Is it possible to DIY a rear wheel bearing replacement on my 2000 E55? I have looked, googled and cant find any how too vids. Any help is appreciated. Have a sound coming from my rear axles and from previous experiences with wheel bearings on other cars this feels/sounds like I am on the right track.

Thanks in advance.

 

Sorry, I haven't checked the forum in a while but if you are still looking to do this, you'll need a hydraulic press to remove and install the bearings. It's a pain in the ***, but it is doable. For me, it was easiest to remove the spindle to press it out; I don't know if they even make the tool to do it in situ. Start by jacking the lower control arm up to remove the lower shock bolt and then the spring. After that, you'll need to remove the brakes, parking-brake line, parking-brake shoes/springs, speed sensor, and you'll need the splined socket to remove the axle nut, along with a breaker bar or impact wrench for that one. Once the spindle is out you can remove the brake rotor dust shield and then press out the old bearing, clean the spindle, and press the new one in. It's not too different from the process for the w211 or W203 C-class for which there are a lot of videos available, but you don't have all of the e-torx bolts to deal with. There are a couple of places that a having a good set of both ratcheting wrenches and crow's foot wrenches is very useful as there isn't enough room to get even a shallow socket on. Take the front top two control and toe arms off first and bolt them up last and it's a little easier to get the spindle off and on. Use threadlocker on the five control arm bolts; you don't want those backing out. I replaced all but the lower control arm while doing this; it took me about four hours (not including the time to drive with the spindle to the shop to use the press) as I have a wrecked knee and I get tired of squatting to turn wrenches in awkward positions.

From experience, rebuilding a rear axle on this car is slightly less work, and you may want to check there as well. I had a clicking/creaking sound that I thought was the differential or a wheel bearing but proved to be the spider on one of the axles. The original manufacturer of the wheel bearing is *** (now Schaeffler Gruppe) and should run about $70-90; a lot less than the same ones at the Mercedes parts counter. I still have one I bought for the other side in a cabinet at home if you want that part number. I also have a complete spare passenger-side rear spindle if you need photos of any angles on the spindle while it's out of the car. GKN made the OE axles and still offers them today as a complete assembly at a third of the cost of the Mercedes-stamped ones if that turns out to be the problem.

 

Pulling the spindle and using a hydraulic press is almost a must. I did the whole job on a lift using a heavy slide hammer on the bearings.
It's also possible that they have never been replaced on my car and it has 230k on it. Front bearings are cake. Rears suck.
This is the video i watched.