B8 REAR wheel hub bearing replacement

[johnp115]

I have searched and searched and searched and I can not find any steps on replacing the rear wheel hub bearing. My car is a 2011 A4 Quattro. I have the axel nut, caliper, and rotor removed. I can not for the life of me get the 4 torq bolts off that hold the hub assembly on. All of the control arms and suspension components are in the way for me to get on the bolts. Do I need to remove more components or at I missing something? Any advice appreciated

[jfo]

You need to remove the spring and then the entire housing assembly to remove the hub/bearing assembly. The two bottom bolts for the hub are not easily accessible. An individual in this thread managed to modify a socket and remove them, but they will not be easy, particularly on an older car that may have been exposed to winter salt. I needed to replace a broken spring and took mine to my dealer. I had them do the bearing at the same time, since they were original. They had a tough time with a couple of the other bolts also.
Even on the fronts where access is clear, I had a very hard time breaking the hub bolts free with a breaker bar. There is no way I could expect to do those bottom bolts on the rear using the wrench and socket in this thread...

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...el-bearing-DIY

And those bolts are triple square, not torx. You will likely strip them if you try using a torx, even though it may seem to fit.

[ferndj02]

I did it on a B8.5 using a stubby triple square bit and a box end wrench. It can be done, but it wasn't great.

You could use something like this:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben.../019297sch01a/

I was able to find the right triple square socket at Autozone (they don't call it a triple square, but it's in the aisle with sockets). I knocked the bit out of the socket in order to use a box end wrench with it. That was the only way I could get those two bolts out.

The downside is that you can't torque it to spec.

[johnp115]

Update! Got it fixed last weekend. Thank you both for the info on the “triple square”. I totally would have stripped the bolts trying to use torx bits. I found a socket set at autozone.
Luckily we have a lift and a bearing press in our garage so it wasn’t too bad of a job, I just was dumbfounded at the fact that the whole houssing assembly had to come off.
Used a combination of the 2 post lift, a floor jack elevated on a motorcycle lift to get the housing assembly and control arms pushed all back together again, and then two ratchet straps that got sacrificed in order to be used as a spring compressor haha.

[jfo]

Glad you got it sorted. I still have a new bearing in my parts box for the other rear side, but will take to a shop or my dealer. As I get older I'm more selective on choosing my DIY battles!

[Audpor911]

For all having issues with getting bolts loose, use a Bernzomatic TS8000KC Premium Torch Kit. made removing the hub bolts and those 4 smaller bolts very easy on my 8 year old 113k A4 quattro.

[Audpor911]

OMG. Please don't ever operate your car with bolts not meeting factory rated torque specs.

[Dan_7]

Just replaced the RR wheel bearing/hub in my 2016 S4. Got the parts from ECS tuning (hub & bearing) and the M12 Tripple Square off flea-bay. No need to make special tools or remove the coil spring. I disconnected 1 sway bar bolt (you'll need to replace so plan ahead if you go this route) & the foot-long bolt from the LCA that holds the spacer on (the part that's in the way of the bottom 2 bolts...you'll need to replace so plan ahead if you go this route). That bolt is also a tripple square (M16 I believe), but you don't need any special tools. Just take the nut off the opposite end and tap it through part way (carefully!). Once threads start to catch again, unscrew the rest of the way by hand or with pliers/channel locks/vice grips if needed. Once that's out and disconnected from the sway bar, it can be lowered and the spacer removed to gain access. I had a torch on hand but did not need it. NIFTY FACT: If you have a ridiculously heavy SUV (like an LR4) or truck, you can use it in conjunction with a jack & a block of wood as a bearing press!

[jfo]

Just replaced the RR wheel bearing/hub in my 2016 S4. Got the parts from ECS tuning (hub & bearing) and the M12 Tripple Square off flea-bay. No need to make special tools or remove the coil spring. I disconnected 1 sway bar bolt (you'll need to replace so plan ahead if you go this route) & the foot-long bolt from the LCA that holds the spacer on (the part that's in the way of the bottom 2 bolts...you'll need to replace so plan ahead if you go this route). That bolt is also a tripple square (M16 I believe), but you don't need any special tools. Just take the nut off the opposite end and tap it through part way (carefully!). Once threads start to catch again, unscrew the rest of the way by hand or with pliers/channel locks/vice grips if needed. Once that's out and disconnected from the sway bar, it can be lowered and the spacer removed to gain access. I had a torch on hand but did not need it. NIFTY FACT: If you have a ridiculously heavy SUV (like an LR4) or truck, you can use it in conjunction with a jack & a block of wood as a bearing press!

Can you describe how much room this gave you to access the 4 hub bolts? Can you get a breaker bar in there or is there room for an impact gun?

[A.K.]

It’s simple, all you need is a stubby triple square and a ratchet style box wrench that fits the back side of the stubby triple square.

Make sure to loosen axle bolt with the wheel on the ground.

2 bolts are easy acces, the 2 others need the tools mentioned above, it’s really not that hard to do with the car on jack stands and the wheel off. No need to remove suspension parts what so ever.

The hub comes out with a little force.....put one of the bolts back in where you have the most access behind and smack it with a hammer to move the hub out. You can then pry it out from the front with the help of a chisel or other long and flat type tool by wedging it between the upright and the hub.

If you really wanted to, you can buy this kit

http://techprotools.ca/index.php?mai...oducts_id=1930

[jco897j]

It’s simple, all you need is a stubby triple square and a ratchet style box wrench that fits the back side of the stubby triple square.

Make sure to loosen axle bolt with the wheel on the ground.

2 bolts are easy acces, the 2 others need the tools mentioned above, it’s really not that hard to do with the car on jack stands and the wheel off. No need to remove suspension parts what so ever.

The hub comes out with a little force.....put one of the bolts back in where you have the most access behind and smack it with a hammer to move the hub out. You can then pry it out from the front with the help of a chisel or other long and flat type tool by wedging it between the upright and the hub.

If you really wanted to, you can buy this kit

http://techprotools.ca/index.php?mai...oducts_id=1930

Sorry for the semi necro bump but using this method were you able to torque the 4 bolts to spec?

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