Front Wheel bearing change.

[esqilax]

Hey all,

When I pulled the Hub out of the wheel bearing housing, the bearing came apart and left part of the race on the hub.

Anyone come across this before? I'm trying to figure out a way to remove it but everything I've tried so far doesn't work. I tried my puller, it wouldn't grip because it doesn't have enough surface to hold, I tried prying it didn't work. Tried warming it up too.

I guess I'll have to cut it somehow but it's pretty tight with the ABS ring so close.

Any ideas?

 

[Nutsnbolts]

Before I got the VW tool, the only way that I could get the races off the hub was to put a good, deep slice in it with a die-grinder. Due to the size of the cutoff wheel that I was using, I had to go diagonally across the race from the bottom to the top, because, as you say, the tone ring for the ABS is awfully close. Then, put the hub in a vise, and hit the center of the cut with a sharp cold chisel, and the race should crack enough to remove it. No amount of heat has ever helped, but I've done many of those at the shop with the cut-and-crack method.

-Rich

 

[NL-TDI]

I had same problem.......got in under the car with a crow bar and a sledge hammer and beat on it hard enough to get it out......amazing how rusted in it gets

 

[coalminer16]

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=269674&highlight=sir+90. Pictures help some. I think what you are talking about is at post 8 on my write-up.

 

[esqilax]

I got it off, and the car is back together. Thanks for the ideas.

New: wheel bearings and strut mounts/bearings and the used axels that whitbread sold me.

I messed around with it for awhile here at home and then I packed up and went to work I used the hydraulic press to move the bearings.

Gonna go for a test drive after dinner, and make an appointment for a wheel agilnment.

Next weekend : rear wheel bearings.

 

[coalminer16]

Were all the bearings making sounds? Seems funny that they all would go bad at once and seems expensive to just do. They can make sound for a while before needing the change. Same with the axles? Just curious.

 

[ninedee_golf_tdi]

Replace the bearing and put it back together again.

 

[AndyBees]

Wheel bearings

Were all the bearings making sounds? Seems funny that they all would go bad at once and seems expensive to just do. They can make sound for a while before needing the change. Same with the axles? Just curious.

My Jetta is pushing 289k miles and I have NOT done one thing to the rear bearings.

As for the front bearings, back in the fall of '09 I drove my car for almost two months with the right one roaring. Due to circumstances at the time, I could not get to the job. So, just cause you hear a front wheel bearing beginning to roar doesn't mean it's going to lock up all of a sudden. In fact, as my signature states, I've been driving VWs for many years and I have never seen a front wheel bearing lock up.

To the previous poster, read this Thread and check out the links and you will learn how to remove the bear race that's stuck on the axle stub!

 

[jollyGreenGiant]

That's what happens every time, I use a "specially designed" air hammer bit that sneaks through the reluctor wheel arch, after a few properly placed hits, I can then sneak my two jaw puller in there.

Other folks prescribe by a dremel and air hammer method also.

Or, buy a new hub.

My SIR B90 tool was a great investment, gotten so much use over the years, really a necessary tool ( or equivalent ) if you work on these cars hands down, it's better than using a press.

 

[Corsair]

ditto #9, #10, #11
I don't know of a way (or available tool- maybe there is one...) to remove front WB intact. Removal separates the bearing (but you get to see what's inside), race remains. Method I have used is dremel tool to cut remaining race. Often don't need to cut all the way through- just create a slice, then hit with a hammer & chisel, it breaks & "pops" off.

Similar to AndyBees- I think I replaced both my front WB's around 280K after one started making noise. (If I wrote different mileage in a different post, trust that info, not this info- I have the memory of a man twice my age...). Anyway, car now has 293K and original rear bearings. I have new ones waiting in boxes, will replace rears as routine maintenance if my "to do" list ever gets that short, or if one of them starts making noise and changes my priorities.

 

[AndyBees]

I've inspected "old" Beetle bearings (front and back) that were roaring and could not find anything wrong with them. However, I'm sure a super cleaning and powerful magnifying glass would show the minor defects that made the roar!

I remember about 29 years ago this July, I was at SeaQuest Park (I think that's the name) Washington state (Near Mt. St Helens) and noticed there was a slight roar in the right rear of my VW Diesel Rabbit. I stopped at the park to check the wheel. I put my foot on top of the tire and give it a push........loose wheel bearing. I popped off the cover and tighened the bearing without jacking up the car. I'd tighten a little and shake the wheel, etc....................roar was gone! Finished the vacation with no issues out of that bearing! I probably did not tighten it properly the ONLY time I ever greased it!

 

[runonbeer]

I've used various pullers. I even used the threaded plate for the ball joints once to push it off.

The rig above is 3 separate pieces. Total was about $200 for everything you see. Obviously, it works great.

 

[tdidieselbobny]

Who's gone alot of miles on a bad front bearing? Right now i'm just over 10k miles on a roaring left front wheel bearing(I've jacked front up and wheel turns then binds slightly)-I do have a new bearing and hub sitting in the garage......I'd like to get it changed shortly,as I would like to attend the Ho5G GTG at end of June.....

 

[eats1963]

For $99 Harbor freight makes a great kit for removing the front wheel bearings. I used this when I did mine and it works outstanding. http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=front+wheel+bearing

Scurvy also did a great write up using this tool in the How To section.

 

[Nutsnbolts]

Tdidieselbobny: I wouldn't drive on that bearing except to get it into the shop- it's giving you the warning right now, especially since it it binding in one area.

Runonbeer: I bought the VW setup like yours a couple of years ago. Excellent investment, and far less effort and risk than the slice and whack method.