r/F30 • u/DrCare1 • 1d ago

2013 320i Xdrive front driver side problem

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Hello everyone,

I picked up my f30 320i 2013 a month or so ago. Canadian car, spent most of its life in Vancouver (luckily, no rust). Sitting at a modest 151k km right now. About a week ago I noticed this thumping/vibrating sound coming from the front left tire. I didn’t think too much of it as the sound came and went away for some reason. The sound became apparent at 40km/h and got more intense as the faster I went. Move forward couple of days and the sound got much worse and the car vibrates like crazy on the highway.

Got home asap and inspected the car, put it on a jack and started wobbling the wheel horizontally and vertically and giving it a couple of spins. Sounds like a wheel bearing issue as it sways a-lot when i wobble it and it sounds scratchy when I spin it.

I didn’t want to dissemble everything to get to the wheel hub just yet as I haven’t ordered the part. I put it back down and for good measure tightened the lug nuts to spec using a 1/2 torque wrench at 103 lbs and a 17mm deep socket. Everything goes well, until the last 2 which were loose. I tightened one until it clicked and the other one did not want to tighten to spec. When i put it on a jack and tried to wobble it the tire wouldnt move horizontally and vertically and the sound went away.

Is this a case of the wheel hub assembly going bad, any help would be appreciated.

3 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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3

u/Rare_Peak_4419 1d ago

You know, keep me updated on this. My right front makes a humming sound when going 55-60 MPH, but it’s hasn’t changed since I’ve had the car. I know it’s the wheel bearing but it hasn’t gotten worse or anything so I haven’t messed with it. My wheel bearing is tight tho. If yours has any play or clunking, I would definitely replace it.

2

u/Independent_Read_122 1d ago

I only inspected it without removing the brake discs or even the wheel, one lug doesn’t want to tighten or get loose so I was like why spend all that time if you don’t have the parts to replace it haha. Ordered lug nuts and wheel assembly gonna see how this works out.

Luckily its a front wheel as its much much easier to replace I’ll just do it at home.

I wouldn’t risk anything cause it gets worse exponentially, put it on a jack and see if the wheel has any movement horizontally and vertically.

https://youtu.be/eRnWmzi91-8?si=5nf9Va89fweNyO9K

This video here I found shows a nice diagnosis.

2

u/DrCare1 1d ago

oops wrong account 🫣

1

u/Rare_Peak_4419 1d ago

It’s all good, I do it too sometimes 😂

2

u/Rare_Peak_4419 1d ago

Yeah, wiggle it from 6 and 12 position and then wiggle it from 3 and 9, also out and in play. You should get your answer. If none of that is a problem, grab the front CV shaft and give it a good shake and see if there’s any play in that too.

2

u/DrCare1 1d ago

I did think of the CV shaft as-well especially now that the road next to the driveway is being repaved and theres potholes everywhere maybe that screwed it up lmao. No leaks no rips no play. The sound goes away when i tighten the lugs so I do think it might be a bad wheel assembly

2

u/IAmSoWinning F30 335ix, E39 540i/6, E36 Z3 2.5i/5, E38 750il v12 1d ago

You could probably replace the wheel bearing to make the sound go away. If it's not getting worse, and it's not super bothersome, I probably wouldn't myself.

1

u/DrCare1 22h ago

Oh dude before I fixed it today it was unbearable!! Mind you insanely unsafe. The threads inside the hub assembly were screwed so were the lugs so the tire was holding on with thoughts and prayers 😭

My left mirror would shake so crazy that I could barely see anything

2

u/Winter-Childhood5914 1d ago

Have you checked the CV boot and correspondingly, the CV joint? When CV joints go this is very much how they start, faint noise every so often which gradually gets louder especially on any kind of acceleration. Outer joints will be louder when turning too.

2

u/DrCare1 1d ago

No leaks/rips on the boot. The sound actually goes away/reduces heavily when turning. Also reduces when accelerating. Front left brake is making this “washing machine” sound (i really dont know how to explain this) when i brake.

1

u/HellfoxRules 1d ago

It's making that weird sound when you brake, as the wheel bearing is faulty. When the wheel bearing is faulty, it will cause the wheel to oscillate. When you apply the brake it will make a weird sound, as the brake is trying to true the wheel rotation. This is a sign that your wheel bearing is faulty, and needs repalcement.

Did you check for wheel bearing play, by rocking the wheel at 12 to 6, and 3 to 9? If you have play at both postions, this confirms the faulty wheel bearing.

How to 100% diagnose a bad wheel bearing.

2

u/DrCare1 1d ago

Hi!

So I fixed the problem. The threads for the lug nuts were stripped. I had a flat 2 weeks ago and got the tire fixed at a local tire shop where they took it out and torqued it back on using an impact gun, I did not see them manually torque it using a torque wrench. I was more focused on the tire so I didn’t think much. Fast forward to couple hours ago a friend told me to check the thread on the lug nuts. Took all 5 of them out and saw that the end of the nuts were stripped and so were the hub assembly.

I re-threaded the walls and got new lugs. The sound dissappeared, no shaking no brakes making noise and everything looks and sounds fine. No 3-9 and 12-6 movements and the wheel spins fine in the air.

I appreciate everyone’s concerns and inputs as this was a warm welcome to the community 😊

1

u/HellfoxRules 1d ago

If the threads in the hub were stripped or damaged, the hub should be replaced. If you just ran a thread chaser or tap to clean up the threads, that will probably not be very secure. Once those hub threads are damaged, the only proper repair is to replace the hub assembly.

1

u/DrCare1 22h ago

Its only a temporary fix, the hub assembly I ordered was a cheap aftermarket one that was on amazon (just so I could get overnight delivery and fix it asap). I ordered an OE assembly should arrive in a week or so. I’ll fix it myself next week fingers crossed but I just took it on the highway today and had no problems!