front wheel bearing tool

Hi guys. It's been a while since my last post...the Jetta keeps on goin' so no need to ask for help. I'm going to need to do my front wheel bearings and I'm looking for a member interested in renting the front wheel bearing tool. I'll need to rent it from someone/place so I'd rather help a member offset the cost of their tool cost. I'm in Foristell, Missouri the zip code is 63348. If you can help let me know.

Thanks,
Mike Shaw

MIke -

I have a 04' Jetta with 131K on it and am starting to hear the left front bearing when I turn right. The dealer quoted around $300 to replace. I was wondering how big of a job it was once to DIY assuming you found the bearing tool. Also, curious about your mileage?

GillTDI said:

MIke -

I have a 04' Jetta with 131K on it and am starting to hear the left front bearing when I turn right. The dealer quoted around $300 to replace. I was wondering how big of a job it was once to DIY assuming you found the bearing tool. Also, curious about your mileage?

Click to expand...

If you have access to a machine shop you can get away without a tool. I don't have the exact measurements but in college I went down to the machine shop and found some scrap round pieces and use it. Worked perfectly. It'd be worth running by a machine shop in the area and seeing if they have any scrap round stock. Maybe pay them a few bucks to grind it down to the right side (We're talking 0.1" not 0.000001"). Then you'll always have the tool.

GillTDI said:

MIke -

I have a 04' Jetta with 131K on it and am starting to hear the left front bearing when I turn right. The dealer quoted around $300 to replace. I was wondering how big of a job it was once to DIY assuming you found the bearing tool. Also, curious about your mileage?

Click to expand...

GillTDI: wheel bearings don't make much extra noise when turning. CV joints click when you turn, bearings will howl all the time. But, of course, they would get louder in a turn.

I only mention this because sometimes it is really hard to tell the difference between a wheel bearing going bad and a CV joint or tire noise or...

Anyway, if you have for sure diagnosed this, ignore my typing.

Powder Hound: This would be a dealer diagnosis. There is definetly a distinct noise at > 20 mph from the left front side when turning right (only). Nothing noticible at low speeds. Could this mimic a bad CV joint? I've not had any suspension issues in my 130K miles so far (knock on wood ).

Thanks,

hi Gill

The wheel bearing is not that big a job ...if you have the proper tools...pullers /presses. To confirm the issue ..put the car front up on stands and wind it up to about 60 mph and then shut off the engine and put it in neutral...the howl will be clearly evident. CV joints tend to click in turns...but the bearing will howl. I had mine replaced at the dealer for under 200 CDN. 1 hr labour and $111 for the bearing plus tax. The dealer should have the correct tools...a huge slide hammer and presses to get the bearing out and then to press it in. An alignment is not needed. you can drive for quite a while with this howl ...so an option is to get the parts yourself from one of our many great suppliers (at half the dealer price)and have the dealer do for the labour charge alone.
I watched them do mine and you definitely need the correct tools...maybe Auto zone can lend you a generic set to do it but if you can get it done for an hr or so labour...let them have at it.

cheers
Ted

Not a bad deal at all, Here in Toronto Queensway Volkswagen quoted me $325 installed!!
So picked up the bearing at Auto-Camping (VW parts store) For $25 and will be installing it myself this weekend.

Anyone have a picture or a link for the tool required to remove / install the bearing?

interesting thread. i was just told by the dealer that the noise i hear behind me as a droning noise that i whought was the muffler going bad was in actuality the left front wheel bearing . $95 for the bearing and prolly twice that for the labor. we'll see. if not then the dealer just bought a wheel bearing install.

There is at least on very detailed about changing the front w. bearings without the VW special tool.

Check this:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1722551

With homemade tool:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=574630

powderhound, what kind of loud howl? i have a dronintg coming from the back that sounds like muffler but the dealer is insisting it is the l.r.wheel bearing.

they have already changed the l.f. wb by mistake.

droning noise WAS the left rear wheeling bearing. not the muffler.