New FAG wheel bearings have been released which cater for the needs of more than 280, 000 vehicles.

FAG says the new arrivals further strengthens its aftermarket offering in this key sector and takes the vehicle parc covered by new part numbers released so far in 2012 to more than 3.16 million vehicles.

One of the most significant additions is a Gen 3 bearing for more than 7000 vehicles including the BMW 5, 7 Xdrive (Spline Drive) and X3 Xdrive 10/2009-, front.

The new wheel bearing with face spline connects the wheel bearing with the axle joint axially instead of radially which leads to several advantages. The weight of the component is reduced by around 10%, while significantly increasing its capacity to support loads and the face spline reduces the fitting outlay and ensures clearance-free fitting. The innovative wheel bearing concept thus has a positive influence on fuel consumption and emissions, performance and driving characteristics as well as operating life and costs.

Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket (UK) Ltd Technical Services Manager Malcolm Short said: “We are delighted that the FAG wheel bearing with face spline is now available for our independent garage customers who will increasingly see these vehicles enter their workshops.” He added, “We have been consistently adding to the FAG range month by month over the course of 2012 and are now offering an even wider range of FAG wheel bearings for the aftermarket.”

More information and exact applications for these new FAG wheel bearings is available at www.schaeffler-aftermarket.com