Method for fitting new wheel bearings?

SDHA4SLine · May 27, 2015

Hi,

I have a 2006 2.0tdi (brd 170) Avant FWD.

Taking my car to an independent garage to have front wheel bearings and outer drive shaft cv joints replaced (maybe control arms too if I can find the money). Ive seen people talk about a special method of tightening the bearings on re assembly but have no idea what this method is? I wondered if anyone could advise so I can check with the garage to make sure they do the job right 1st time?

Also if there is anything else I need to know about fitting cv joints or control arms ?

Regards
Steve

ajax1976 · May 27, 2015

Other than the correct torque settings then adding the advised degrees(get those in a Haynes manual) I can't think of any special method.
Perhaps depends on what you buy tho, just the bearings, bearings in the housing or a complete hub assembly?
I went middle of the road and bought bearings already in the housing then pressed in my original hub. Basically the more you spend the easier it is to change, complete hub only requires the drive shaft bolt and 4 torx bolts to removed then you can just swap the whole unit where as if you buy just the bearings you're going to have to get those all pressed into your housing.

Big one with the control arms is to torque them in a position when they're loaded, not when the cars on the jack and weights off the suspension.
Loads of info online regarding them and the dreaded pinch bolts, if your garage isn't aware of the bolts I'd be inclined to go somewhere that's dealt with them before as they are a bitch!!
CVs are nothing special and run of the mill joints so no big deal changing them.

If you're thinking about lowering the car now is the time, no point changing all the above bits to have to do it again then get it all aligned again just to fit springs.

SDHA4SLine · May 27, 2015

ajax1976 said:
Other than the correct torque settings then adding the advised degrees(get those in a Haynes manual) I can't think of any special method.
Perhaps depends on what you buy tho, just the bearings, bearings in the housing or a complete hub assembly?
I went middle of the road and bought bearings already in the housing then pressed in my original hub. Basically the more you spend the easier it is to change, complete hub only requires the drive shaft bolt and 4 torx bolts to removed then you can just swap the whole unit where as if you buy just the bearings you're going to have to get those all pressed into your housing.

Big one with the control arms is to torque them in a position when they're loaded, not when the cars on the jack and weights off the suspension.
Loads of info online regarding them and the dreaded pinch bolts, if your garage isn't aware of the bolts I'd be inclined to go somewhere that's dealt with them before as they are a bitch!!
CVs are nothing special and run of the mill joints so no big deal changing them.

If you're thinking about lowering the car now is the time, no point changing all the above bits to have to do it again then get it all aligned again just to fit springs.

Thanks, yes I was thinking about lowering the car but its a choice of lowering or control arms as I really cant afford both. TBH I cant afford any of this right now (saving for front end re-spray) but bearings and cv joints need doing where as the other 2 are just on the to do list and was thinking it would save on labour costs getting control arms done at the same time. The bearings are an SKF kit which I believe is the whole hub assembly or at the least bearings pre assembled in the housings.

Sam reid · May 28, 2015

My wheel bearing were an absolute b**** to remove, had to make a fairly brutal slide hammer to get them to come out.

novril · May 28, 2015

If you're doing the control arms they might as well remove the main arm complete and press the bearings out. I wish I did mine all at the same time now!

ricostuart · Jun 3, 2015

wheel bearings are a cnt. On the S4, i gave up when I couldnt get them out, so I got another garage to do them. Had to quite literally cut out the outer race from the housing. No problem refitting them with a bench press.

Tfsi gone · Jun 4, 2015

Bite the bullet and get Audi to do it is my advice..
Enjoy a latte and the views...

SootySport · Jun 4, 2015

If it's a hard to remove the bearing from the carrier then it makes sense to buy the carrier & bearing complete, there's only a couple of £'s difference.

Mike_B · Jun 4, 2015

I've watched my garage changing a bearing. There's no way I'd have done it unless I had a hydraulic press.

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Method for fitting new wheel bearings?

SDHA4SLine

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ajax1976

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SDHA4SLine

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Sam reid

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novril

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ricostuart

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Tfsi gone

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SootySport

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Mike_B

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