Wheel Bearing Failure

[Pmnr121]

I’ve always looked in this forum for a bit of DIY help, but I never thought I’d be posting something of this nature!

Was about to go on a long drive and about 30 minutes i hear a light thud from the offside front and am greeted with a trifecta of warning lights - ABS, SRS, EPS. Limped it home, jacked up the car and took the wheel off, and the cover for the bearing came off with the wheel itself, to reveal a catastrophic scene of grease and metal shards - the wheel bearing was goosed!

For me and my beloved E220d, Madonna, I am looking for the best solution that is also cost effective. I don’t have the tools necessary to do change the hub and am not as confident on the amount of grease to use. To buy the part and get a mechanic to install it would be £200, for the dealer it’s £411 and to buy a used suspension bracket with the hub and bearing is £80-£100.

I’m leaning towards the latter and installing the used bracket with hub myself, then taking it to a Mercedes Benz specialist to adjust the locking nut. Is this the best option? If it isn’t what is? On a scale of 1-10 how hard of a job is it to change the used suspension bracket with the hub attached?

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!

Wheel bearing in question:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ClGrqS4JYyjjDV2GtjY4yZBs3IKGwP7q/view?usp=drivesdk

 

[KennyN]

If the hub and associated suspension components have been on the vehicle for 20 years then expect some difficulty in removing the hub etc , it may go according to plan but you may need to replace more than the hub.

When the bearing collapsed it could have knackered the stub shaft or the bearing housing meaning complete replacement is the only answer.

Until the old hub / bearing assembly is removed / cleaned / inspected then it is all guess work as to what actually needs replaced.

K

 

[brandwooddixon]

It's a basic component and shouldn't need a Mercedes specialist to fit, just a good mechanic.
As with any second hand part you run a risk of it being badly worn.
Hubs tend to come with the bearings and a premeasured packet of grease, adjusting the end float can be a little worrisome, but if you can feel that you can fit a hub with bracket then you could fit a hub.
Depending on what's attached to the hub I would say that its easier to fit a new hub than a hub with other suspension components attached. From memory you wont need spring compressors for a start.
I think that just getting a mechanic to replace it is the better option if that can be done for £200 all in, but as @KennyN says you'd need it to see if the stub shaft is damaged if it is then you'll need that replacing.