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The short version
- A Cooper wheel bearing on the newest cars splits on stud thread pitch, M12 x 1.5 against M12 x 1.25. This page covers 2002 to 2017.
- 513384 is cited for the 1.5 pitch hatchback. 513390 covers the 1.25 pitch on an otherwise similar car.
- Body style splits the 2014 to 2015 cars too, with the convertible and coupe taking 513309.
- A 2006 car needs a build date check as well. To April 2006 takes WE61653, from April 2006 takes WE60478.
The Cooper wheel bearing chart below runs from 2002 to 2017. On the newest cars, the number a shop pulls first is not always the number that bolts up.
Thread pitch is the spacing between one thread crest and the next. It is normally checked on a bolt, not a hub, but here it decides the part.
The studs press into the hub and have to match the nuts the car came with. Body style, build date and stud count all move the number too, on different years, and none of that shows from across the shop floor.
Measure the pitch before you order
On the newer front, 513384 is cited for M12 x 1.5 and 513390 for M12 x 1.25. Both are twelve millimeter studs, and only the spacing differs.
Take a wheel nut off and check it, or count threads over a measured length. Do that before ordering either Cooper wheel bearing number.
A wheel nut that only starts a few turns before binding is the giveaway. Forcing it further strips the stud rather than seating the nut, and that is a worse problem than a returned part.
Body style decides the 2014 and 2015 front
513384 covers the two door hatchback body on the newer platform. The convertible and coupe take 513309 for the same 2014 to 2015 span.
513309 also covers the entire 2007 to 2013 range on its own. The split only opens up once the hatchback arrives for 2014.
A parts counter that only asks for the year often gets a 2014 or 2015 Cooper wheel bearing wrong. Body style has to be part of the question, alongside the year and the end of the car.
Cooper wheel bearing part numbers
| Years | Detail | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Front, M12 x 1.25 | 513390 check price |
| 2016 to 2017 | Rear | 512569 check price |
| 2014 to 2016 | Front, hatchback, M12 x 1.5 | 513384 check price |
| 2014 to 2015 | Front, convertible and coupe | 513309 check price |
| 2007 to 2015 | Rear | 512427 check price |
| 2007 to 2013 | Front | 513309 check price |
| 2002 to 2007 | Front, convertible and coupe, parallel listing | 513226 check price |
| 2002 to 2007 | Rear, parallel listing | 512304 check price |
| 2006 | Front, from 04/2006 build, M14 bolts | WE60478 check price |
| 2002 to 2006 | Front, to 04/2006 build, M12 bolts | WE61653 check price |
| 2002 to 2006 | Rear | WE61063 check price |
Lookups run through the cross reference page. The rear side is far simpler than the front on almost every year in this chart.
Every model year this chart resolves: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The catalogs print two different numbers for a 2006 Cooper front, and trim has nothing to do with it. A car built before April 2006 carries M12 studs and takes WE61653.
That is the same number that covers 2002 to 2005. A car built from April 2006 onward switches to M14 studs and takes WE60478, the number that carries into the 2007 hub assembly era.
The build plate under the hood gives the assembly date. It settles the question faster than counting studs on a corroded hub, and it is worth keeping that date on hand at the parts counter.
A stiff car on short sidewalls
These cars are built firm on purpose, and a firm car passes more of the road into the hub instead of absorbing it. Add small wheels, short sidewalls and a wheelbase that puts both axles close to every bump.
A Cooper wheel bearing on this chassis is doing a job that a softer, longer car spreads across more suspension travel. There is less room here to cushion a hard hit.
That stiffness is a design choice, not a defect, and it is part of why these are fun to drive. It also means a pothole leaves a bigger mark on the bearing than it would on a family sedan.
Run flats make it worse
A great many of these left the factory on run flat tires, built to carry the car with no air and barely deflecting as a result. An ordinary tire absorbs a pothole edge before it ever reaches the hub.
A run flat sends much more of that energy straight into the bearing instead. Most Cooper wheel bearing failures here trace to a single event rather than to mileage.
That is why low mileage failures are common on this model, and it is not a sign of a bad batch of parts. Ask what the car hit before assuming the bearing was simply worn out.
The mechanics of that kind of damage are on the pothole page. A failure that shows up shortly after a known hit is also worth reading against the warranty page, since coverage terms vary by how the damage happened.
A bolt on job across the board
Every Cooper wheel bearing number listed here, front and rear, 2002 through 2017, is a bolt on hub assembly. There is no press-in ball bearing anywhere in this range.
That keeps labor time down once the correct number is in hand. It also means the job itself rewards none of the shortcuts that make press-in fronts painful on other cars.
The hard part on a Cooper wheel bearing job is picking the right number, not turning the wrench. Pitch, body style and build date decide that before a single bolt comes off.
Diagnosing a Cooper wheel bearing
- Check the stud thread pitch on a 2014 or newer front before ordering.
- Note the body style on a 2014 or 2015 car.
- Check the build date on a 2006 car, since the stud size changes mid year.
- Weave at road speed and note which side loads the noise.
- Rule out the tires before buying a hub.
Those steps run alongside the checking page and the tire noise page. Front and rear symptoms differ too, which the front versus rear page covers directly.
Confirming the corner before you call around also keeps a repeat quote honest. That habit pays off before you ask a shop for a quote on a Cooper wheel bearing job.
Price links lead to Amazon searches for that number. As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases.
Common questions
Does thread pitch really change a Cooper wheel bearing number?
On the 2014 and newer cars yes. 513384 is cited for M12 x 1.5 and 513390 for M12 x 1.25, and a nut cut for one will not run onto the other.
Why does a 2006 Cooper wheel bearing have two possible numbers?
The catalogs split 2006 by build date rather than by trim. To April 2006 takes WE61653 on M12 studs, and from April 2006 takes WE60478 on M14 studs.
Does the body style matter on 2014 and 2015 cars?
Yes. The convertible and coupe are listed apart from the hatchback, both under the 2014 to 2015 span.
Do run flat tires shorten Cooper wheel bearing life?
A stiff sidewall passes more impact into the hub instead of absorbing it. It is a mechanism, not a measured figure, but it lines up with how many of these fail early.
Do I need a press to replace a Cooper wheel bearing?
No. Every number on this chart is a bolt on hub assembly, front and rear, across the full 2002 to 2017 range.