# Rear Wheel Bearing AWD method



## anjp (Jul 3, 2016)

Hi folks,

Sounds like my rear left wheel bearing has gone bad on my 2006 X-trail Bonavista XE at 275,000 kms. The rear right one needing replacing at 263,000 kms when I purchased the vehicle and I had the mechanic do it since it was up on the left for safety anyway. But I feel like taking a stab at this one on my own. But I've only replaced entire wheel hubs before. My question is can I pull & press the bearing without the special nissan tools? Any shadetree workarounds?

I'm looking at the Service Manual pg RAX-15 Wheel Bearing and it seems the entire hub can't be replaced, only the bearing itself.
Also, the shop replaced it with NATIONAL part 511038 and charged me $155 CAD for the part alone, plus labour. I can get the exact same part from RockAuto for an all-in cost of $73 CAD.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Look around on the forum, Quadraria posted a link on how to do it(russian style).
Personally i won't do it because the risk of redoing it s pretty high.

The 460$ i ve paid twice for a bearing change was well spent.
A good gas torch was helpful and a press for the bearing is a must.

envoyé du throne en grimaçant kclmop


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Sadly there are no complete hubs available for our X trails. Like Otomodo I have payed to have mine done. When you watch the video I posted sometime this past fall you will understand why. Too big a pain on jackstands, and it requires a press if you want to do it properly. I think it could be done with a special kit without removing the hub from the vehicle, but again those kits are fairly costly and its not something I would ever use a number of times so not worth it for me. 
On my Bonavista I have had to replace the right rear twice now and the left side twice as well. First time for right (rear passenger side) a Moog/National was used and it lasted 3 years 4 months. Had it done at Speedy Muffler and came with a 3 year warranty, same as if they had used the SKF they were supposed to install. Drivers side was replaced 2 3/4 years ago with an SKF, and this past fall had to redo the right side one and had them use an SKF. This past one they charged $200 just for the bearing which is pretty much what NAPA charges for one. No warranty if I had supplied the part, so in a way I payed an extra 100 to get the 3 year warranty valid at any Speedy across Canada.
I was willing to pay this because first one I had done at Mega Auto where I bought the vehicle only lasted a bit over a year. Their mechanic was a hack who released the car without even tightening the strut attachment bolts. It was an SKF that failed due to poor installation, but the guy at Speedy was able to get me a free replacement under warranty. 

One thing to note was that this past fall, the bolts in the rear suspension arms were seized. Fortunately I had previously bought all 6 of the rear suspension arms with the intention of renewing all the rear bushings. Otherwise they would have had to destroy one or more with heat to undo the arms to remove the hub. For what its worth the new arms have been great and improved the ride and handling. Very impressed by the FEBEST parts. Otherwise I now note that RockAuto has a good selection from Dorman, AcDelco and Mevotech that was not so readily available last year. Nissan dealers want $149 per arm fyi.

Good luck with your repair. FYI trim levels in Canada where LE, SE and XE. The Bonavista was a special edition at the end of the run and slots between the LE and SE.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Here is the link


http://www.nissanforums.com/x-trail/241882-rear-bearing-replacement-suspension-tear-down.html


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## anjp (Jul 3, 2016)

Thanks for all that info!
Yeah, I'm not doing that. I'll take it to the mechanic where they have a press and can get it done much easier. Maybe I'll just supply the part since it's the same one at a better cost. My guy is good like that.

(@quadraria10 - I thought the Bonavista ed fell under XE trim but I guess not. My ownership paper codes the trim as "CXT").

Cheers!


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Your welcome anjp. If you are ordering from RockAuto-- the SKF are supposedly the best bearings available. Timken's as well are really good and the Moog/National are upper echelon but not quite as good as the two others from my prior research into the ones to use. Quick check at Rockauto doesn't show the SKF they have being good for Canadian market ones. Not sure if there is a difference for Mexican ones or not. Other option might be the Beck/Arnley ones which are usually identical to the OE Nissan part and probably Japanese made.

Re the Bonavista editions-- they were basically the 2007 model version (built later part of 2006) that came out before the 08 Rogues were released in summer 2007. Similar to the SE models but they got 17'' alloy rims, climate control, carbon fibre like trim, and some special badging.

From AutoTrader:

The base XE features air conditioning, power windows, heated power mirrors, cruise control, cloth seats, leather-wrapped wheel, power locks with keyless entry, CD player with six speakers, 16-inch steel wheels, privacy glass, and fixed intermittent wipers. In FWD it has an automatic transmission; in AWD, the base is a five-speed manual.

The mid-line SE adds the electric sunroof, six-CD player, heated cloth seats, 16-inch alloy wheels, variable intermittent wipers and fog lights. Like the XE, the FWD comes with the automatic, while the AWD starts with the five-speed.

The top-line LE comes in AWD only and adds climate control, leather interior, power-adjustable driver’s seat, leather-wrapped gearshift knob and rear spoiler.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

hi...you quoted ''From AutoTrader:

The base XE features air conditioning, power windows, heated power mirrors...''....i believe my model is the base XE...except i dont see a heated mirror option. Did all the Xtrails come with standard heated mirrors?? I previously had an 04 honda civic Si which came with power /heated side view mirrors that i put to great use in the 12 years i owned it. It rains a lot in Vancouver...turning on the heated mirror function kept the mirrors bone dry during my rainy commutes. So did i overlook the heated mirror switch on my Xtrail ...ive looked everywhere.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

i did find an online manual and it does say to just depress the rear glass defroster switch and that also will defrost the side view mirrors...i have never seen my side mirrors defrost while doing that. I work as an autoglass technician and i myself have installed non-defrosting mirror glass into customers vehicles who had broken mirrors and did not want to pay the extra costs for the heated mirror...maybe my vehicle was treated the same by the previous owner? i need to do some investigating as to why mine dont defrost..https://www.manualslib.com/manual/819503/Nissan-Xtrail.html?page=80#manual


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Mirrors defrost at the same time as the rear window.
Very helpful when there is 3mm of freezing rain all over the mirrors.

envoyé du throne en grimaçant kclmop


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## anjp (Jul 3, 2016)

My mirrors also defrost with the rear window defroster switch


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

As do mine. You would have to look at the service manual to see how the heat is delivered. Maybe something was disconnected.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

it's all good!  i had heated mirrors all along. I was used to my 04 civic which as i mentioned, had it's own clearly marked heated mirror switch. I started up my Xtrail this morning and pushed the rear defogger switch.....watched my mirrors defog....then just before i drove off i placed my palm on the driver's mirror: warm to the touch.  I really love the heated mirror function . You have noooooo idea how much non stop rain i get here in Vancouver.....the heated mirror keeps them dry as im commuting in the downpours. Anyways today is beautiful and mostly sunny with only a high of plus 6 C. ....I just was outside in shorts and a warm jacket sipping a coffee in my yard....hoping Spring starts up sooner then normal. Thanks to all who replied with help.


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## anjp (Jul 3, 2016)

I finally took my xtrail in to the shop. Just too much work to replaced a seized bearing at home. 

They charged me $135 for the National part and 2.2 hours labour. 

Nice and quiet now


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Glad you got her fixed. The bad bearing drone does drive one a little nuts. The price seems normal to me for garage pricing, and this way you should have a year or two warranty on it which is worth a bit of extra expense in my opinion. Seeing you would have had to undo the wheel sensor, brakes, suspension and remove the hub, there was a lot that could have gone wrong. There is a lot of stuff I am willing to do myself but doing the bearings on the X Trail is not one of them.


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