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I have done wheel bearings, not on an MB, and only hub+bearing units. Hub+bearing units are straightforward.
Front wheel bearings on 164 and rear wheel bearings on 164 and 166 are a press-in style and in my opinion a new knuckle/upright with new hub+bearing is the way to go. Do do otherwise requires you to have a bench top arbor press and the proper mandrels for the arbor press.
WIS calls for knuckle removal for the front wheel bearing on 164, then the arbor press work is required, same as for the rear axle.
WIS often shows the hardest way to do anything.
I have not even seen spindle assemblies, but plenty selling bearings and kits.
Not sure why a regular bearing puller will not work, but hoping to find someone with hands on experience.
The bearing itself is held in place in the knuckle by a snap ring.
After removing the caliper and rotor, the axle nut needs removed and the axle shaft pressed out.
Then wheel hub needs to be first pressed out of the bearing. The hub needs to be pressed out from the inner side, i.e. from the axle shaft side.
Then the snap ring removed. This is trivially easy.
Then the bearing pressed out of the knuckle, again from the inside pressing towards the wheel/tire side.
All of the WIS photos show a knuckle on a bench with a press and mandrels/arbors.
There are probably a number of ways to accomplish the above, the easiest and most precise in my view is on a bench with an arbor press and the proper mandrels. Or replace with a "loaded knuckle" assembly.
You'll need to remove the spindle from the car, and use a hydraulic press to R+R the bearings. You'll need some special tools and there is plenty that can and will go wrong your first time. You'll likely destroy one or more new bearings and maybe the hubs while you are trying. I charge 5 hours per front corner, 6 for each rear corner in a fully equipped shop with a lift and air tools. If your car is rusty you'd better pray to whichever imaginary being in the sky you worship.
This is not a DIY project in your driveway.
I have seen one video using a bearing puller on the car.
Any one know a good source for loaded hub carriers.
I think I have a ( or both) rears to do.
Because you have to deal with the parking brake and fight with the link arms under tension.
I've never seen loaded carriers for MB. It would be cost prohibitive anyhow, and most of the work here is pulling them off the car.
Does the magnetic side go in facing the axle or wheel?
Look at the hole where the speed sensor sits. The bearing has two sides, one with a metal grease shield and the other with a plastic grease shield. The plastic side goes to the sensor.
I've done the front bearings and I wouldn't want to do it with the knuckle on the car. It's not a huge deal to get the knuckle off and you'd have to remove the CV axle anyway (assuming you have 4matic). I used my press and it was fairly straightforward (compared to replacing the control arm bushings, anyway ). You absolutely will destroy the bearing when pushing the hub out, but on that note you'll also need a bearing puller kit. When you push the hub out the bearing race will come with it and the bearing puller kit is the way to remove the bearing race from the hub. There are other ways to do it like using a dremel to slowly cut through it but I wasn't comfortable doing that. Your call. You could also just buy new hubs but they cost more than the kit so...
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). You absolutely will destroy the bearing when pushing the hub out, but on that note you'll also need a bearing puller kit. When you push the hub out the bearing race will come with it and the bearing puller kit is the way to remove the bearing race from the hub. There are other ways to do it like using a dremel to slowly cut through it but I wasn't comfortable doing that. Your call. You could also just buy new hubs but they cost more than the kit so...
