Fan Clutch Bearing

[SGS]

Has anyone even changed this before? I have my car completely apart right now and I can't get the bearing out. I know a lot of people do the electric fan mod but I have the new bearing and wanted to just change it out. If I have been reading correct people say you need a 20 ton press to remove and replace??? I read a thread a long time ago when the bearing started making noise but I cannot find it now. Any help would be appreciated. If it matters any I have a 99 5 speed 1.8t AEB quattro. Thanks

[Mad Cow]

You need some serious force to get it to budge, I was wailing on it with a bigass hammer for a solid 20 minutes before I gave up. There's also a circlip there IIRC.

[redline380]

Yup, mine went out this spring. Indeed, there is a circlip in the rear that needs to be removed. I remember having trouble getting mine out. Hammer wouldn't do it, and an air hammer wouldn't either. I didn't want to risk cracking the whole aluminum piece, so I supported it carefully and used a 40 ton press to get it out. Went fine after that.

[Corrado_Guy]

You will need to press it out especially if you live in the rust belt and it will go back in the same way. THe bearings and clutch fan can have issues so it you are tuned or are planning on it I would just dump it and go electric. I don't really see the point in them anyway, I have drive my car through half of the summer without a controller and never did the car overheat or go about 90 degrees C in that time. Actually, I have never bothered with the controller yet and am still running with the stock electric and nothing else. I do have the controller in there but I have never set it so it doesn't turn on. Where these really help is when the car is turned off when it is really hot out as it helps cool down the coolant is it is being circulated through the system.

[Mad Cow]

I have drive my car through half of the summer without a controller and never did the car overheat or go about 90 degrees C in that time.

Is this watching the gauge or an actual measurement? Because the gauge shows 90 between about 85-100 degrees. Use a fan controller, it's much more accurate and reliable than you watching the temp gauge and flipping a switch when you think it's getting too hot. Also running the fan with the motor off does absolutely bubkes, if you don't have an after-run coolant pump and an electric thermostat there's gonna be no circulation anyway, all you're doing is cooling down whatever's in the rad.

[pbcrazy]

Why not just replace the entire fan clutch? When mine went out awhile back I was able to get a used one for like $30

[redline380]

Why not just replace the entire fan clutch? When mine went out awhile back I was able to get a used one for like $30

not the issue. The bearing is completely separate from the fan clutch itself.

[Koldham]

i see you live in the carolinas so you may be good. Im east of atlanta and when i did mine, it took just a few whacks with a hammer and a punch after letting it soak in PB. Remember to remove the clip first! you could also run a small allen bolt through backwards and use washers to pull it out.

[redline380]

you could also run a small allen bolt through backwards and use washers to pull it out.

Excellent option! A homemade puller would probably work just fine with enough force

[Corrado_Guy]

Is this watching the gauge or an actual measurement? Because the gauge shows 90 between about 85-100 degrees. Use a fan controller, it's much more accurate and reliable than you watching the temp gauge and flipping a switch when you think it's getting too hot. Also running the fan with the motor off does absolutely bubkes, if you don't have an after-run coolant pump and an electric thermostat there's gonna be no circulation anyway, all you're doing is cooling down whatever's in the rad.

You misunderstand, I don't have a switch nor do I actually do anything because the temps are not moving the gauge in the car. If it is hot then it is not hot enough to cause an issue until the car is shut off. I can see this on the gauge without the controller running when I shut the car off for 5 - 10 minutes and then it drops quickly once the car is running. Running the fan after the car is shut off does make a difference as long as the thermostat is open because the engine will cycle the coolant which is why Audi did not put a pump on it like they did with their other models. If I set the on point just above the normal running temps then if it is in stop and go traffic it will go off and when I turn it off it will go on just after it is shut off. I have a controller but I am lazy which means I need to find a day when the weather is good so I can take out the drivers side headlight and get the car hot so I can set it properly.

[SGS]

Thank you for all the responses. I usually just try to chime in and not make new posts but I was pretty stumped especially when I did the research on it awhile back and it did not mention it being very difficult to replace.... This is my daily and I had to go back to work today so I ended up putting it back together. I pounded on it with a punch and 2.5lb hammer for about 20 minutes and it did no budge. I was really thinking when I got into the job that I wish I had some washers to try and see if using the bolt to pound it out would work but I didn't have any. I guess this weekend I will try again since taking off the front clip takes about 10 minutes to do after you've done it a million times. I was wondering to anyone that has done it, did you take off your intake manifold to get more access? I ended up removing the alternator and support bracket and had some more room but still struck out

[redline380]

I was really thinking when I got into the job that I wish I had some washers to try and see if using the bolt to pound it out would work but I didn't have any.

Do not use washers to pound it out, use them to pull it out. Tough for me to explain a homemade puller, but you will need some well sized washers, a decent sized collar/socket, and the right sized bolt.

[Mad Cow]

Homemade puller didn't do squat in my case either, I used the biggest bolt that would fit through the bearing hole and it just stripped. I think the best course of action would be to pull the whole bracket and take it to a mechanic to press out.

[Koldham]

yay paint!

[SGS]

Yes I understand what you're saying! I am a mechanic by trade so the hammer is not always the best tool but the most preferred tool when something doesn't want to work. I found a link to a OE tool to do this job that says its 43 dollars if they still make it?? I did some hours of research last night to better understand because when i started I thought it would be an easy in and out in under 3 hours.... How we all know that is rarely the case -_-. I work on Turbofan engines (high bypass jet engines) and even checked our CTK (tool issue room) for anything that I might be able to procure for a couple hours to do this job and we have noting of the sort. The bearing looks to be in there pretty good even though I am out of the "Rust Belt".... I do live right on the coast though and the salty air is not good for cars either. I am going to go the rout of trying to make a homemade puller I just have to check the size of the back hole to make sure I get a strong enough washer that will fit through the access hole.

I do not know if anyone has used this site before but they sell Audi/VW tools on here for any job.... http://www.samstagsales.com/vwaudi.htm
I was thinking about if all else fails pick up the tool for this job and just rent it out on the forms to anyone that wants to do this job in the future. It looks like I wont be able to do this job until January because I forgot I start my 25 days of leave for the Holidays and vacation!! I will let you guys know the outcome and take pictures so maybe there can be a write up on here for the job.

Anyone that is thinking about tackling this job over the holidays here is a discussion over on passatworld about this issue. They talk about the bearing and is where I got some info on the task. http://www.passatworld.com/forums/b5...-fan-1-8t.html

Also here is another write up on passatwork with two videos on how to remove it. I have not had time to watch them but they might be beneficial too. http://www.passatworld.com/forums/vo...n-bearing.html

Thanks for all the help and I will report back once the new bearing is finally installed....

[Koldham]

I dont even remember making that picture last night lol.Too much Guinness I suppose.

[SGS]

I dont even remember making that picture last night lol.Too much Guinness I suppose.

That picture is 100% accurate and clear. My main concern like you said is you need a BALLIN ASS washer to make this happen. Im sure if you double up or find a thick enough one it should work in theory.. I have a machine shop that sells all kinds of nuts and bolts and hardware so I will check with them in the coming weeks and see if I can get a long/strong enough bolt, washer and nut.

[redline380]

Why mess around? Just get it pressed out. End of story.

[SGS]

I really do not want to take the whole bracket off and have to borrow one of my roommates cars to take the part to the machine shop. Who knows if the machine shop will have time to do it right there on the spot too.... That is always last resort though

[redline380]

http://www.harborfreight.com/20-ton-...ess-32879.html

Plus use the $25% coupon and get a press for $150. Do it yourself and have the capability to do it next time

[redline380]

Actually, get this one. I bet its worth the extra money. http://www.harborfreight.com/20-ton-...ess-37999.html

[walky_talky20]

You can always just buy the bracket with the bearing already installed.

This link (AEB/ATW bracket with bearing assembly) is good for a quick chuckle:
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/058145521c/ES277687/

I mean...it's just money, right? lol

[redline380]

You can always just buy the bracket with the bearing already installed.

This link (AEB/ATW bracket with bearing assembly) is good for a quick chuckle:
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/058145521c/ES277687/

I mean...it's just money, right? lol

For that price you might as well just buy the press! Or I guess you could go to picknpull and see what they got there, or find a part out on craigslist

[Corrado_Guy]

The alcohol inspired image above would be the way to go, I do the same things with wheel bearings and have no issues. What I mentioned above does matter, if you live in a/the rust belt these things can literally bond together from what I have been told. Don't live there so I would not know but the pinch bolts in my car pretty much fell out and they looked like they have never been touched. I think the puller imaged above is going to be your best bet and as long as you are using good hardened bolts then it should do the trick. If not then you will need to pull the bracket and use a press or say screw the whole thing and go electric. Unless you live in some other part of the world you can also throw a shorter belt on it an worry about it down the road.

[Koldham]

im not 100% sure of the bore size but im doing a timing belt job this weekend so i can check. you may not need a heavy duty washer, just like a 17mm deepwell socket thats 3/8 drive and the biggest bolt you can fit through. if you do need some special washers and bolts and stuff let me know i also work at a machine shop and can make ya stuff.