Front Wheel Bearing Replacement Procedure

[DLV]

No. I had to work around it.

[John Kuhn]

Do you think this tool work for replacing the bearings, like you did? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45210
I think I may need a wheel bearing replacement before too long.

[Clatterman]

I have a B90 VW only set too. The semi-circular section that doesn't fit the ABS sensor is call the Horseshoe. It is stamped "VA" and has an I.D. of 100 mm. The O.D. of the ABS sensor is 108 mm.

The B90 will pull the hub off without using the horseshoe, but it destroys the bearing. I'm still trying to get the outer race off of the hub, and the inner race is still in the spindle. arrrgh.

[Clatterman]

update; The B90-VW only kit is sufficient to do a front bearing change on cars with ABS. The horseshoe piece isn't necessary, but does help when you pull the main bearing race from the spindle. It is easiest to remove the entire spindle casting from the car (i.e. separate the casting from the strut, undo the ball-joint bolts, undo the tie-rod nut).

Choose your B90 disks carefully, and make sure the disks are seated against things that actually move. It's easy to mis-read how to remove all of the bearing segments. The C-clip is a P.i.t.a. also.

The other essential tool is a 4" 3-jaw gear puller. I got a loaner from the parts store. In my situation, when I pulled the hub off, which separated the old bearing , I needed the 3-jaw puller to remove the outer-most race from the inside of the hub.

[therabbittree]

any body just use a hydraulic press for the bearing swap?..thats how we used to do them at teh shop i worked t aremove spindel..press out out bearing ..take air hammer / chisel buzz the inner race off the hub..if it was tough to remove slice the race with a torch and it ome right off....hummn i need to do my bearing on my golf soon..i plan on removing the spindles and haveing teh shop press em in..etc.. any tips?
thanks
Deo

[Powder Hound]

On an arbor press - ought to be slicker 'n deer guts on a door knob. Only thing is that if you remove the carrier from the car to do this you need a front end alignment when you're done. Otherwise there's no guarantee the alignment is still within specs.

I did mine a couple of months ago. Latent damage from a front end tweak. It developed into a rough spot that would flat spot the tire. It took me quite a while to finally figure out that it was the bearing and not tires, or shocks or out of round something or other.

[djmeier1]

Does anyone know the answer to John's question? Will the Harbor Freight tool do the job for wheel bearing replacement??? Thanks.

[Skidrowe]

Just to chime in here. I've had to have a bearing done on my 01 golf 3 years in a row now, every spring one side or the other starts howling like a buzz saw.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this?

Thanks

Skid

[ymz]

I don't know if the TDI's have more delicate bearings than the previous models (I'll be needing at least 1 front and probably at least 1 rear bearing very soon... ), but in my A2's I noticed that longevity seemed to depend on who installed it and how well it was done... some lasted a very long time, others less than a year...

I'm trying to figure out how long I can nurse the singing bearing... as I don't know in what location I should have the work done... (I'm now in Springfield, MA... will be going to Montreal on Sunday... to Toronto Monday...)

Yuri.

[saabguru]

Dave

What does the Harbor Freight tool look like? I haven't seen it in my local store!

[saabguru]

Saw the link on yahoo. Thanks!

[djmeier1]

Re: Saabguru question on Harbor Freight Wheel bearing tool.
I have found that my local Harbor Freight outlet does not inventory such a tool on site. Catalog description left me uncomfortable in my selection. John Kuhn's question (back in thread) was never answered. I declined to order an unknown from Harbor Freight. Still living with the bad bearing and waiting for an answer. Dave.

[gearhead]

Adding a superb write up from VW Vortex

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

A post about the B90 tool: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showflat.php?C...true#Post753213

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showflat.php?C...true#Post675246

Additional links on front wb replacement:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showflat.php?C...true#Post629219

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showflat.php?C...rev=#Post575477

2-Harbor Freight bearing tools

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=4876
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45210

[Moo Car]

Yes you can use the Harbor Freight Tool front bearing puller. I did mine last week and it went smoothly. When pulling the hub from the bearing you will need the two supplied ¾ washers from the Harbor Freight kit and a slide hammer (three pulls and I separated the old bearing). Pull from the hub and not the bearing race to split the bearing. After that just follow the posted directions. Make sure that you use the proper adapter when pressing in the hub into the new bearing. Place the correct adapter flatly on the inner race of the new bearing when pulling in the hub. If you pull in the hub from the bearing housing you will split the new bearing. Pulling the old bearing race off of the hub was not hard if you have the right size puller. It also helps to use spring compressors to take the load off the ball joint. While you’re at it you might want to replace your ball joints. Also review the above Vortex post.


Ball Joint Replacement

[Sleet]

Originally Posted by Clatterman

update; The B90-VW only kit is sufficient to do a front bearing change on cars with ABS. The horseshoe piece isn't necessary, but does help when you pull the main bearing race from the spindle. It is easiest to remove the entire spindle casting from the car (i.e. separate the casting from the strut, undo the ball-joint bolts, undo the tie-rod nut).

Just to double check, is the B90-VW all I need to change front wheel bearings on both A3/B4's and A4's?

Are any other tools required?

I'm looking at getting this kit and just want to be sure I'm covered.

-J