Front wheel bearing removal methods

[evilhomer]

02 A4, 130k miles, unknown service history. I only drove it 5 miles to get it home before I started tearing it apart before I drive it. There was some vibration when I drove it but it also sat for a couple years without moving much so it could be a tire issue. It's currently sitting in my garage on jackstands, I'm doing the brakes and I was thinking I should do the front wheel bearings as a might as well do it now maintenance item.

Favorite method for removing them? I've watched a few videos and read a few write ups. The one I think I'm liking the best is where you leave spindle in place and remove the 6 or so bolts that hold inner drive shaft on. Let it drop down and then pound it out.

I have a shop press so should I just buy the bearings and press them myself instead of buying the assembled kit from ECS?

Brand preference? Looks like most people like the SKF ones? I know people like to put German stuff in these cars but I am a fan of MOOG stuff for front end parts and they have bearings for this car. https://www.amazon.com/Moog-512305-W.../dp/B000JZGFIW

[f0reignfeatures]

I've been running SKF brand up front for almost two years and never had an issue. If you search here, google and youtube there are plenty of DIY's out there.

Be aware you'll need a triple square socket set to do the job, and the four bolts holding the bearings to the hub (before you can pull/press them out) are aluminum and will strip super easy. I stripped the last one by not getting the socket in there perfectly and ended up having to take it to a shop to finish drilling it out.

I'm not sure what you mean by pounding on the inner drive shaft, but be aware that the spindle assembly can also be damaged with force, so watch out. Good luck man! Let us know how it goes.


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[jacobsen]

If you want the best Buy F A G and also buy some new hubs and press them together yourself. I bought hubs on RockAuto and they were like 30 bucks apiece or something , very cheap. I bought Timken because I've never tried them before. So far they seem pretty good after about twenty thousand miles. I'm also a fan of Moog and I think the reason people go at SKF is because it's the most common.
So my opinion is moog or F A G or Timken. The replacement hubs you get are shiny brand-new metal so there's that aspect of it as well. If you want to replace the arms I would quickly remove the steering knuckle\spindle andpress the bearing out because you have to remove the spindle anyway. Unless your one-in-a-billion who gets the pinch bolt out under four hours per side. Check out this video I made, it should help you.

https://youtu.be/gIU4trBq1dQ

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[old guy]

I replaced my front wheel bearings about 5 years ago: Clicky click® I tried to remove the bearing hub with the steering knuckle in place. It wasn't to be. If I ever have to replace a front bearing again I will just purchase a hub/bearing assembly and eliminate a lot of the hassle.

[evilhomer]

I'm not sure what you mean by pounding on the inner drive shaft, but be aware that the spindle assembly can also be damaged with force, so watch out. Good luck man! Let us know how it goes.

A lot of the videos show the drive shaft sliding out with just a couple taps. From what I'm reading on the forums, this won't be the case for us people in the rust belt.

I'm liking the idea of doing this with brand new hubs and just pressing them myself. Any idea why there's two part numbers listed. ECS Tuning and FCP Euro both list both part numbers as being acceptable. It looks like the flat one is the latest revision, ECS said it's part number supersedes the star shaped one, so just go with the latest style?

This one has a very flat look to it 4A0407615G


This one has a star pattern 4B0407613B

[jacobsen]

Rock Auto and carID should be cheaper the new one has the rotor screw which is sweet. Getting the axle out ain't bad. Use an extension or 2 tap it out.

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[EuroxS4]

No need for a shop press you can buy a on car bearing press kit.That kit comes with 3 extra long threaded inserts.you run them into the hub to removed it from the bearing.Then unbolt the bearing and replace.Reassembly is done with the kit running the hub it with the press on the car.Works like a dream!!I never diassemble those suspensions.It will save you alot of time.

[Chemmie]

I'm liking the idea of doing this with brand new hubs and just pressing them myself. Any idea why there's two part numbers listed. ECS Tuning and FCP Euro both list both part numbers as being acceptable. It looks like the flat one is the latest revision, ECS said it's part number supersedes the star shaped one, so just go with the latest style?

This one has a very flat look to it 4A0407615G


This one has a star pattern 4B0407613B

The difference is the first hub is machined from solid and the second is cast. I'd go with the Rockauto hub as Jacobsen said if you really want to change the hub and it is only $35. IMO it's completely unnecessary unless you've stripped the threads in the old part, rendering it useless. F_A_G, SKF and Timken are the bearing manufacturers. Moog IME has been hit and miss with quality, akin to Doorman.

[jacobsen]

The RockAuto was the cast one, that's the one I got from Rock Auto. Well you're doing this so you might want to inspect your control arms.

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[evilhomer]

I'm not sure what you guys mean when you say THE rockauto one, rockauto sells like 10 different brands of bearings and hubs for the 02 A4.

[jacobsen]

Lol oops, well mine was a German name as I recall.

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[jacobsen]

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[tHatOne guY]

Hub tamer or Hub shark comes to mind but they are hella expensive..

I bought the Hub Grappler Puller only and used an old cheap chinese -made bearing press kit to do the rest, that way it all stays on the car and no press needed.

[jacobsen]

My way is the easiest quickest way to do it. Get yourself a Steel Rod or some kind of old used shaft get that sucker a couple of whacks with a sledge be done with it. Make sure to clean out the inside meeting service very well. It's not technically a meeting surface but get all the white crud and salt and what not out of there anyway. Butter the surfaces with waterproofing grease.

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[evilhomer]

Jacobsen, are you talking for removal or putting on?

Just to make sure I have this right. The reason to unhook the spindle or axle is create some slack so the axle can slide out? Or I could use a hub puller and leave the spindle and axle in place?

[jacobsen]

Jacobsen, are you talking for removal or putting on?

Just to make sure I have this right. The reason to unhook the spindle or axle is create some slack so the axle can slide out? Or I could use a hub puller and leave the spindle and axle in place?

The spindle is also known as a steering knuckle. It is the frame piece that all the control arm ball joints attached to. It's what the Hub-bearing is bolted onto.

Removing the steering knuckle\spindle is time-consuming and not necessary. Unless you will be removing the control arms. When you remove the control arms you have to remove what's known as the pinch bolt which holds the upper control arms on to the knuckle aka spindle. The pinch bolt is a well-known failure. That takes a lot of time and effort to remove it most of the time. However if your control arms are bad you simply must replace them. I'm only advising you to check your control arms since you'll be doing the bearing. They should stand on their own in whatever Direction You position them with no play in the ball joint and no cracking in the bushings on the outer ends (car side).

When it comes to removing the bearings remove the axle by pushing it out of the hub bearing spindle assembly you might have to move the steering wheel left or right to do so. But the axle will come out without having to unbolt it from the transmission. When that is out of the way and with the four bearing bolts removed place a shaft into the center where the axle normally goes. Then take a sledgehammer and give it a couple good whacks and Presto change-o that thing will come right out. These hub pullers and these other tools people are talking about are time-consuming you have to set them up just right and depending on the tool you use it will Scuf Mar or mess up the spindle knuckle. I happen to have a short washing machine transmission shaft perfect for the job.

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[old guy]

You can plan on removing the hub with the steering knuckle in place but be prepared to remove it if required. One of mine would not come out no matter how much I heated/pounded/cussed. It wasn’t moving. I had to take the knuckle completely out, support it, heat it and pound really hard with my sledge hammer to get it out. The other side came out pretty easy and could have been removed with the knuckle in place.

[tHatOne guY]

Coming from someone who has personal experience using bearing removal tools and various pullers alike they are actually really useful and helpful if you know how to employ them. Granted they are expensive for quality stuff, so if you don't use it everyday or for profit it may not be worth it and probably best to use some of the more "custom" tools to get it done.

That being said most of the puller sets etc are of a universal application and fit many autos/trucks etc so using them may take some people a bit more time. Once you get them down though they are great.

[old guy]

The issue with the B6 isn't the bearing removal. Pressing it off of the hub spindle is pretty straight forward. The problem is with getting the bearing/hub assembly out of the steering knuckle. That's where the galvanic corrosion occurs and causes all of the headaches.

[evilhomer]

Alright center bolt is out, axle loosed up no problems. 17mm deep socket and one tap from a mini sledge and it started to move. Unless I could use a 9mm allen and a pipe, there's no room for a socket to fit with the axle in place. Jacobsen, I've tried moving the axle all around with someone in the car turning the wheel. I don't see that axle coming out with everything in place. Looks like the easiest way to get the axle out would be to unbolt the lower control arm and swinging the spindle outwards. Do I have to worry about the strut overextending, should I put a floor jack under the lower control arm?

[jacobsen]

You should be able to remove the axle by turn the wheel and pushing the axle out unbolt it from the tranny flange.

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[Chemmie]

I don't see that axle coming out with everything in place. Looks like the easiest way to get the axle out would be to unbolt the lower control arm and swinging the spindle outwards. Do I have to worry about the strut overextending, should I put a floor jack under the lower control arm?

As you've already tried turning the wheels to extreme lock, the method you've described (removing lower CA) is one of the methods to get the upright out of the way. The other method is dealing with the pinch bolt up top and leaving the lower connected. I did it your way, from the bottom, and never did anything to limit the extension of the damper. All is well with mine.

[rocket1420]

Alright center bolt is out, axle loosed up no problems. 17mm deep socket and one tap from a mini sledge and it started to move. Unless I could use a 9mm allen and a pipe, there's no room for a socket to fit with the axle in place. Jacobsen, I've tried moving the axle all around with someone in the car turning the wheel. I don't see that axle coming out with everything in place. Looks like the easiest way to get the axle out would be to unbolt the lower control arm and swinging the spindle outwards. Do I have to worry about the strut overextending, should I put a floor jack under the lower control arm?

Are you talking about removing the CV shaft? The easiest way to get it out is to unbolt it from the tranny. Then compress it and it comes out fairly easily. You'll have to unbolt the heat shield on the passenger side.

Also, NEVER hit the end of the shaft with a hammer. If you have to hit it, thread the bolt in first and hit the bolt. Otherwise, you risk mushrooming the end of the shaft, and you'll never get it out.

[Spike00513]

[evilhomer]

Great success! Apparently I got lucky, it wasn't too bad. Earlier I thought lower control arm removal was the way to go because I heard the upper was a bitch and the lower looked like 2 bolts and I'm done. So I started there but the lower control arm didn't want to budge. Then I noticed for the forward lower I'd want to unbolt the strut since it pushed the opposite way. Problem is they put the nut on the rear side so you can't fit a socket in there, assholes...

Plan B, let's unbolt from the transmission. Oh of course, the axle spins when you try and do that.
'
Well lets try the upper. That was no problem at all. Nut came right off. I noticed two holes on the spindle which either were designed for this exact purpose or I just ruined something. But to pop the upper out I stuck a 3/8" extension through the hole and just tapped them out with my mini sledge. I did start to get concerned when it came to the twelve points, two of them wanted to strip on me and getting them out stripped would have been terrible.

To get the bearing out I just hit the wheel hub from the backside with the minisledge since I decided to replaced the hubs and bearings.

[jacobsen]

The reason that bolts is pointed the way it is is so that the part of the bolt that sticks out the other side does not collide with the rear lower control arm and push it out of its bushing on the inner end or stress it any anyway you might damage your rear lower control arm if you put it in the other way..

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[evilhomer]

That is the way mines facing. The thread and nut face the rear.

[jacobsen]

That is the way mines facing. The thread and nut face the rear.

I believe the thread and nut are supposed to point forwards. Otherwise they can collide with the rear lower arm.

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[evilhomer]

Well my luck has run out. I got the drivers side pinch bolt out but the upper control arms have no interest in moving.

[old guy]

Jack up the steering knuckle so you can take some of the load off of the arms. Then they should pop right out.

[rocket1420]

Well my luck has run out. I got the drivers side pinch bolt out but the upper control arms have no interest in moving.

One of these should get the forward one off the knuckle http://m.harborfreight.com/3-4-quart...tor-99849.html

Try a pickle fork and some voodoo for the rearward one. Also follow Old Guy's advice. I did that and it was still hard, and it's a Florida car. It will come out eventually. Just be careful with the aluminum.

Or take it off the transmission. Depress the brake pedal with a pole of some sort, or use an impact. It won't spin if you use an impact.

How did you get the axle nut off without holding the brake pedal?

[5ktq]

airhammer from the bottom, and some kroil. Seems to be necessary on any aluminium-steel interface on rustbelt cars.

[evilhomer]

I got the center bolt off with someone holding the brakes but right now theres no front brakes on it.

I thought about a pickle fork but didn't want to trash the rubber covers on the control arm bushings.

I'll try taking some load off and a air hammer.

[jacobsen]

A C-clamp with something pushing on the top might help. Or you could stick a screwdriver or something in the gap and try to wiggle it open a little bit to give it some room to come out.

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[rocket1420]

I got the center bolt off with someone holding the brakes but right now theres no front brakes on it.

I thought about a pickle fork but didn't want to trash the rubber covers on the control arm bushings.

I'll try taking some load off and a air hammer.

If it becomes necessary, you could jam a prybar between two of the bolts on the axle and turn a third one (out of the six).

Sorry, it slipped my mind that you were reusing the control arms. Air hammer, that HF tool I mentioned, sometimes I can manage to get a puller on it. Stick with it and youll get it.

[Biged243]

A C-clamp with something pushing on the top might help. Or you could stick a screwdriver or something in the gap and try to wiggle it open a little bit to give it some room to come out.

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Not recommended but you can, only problem is that it is very easy to crack it there. If you decide take your time and very small adjustments that way

[rocket1420]

I got the center bolt off with someone holding the brakes but right now theres no front brakes on it.

I thought about a pickle fork but didn't want to trash the rubber covers on the control arm bushings.

I'll try taking some load off and a air hammer.

Put the brakes back on? Removing the axle is way easier.

[evilhomer]

Drivers side is out. I took the tension off with a floor jack, used an air hammer and they came out pretty easily.

I picked up one of those HF separators but it won't work on the upper. The HF tool requires the ball joint stud to be exposed, so it would work on the lower but not the upper. I'll definitely still get use out of this some time.

[eljay]

This guys makes it look soooo easy: Front Wheel Bearing Replacement and Re-assembly in 20 minutes! lol

I need to replace my passenger side and I'll do driver's side too. I'm still undecided how to approach mine. My front control arms were replaced 12k miles ago, so perhaps the pinch bolt is still in an "easy to remove" state? Is removing the whole upright as in the video above the best method?
Once out, I'll be taking my hub/bearing assembly to a local shop to have them press it out and press in the new bearing as I'm re-using my hubs.

[rocket1420]

Why couldn't you do it like this? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ha0c3DgZ3gI