them. So, I'm okay with replacing more than just the axles.

My question is: can I just skip all that by removing the hub without separating the axle? Just pull the hub assembly off with the axle still attached? I expect I would have to cut the axle at some point near that end so it would fit through. Or is it possible to push the bearing through the other way?

TIA

[gorilla]

[K9Leader]

Yes, I've seen that one before and that is how it ideally would go, and, I hope, mine will go. But watching it again tells me that the idea of pushing the hub/bearing/stub of an axle through as one unit would be even more problematic than I had thought (well, hoped). So, it;s back to hoping it all comes apart as easily as it did for this guy.

[spidertri]

Yes, you can pull the entire hub assembly off by disconnecting the far end of the axle from the differential stub shaft. There are 6 e-torx bolts (so you'll need the correct e-torx socket either E10 or E12 IIRC) and you might need to wiggle/work/pry the axle to get it successfully popped out of the stub shaft but it's possible.

I've also seen axle nuts like that before, on a different car, and they were so destroyed with rust that it was possible to chisel them off. Surprisingly on that car, the axle itself wasn't seized at all and came out normally once the nut was fully removed.