Replacing the bearings (not the entire assembly) for the front wheels on 2003 X-type 2.5

How is it done?

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In short, you will need to remove the hub assembly from the car, you will need to start with getting the front suspension down to the point that the half shaft on that side of the car is removed and that all you have left is front spindle still attached to the front strut. At this point, you will need to remove the spindle from the front strut (may need to remove the spindle and strut as one piece to get enough leverage to break the two free from each other. From there, you will need to put the spindle on a press with the hub facing down and the spindle being supported from the sides. In this position, you are going to press out the hub assembly, hopefully leaving the bearing in the spindle. From there, you can move your supports around and move where you are pressing on the top (back side of the bearing) so you can then push out the bearing. I suggest a lot of penetrating fluid as odds are, things are going to be rusted and not wanting to move based on the age of the car.

Now, if the bearing sticks to the hub assembly, then you are going to need either a 3 jaw puller or you are going to need some special plates to be able to grab/support the bearing from the side facing the hub. From there, you will probably need to take a socket that is just smaller than the inner race of the bearing and use that to push on the hub assembly. From there, use the puller to pull the bearing from the hub assembly.

Assembly is simply pushing the new bearing into the spindle and then pressing the hub assembly back into the bearing.

 

There are several special tools listed in the manual, the one that you really need is 204-310. That's a support to hold the knuckle while the the wheel flange is being pressed out. I made one from the thickest steel that would fit between the knuckle and the flange and when I put it in the press under 8 tons the metal bent and the flange refused to budge. The manual says the bearing will be destroyed in the removal process and I certainly had to resort to brute force to get it out.

If your car has been exposed to salt and winter and there is any chance of rust on the knuckle, be prepared for fight to get the bearing out.

When installing the new bearing make sure it is installed the correct way, as the tone ring for the ABS system is in the bearing. If it's backwards, the ABS won't work.

 

Complex task, so it’s probably good to make sure it’s the bearings and not something else.

There’s slight noise underneath when driving straight and it amplifies when turning left while quiets down when turning right.

Been told that it’s the right wheel bearing thou the wheel ain’t loose

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That could very well be the bearing. These are a double row of ball bearings, so you won't see looseness like tapered roller bearings.

The noise changing as you load one side certainly sounds like a wheel bearing failure.

 

Lower control arm & strut bolts >
Brand new bearing in the Spindle
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I have done both if mine and as I couldn’t split the shock absorber from the spindle I did it with the leg complete with spring attached on a press, a bit cumbersome but using various sockets and steel blocks it went ok. A tip is when removing the spindle, remove the lower ball joint first before removing the driveshaft nut and pushing the shaft out of the hub, the reason is the angle to get the balljoint out of the spindle is critical or it jams. Especially when refitting, get the driveshaft fully into the hub or the hole on the spindle will never align enough to get the ball joint spigot in the spindle, the spindle needs to be fully in towards tge centre of the car or you will struggle as I did for 2 hours before I figured out the the drive shaft wasn’t fully in and was holding the spindle out an angle.