I want to replace the front and rear wheel bearings on my 88 635csi.

Any suggestions on where to get them? :)

I've been quite satisfied with the online vendor - AutohausAZ. Done business with them for a number of years now, without any difficulty or complaints.

Just pull yours and go to any bearing supply house. All bearings are standard sizes and you can buy bearings and most seals at substantially under dealer or parts store prices

What tools does one need to change a front bearing/hub? I have the bentley and it says that I need some kind of puller but it isn't very clear on what kind.

edit: I'm getting one set locally for $169 (it's $17 for my toyota :P ) but they're $125 at bavauto.

Hub/Bearing $105 from Stevehaygood.com Don't forget the rear dust cover, a new nut and the hub center cap.

The rears are like $35

What tools does one need to change a front bearing/hub? I have the bentley and it says that I need some kind of puller but it isn't very clear on what kind.

edit: I'm getting one set locally for $169 (it's $17 for my toyota :P ) but they're $125 at bavauto.

For tools you need a thin wall 46mm socket, a 1 13/16 will do in a pinch, I have also seen some which use a 43mm socket, so you might have to check before you start tearing into it.
The torque spec is around 214 ft/lbs, if I remember right, so you need a decent 1/2" or 3/4" torque wrench.
It really helps to have a 2 or 3 leg universal puller, once in a while you can convince the bearings to slide out with a little hammering, once in a while you need the full force of the puller.

All WorldPac associated dealers sell the assembly (made by FAG) for around $120, you actually can press the bearing out of the hub and replace with a generic assembly for around $40-45.

The rear bearings are a different story. You have to remove the axle shafts and then remove the hub and then press out the bearing. Not an easy thing to do without the factory puller assembly. Somebody was renting the BMW puller kit for a reasonable amount, but I can not remember the details. The rear bearings don't wear out too bad, I have seen E24's and E28's with 250k miles and the original bearings still installed.
The cost for the rear bearings is around $45 per bearing.

Hope this helps,

Klaus

Where can I get a generic replacement bearing?

Where can I get a generic replacement bearing?

Pull the hub assembly and take it to a commercial bearing supply house, they can match the bearing by dimension and seal type. You have to have a fairly substantial press to remove and install the bearing from the hub.

Klaus

^ Do you know if the actual bearings are the same in the front and back?

^ Do you know if the actual bearings are the same in the front and back?

No, they are not, completely different dimensions. If I remember right the rear one is the same as the one used on the front of a VW, it has been a while that I replaced just the front bearing on a E24 or E28 without replacing the hub too, the price difference from the whole assembly to just the bearing is not worth the hassle.

Klaus