Front Wheel bearings

[jacobsen]

I want to do my front bearings. I see that Timken, Moog, SKF have an assembly which includes that housing it seems to live in that has the 4 bolts that bolt to the knuckle. They do not include the hub.

I have found this part number while I was trying to find a F A G for the front. 800941C This F A G bearing states it is for the front but it does not come already pressed into the bolt on housing and no hub of course. So it's simply the bearing and would need to be pressed into the housing and then bolted to the knuckle.

567447B states it is the rear? Of course thats a different setup and I'm just worried about the fronts.

Could some one advise? I have read that F A G bearing balls have an oval shape rather than a spherical shape and I'd like to buy the better product. I'm up in the air between the F A G which seems like more work if I am understanding correctly how that would need to be installed or the Timken/Moog/SKF which are mounted inside the bolt on housing already. In which case which is better moog or timken? I have heard Moog is no longer USA made? Not sure if thats true.

[jesse500]

also interested, I think I need to hub bearings up front soon too. got a nice highway howl

[jacobsen]

441407625A Seems to be another part # for the front bearings which are F A G

[MacFady]

8E0498625B - Front is 82mm
8E0598625 - Rear

Quattro?

Front whole pre-pressed Febest assembly on Amazon for $41.

[crazyquik22023]

Both the front and rear hubs are pressed into the bearing assembly. The way to install a new front wheel bearing would be to press the hub out of the bearing assembly, which can be done very easily with hand tools (search), then unbolt the old bearing assembly, have the old hub pressed into the new bearing assembly if you do not have the tools to do it yourself, then bolt in the new assembly. I can't give any advice on which assembly is better MOOG vs Timken. If they come with a new hub already bolted into the bearing then you could just buy that instead of reusing the old hub.

[caldy315]

Will be doing this this week. I bought the SKF unit, WKH3536 because it has the 5 bolts needed and the housing/bearing combo. I'm concerned based on research I've done with hub and the bearing surface corrosion and how hard that's going to be to get out. Going to try the slide hammer method first.

[tHatOne guY]

Slide hammer method def works but how are you going to pull off the inner race from the hub ?

[caldy315]

Slide hammer method def works but how are you going to pull off the inner race from the hub ?

Press. A large one by the sounds of it

Edit: reread this and my answer doesn't make sense. I'll have to research this again. Thought you use the slide hammer to get the hub and bearing assembly out and then press those two apart.

[crazyquik22023]

Slide hammer method def works but how are you going to pull off the inner race from the hub ?

Cut it off being careful not to cut into the hub. There is no need for a slide hammer. I use a "horseshoe" type plate that sits behind the hub between the spindle then you take 2 long bolts that are m12x1.5 run them down on opposite ends of the hub with an impact or with a wrench and that will pull the hub from the bearing.

[caldy315]

Cut it off being careful not to cut into the hub. There is no need for a slide hammer. I use a "horseshoe" type plate that sits behind the hub between the spindle then you take 2 long bolts that are m12x1.5 run them down on opposite ends of the hub with an impact or with a wrench and that will pull the hub from the bearing.

Is this a rentable or a puller that's easily found?
I thought the process was to get they the hub out and then press out the old bearing and housing off the hub.

You don't have any pics do you crazyquik? Just interested in what type of puller it is and how you got it in between.

[SJorge3442]

Is this a rentable or a puller that's easily found?
I thought the process was to get they the hub out and then press out the old bearing and housing off the hub.

You don't have any pics do you crazyquik? Just interested in what type of puller it is and how you got it in between.

ECS sells the kit under their tool brand. Might be worth making a post in the main forum and see if any b6 or b7 guys have the tool and are willing to let you borrow it from them. I rent my tools out for the 3.0 timing belt service. Usually i expect nothing but the user to cover shipping + deposit, but you'd be surprised how generous some people are.

[customa4]

I just removed the hub and bearing as one piece and brought it to Meineke to have the old bearing pressed out and new bearing pressed in.

[gmudan]

I think SKF is the original manufacture. I bought both front bearings with the hub and bolts for113$ each I believe CND. It was easier too get the kit because the bolts do need to be replaced as they are stretched when installed. Here's how I ghetto pressed the bearing out

[SJorge3442]

I just removed the hub and bearing as one piece and brought it to Meineke to have the old bearing pressed out and new bearing pressed in.

I've always heard of people doing this, but I never knew how I would be treated walking in with a dirty part asking for someone to do 15min worth of work on. I live in Philly (work on my car in the burbs), but no one is nice in the Philly area (lived here for 26+ years) so I always assume the worst response from people.

How much did they end up charging you? $20? Hell, I bet they'd be happier with me running to the beer distributor and grabbing them a 30 pack of their choice. I had guys that would come to my old job where I had a cutting torch and would ask me to cut things. 5 minutes worth of cutting ended up with me and my co workers getting a case of beer.

[jacobsen]

Timken bearings are on mars, I'm getting the mars bearings. I guess f a g doesn't have a bearing pressed into the flange. You'd have to remove the bearing from your flange and press in the f a g.

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[deyrag]

The painful part of this job is removing the hub (either yourself or finding a shop to do it) and re-installing it into the new bearing.

If you buy a used hub you can then install it in one of your new bearings ahead of time and then the swap is only a 4 bolt job. Then reuse your original hub for the other side. Once you are done sell the spare hub.

[customa4]

I've always heard of people doing this, but I never knew how I would be treated walking in with a dirty part asking for someone to do 15min worth of work on. I live in Philly (work on my car in the burbs), but no one is nice in the Philly area (lived here for 26+ years) so I always assume the worst response from people.

How much did they end up charging you? $20? Hell, I bet they'd be happier with me running to the beer distributor and grabbing them a 30 pack of their choice. I had guys that would come to my old job where I had a cutting torch and would ask me to cut things. 5 minutes worth of cutting ended up with me and my co workers getting a case of beer.

Yea, something like that. I called a few places before Meineke said they'd do it. The guy did it on the side so the shop manager didn't really know it was going on if I remember correctly. Pretty sure I gave him $20 and went on my way with the hub/bearing ready to be installed.

[cschuster]

I didnt have any luck slipping someone a 20. Was charged $45 by Firestone for the 10min it took to press the bearings.

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[jacobsen]

New hubs is definitely the way to go.

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[crazyquik22023]

Is this a rentable or a puller that's easily found?
I thought the process was to get they the hub out and then press out the old bearing and housing off the hub.

You don't have any pics do you crazyquik? Just interested in what type of puller it is and how you got it in between.

A kit like this. https://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B5_A4....8T/ES2561175/ If you get the hub off with a tool like this then removing the bearing is unbolting the 4 bolts from the back of the spindle and tapping it out. Then the hub needs to be pressed back into the new bearing (this can be done using the tools in this kit or can be done with a hydraulic press)

New hubs is definitely the way to go.

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I have to disagree. Why replace something that doesnt need to be replaced? It might make the job a little bit easier, but I myself would save the extra money and reuse the original hub.

[customa4]

I didnt have any luck slipping someone a 20. Was charged $45 by Firestone for the 10min it took to press the bearings.

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I did mine almost 4 years ago now so it might very well have been $40. Still worth it in my book for the convenience.

[jacobsen]

A kit like this. https://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B5_A4....8T/ES2561175/ If you get the hub off with a tool like this then removing the bearing is unbolting the 4 bolts from the back of the spindle and tapping it out. Then the hub needs to be pressed back into the new bearing (this can be done using the tools in this kit or can be done with a hydraulic press)



I have to disagree. Why replace something that doesnt need to be replaced? It might make the job a little bit easier, but I myself would save the extra money and reuse the original hub.

Hubs get rusty and unattractive, new hubs are appealing to the eye and save you the time of removing the old hub from the old spindle. I agree nothing may be wrong with the old one so it's perfectly fine to reuse it if it's still true.

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[customa4]

Hubs get rusty and unattractive, new hubs are appealing to the eye and save you the time of removing the old hub from the old spindle. I agree nothing may be wrong with the old one so it's perfectly fine to reuse it if it's still true.

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An OEM hub is roughly $300 unless you plan on going aftermarket. If it were up to me I'd stick with the OEM hub that is already on the car and just change the bearing.

[jacobsen]

An OEM hub is roughly $300 unless you plan on going aftermarket. If it were up to me I'd stick with the OEM hub that is already on the car and just change the bearing.

Aftermarket hubs are 16 bucks

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[caldy315]

Aftermarket hubs are 16 bucks

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Somewhere I was reading about why OEM was particularly expensive. I think A4s had aluminum ones maybe? And aftermarket are steel?

[jacobsen]

Somewhere I was reading about why OEM was particularly expensive. I think A4s had aluminum ones maybe? And aftermarket are steel?

If I have the original ones on now and they have a bit of rust here and there. I suppose I could give them a soak in muriatic acid to burn off the rust... but for their age they're looking pretty good. I don't think they're aluminum, if the original are aluminum then perhaps the ones I have are not original. But that means someone change the wheel bearings and the hubs before 50,000 miles which I seriously doubt.

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[customa4]

Aftermarket hubs are 16 bucks

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I'll pass.

Found this write up by ECS. Click

[jacobsen]

Naval jelly is a mouse fart compared to muriatic acid. It will strip the rust right off. The only thing is you have to do a little baking soda soak afterwards for good measure. But I'm just going to do new ones.

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[caldy315]

Well I've started this and got to the point of trying to get the hub off with a slide hammer. This puppy is on there and the attachment I got for the slide hammer, I can only get 2 of 3 bolts into the hub adapter. I tried with those cinched down and it didn't want to budge. Looking at some other write ups, I may first try to partially reinstall the hub/bearing bolts I've pulled out and pound on them with a hammer to try and break it loose. I have to double check to make sure the knuckle isn't threaded as well, but this is a last ditch effort. Typical midwestern car I guess.

[jacobsen]

Well I've started this and got to the point of trying to get the hub off with a slide hammer. This puppy is on there and the attachment I got for the slide hammer, I can only get 2 of 3 bolts into the hub adapter. I tried with those cinched down and it didn't want to budge. Looking at some other write ups, I may first try to partially reinstall the hub/bearing bolts I've pulled out and pound on them with a hammer to try and break it loose. I have to double check to make sure the knuckle isn't threaded as well, but this is a last ditch effort. Typical midwestern car I guess.

Try heating that up with map gas. Any shop has a press and should do it, there cheap at harbor freight.

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[caldy315]

Try heating that up with map gas. Any shop has a press and should do it, there cheap at harbor freight.

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I need to get it off the knuckle first which is where I'm stuck right now

[jacobsen]

I need to get it off the knuckle first which is where I'm stuck right now

There is such thing as a hub puller, they're fairly basic. You could do what your doing while heating it with map gas and tapping on it from behind. But I'd just remove it and bring it to any old shop. You could try tapping it out with a sledge if you could brace it just right.

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[Let it snow]

I need to get it off the knuckle first which is where I'm stuck right now

These can be seized pretty good if you live in the salt belt. Slide hammer did not work for me. I backed the four bolts out on the backside and used an air hammer on the bolt head going bolt to bolt. This took me a long time. After that ordeal I should have removed the knuckle and pressed it out, that is if you can deal with your pinchbolt.

[cschuster]

Use anti-seize on the contact surfaces when you re-install. That will save yourself or someone else some time/frustration in the future.

[deyrag]

When i did mine I removed the whole assembly. Detach the tie rod, sway bar link and the inner bolts on the lower control arms. Three bolts at the top of the strut and then you can get clear access to everything to press it out on a bench instead of crawling around on the ground. You don't have to touch the pinch bolt. Just make sure you torque the control arms bolts at normal ride height when putting it back.

[Kevin C]

On my manual transmission 1.8T, I have been able to remove the CV joints by unbolting them from the transmission flange, no need to remove any suspension components. I have an in car press kit from ECS that worked great on my B5, I haven't needed it on my B6. The only issue I had when I did my B5 was I needed a bigger impact wrench to drive the nut on the kit. My 35 year old CP unit seems to be getting tired.

[jacobsen]

On my manual transmission 1.8T, I have been able to remove the CV joints by unbolting them from the transmission flange, no need to remove any suspension components. I have an in car press kit from ECS that worked great on my B5, I haven't needed it on my B6. The only issue I had when I did my B5 was I needed a bigger impact wrench to drive the nut on the kit. My 35 year old CP unit seems to be getting tired.

The kind with the big jack screw?

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[Kevin C]

The kind with the big jack screw?

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This one: https://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B6_A4...ols/ES1306825/

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

We just released our B6 bearing and hub assemblies so you don't have to worry about pressing them together anymore

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...ies-Audi-B6-A4

Jason

[caldy315]

Well I got the hub out...With part of the bearing race. And the bearing housing is still stuck in the knuckle. That thing doesn't want to budge, and I've tried quite a bit. Unfortunately the slide hammer attachment doesn't fit the bearing housing, so I can't use that. I doubt that would work anyhow honestly. This thing is IN there. I think the next step is to cut into the housing and try chiseling out a piece. Running out of ideas fast and if this is stuck that well in there, I don't want to get into deeper water and try to undo the pinch bolt...