Need wheel alignment after wheel bearing replacement??

Andrei Rinea

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Location
Europe, Romania, Bucharest
TDI
VW Tiguan 4Motion 2.0 TDI 170HP (engine CBBB)
I am planning to take my Passat next week to change the failing front left wheel bearing and I want to know if I have to check the wheel alignment (ofcourse in a professional garage) after that.

Thank you !
 

Birdman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 7, 1999
Location
Near Hagerstown MD.
TDI
Jetta 2001 Died by Truck one snowy day. Jetta 2003
VW has a special tool that allows the pulling of and pressing back in of the bearing. without taking apart the front end like the old days. You should not have to realign using this method.
 

Andrei Rinea

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Location
Europe, Romania, Bucharest
TDI
VW Tiguan 4Motion 2.0 TDI 170HP (engine CBBB)
But my mechanic told me that has to take out the ... damn sh|t how could it be called in english ("fuzeta" in romanian).
There is a certain piece which holds the outer part of the bearing (the bearing is located in this part) and that part my mechanic says it needs to take out.
I was wondering if that would disturb the wheel alignment or not.
Surely he doesn't have that VW extraction device and probably he has no other way to take out the bearing.
What do you people say?
 

John C

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 28, 1999
Location
Broomfield, CO USA
TDI
Jetta, 2001 Glactic Blue Peral - SOLD
The last wheel bearing I changed was on a GTI gasser some years ago. I removed the hub without disturbing any settings, e.g. toe in, and reassembled with no problem.

I cut the old bearing outer race to releive it (reduce press fit) and drove it out. I cleaned the hub REALY well, put it in the oven for 1 hour at 400F, removed it with baking gloves and dropped on the new bearing cartridge. Then it was to the yard to cool off the assembly with water from the hose.

Later I gave the car to my son who was graduating from college. He drove it another two years while in graduate school. It was still fine when he traded it off. Backyard mechanicing can work with a little common sense and ingenuity!
 
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