Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: front wheel bearings

  1. #1
    Registered User Travis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Cambridge MN
    Posts
    49

    front wheel bearings

    Hi again guys, well i had a slight howl coming from the front right, been getting worse over the last few weeks, jacked up the car and felt zero play in the wheel bearing so decided to let her ride for a little while longer to confirm that it was indeed the 150 dollar wheel bearing. Well yesterday I had a newer CTS try to race me on one of the local back roads and after reaching felony catagory speeds (and completely humiliating the CTS) the right front has grown to a worryingly loud growl so im doing the wheel bearing in a few hours, now that the back story is done, is the 17mm center bolt a right or left handed thread? And is there anything particular I should keep in mind while doing this little project? Thanks again
    <2003 RS6-stock avus silver, 102xxx><2003 A4-hit a doe doing 70-totalled>
    <1979 2 door Caprice "Aerocoupe"- My First car>< 1979 2 door Impala><1968 Chevy K20>

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Out there
    Posts
    7,780
    Center hub bolt is a normal thread. Right=tighten

    Get a long breaker and make sure never to reuse the hub bolt.

  3. #3
    Registered User Travis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Cambridge MN
    Posts
    49
    Ok, thanks for the reply, guess I'll have to wait another day to get a new hub bolt then. Anyone have a torque spec on that?
    <2003 RS6-stock avus silver, 102xxx><2003 A4-hit a doe doing 70-totalled>
    <1979 2 door Caprice "Aerocoupe"- My First car>< 1979 2 door Impala><1968 Chevy K20>

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Charleston, SC
    Posts
    600
    Bearing to upright bolts: 80nm + 90 degree
    Center shaft bolt: 190nm + 180 degree
    03 RS6 :: 01 allroad

  5. #5
    Registered User Elevens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Plantatation Florida
    Posts
    661
    Make sure it's not your Tires. I had to have the dealer replace the front bearings on my Allroad since I couldn't press them out myself ($800.00 ouch!). However the Growling noise is still there. Since both my front axles are relatively new I am assuming it's my tires making all the noise. I remember on my RS a about a year ago I swore my front bearings were going bad also, shortly after that I got 4 michelins and the Growling was completely gone. Just something to think about.............
    03 RS6, VIPER ECU, MTM TCU, Milltek Full Catless Non Res setup from Turbos to the boxes(ROAR'S), H&R Coilovers, Hotchkiss ARB's, 19x10's with 275-30-19 PSS's at each corner, Kenwood 9960 Head unit, V1 Radar Locator. 517 Trans Rebuild, ScrollProducts Turbo Rebuild.

  6. #6
    Registered User G2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Eugene, OR
    Posts
    695
    Quote Originally Posted by alrightroad View Post
    Bearing to upright bolts: 80nm + 90 degree
    Center shaft bolt: 190nm + 180 degree
    My 1/2" air gun makes 900lb/ft of torque and can't tighten that particular fastner more than 1/8th turn. Most CV bolts are in the 140-225 lb/ft range. From a professional viewpoint, the OE torque spec has an otherwordly torque spec compared to anything I've worked on.

    I'd like to know what the equivalent lb/ft is using the OE torque plus degree method..yikes!
    Cheers, G2/Gary
    C5-RS6/KWV3/Revo/H20 Inj./Custom BBK/Custom cooling/CNC arms \ VW Touareg V10 \ B7A4 2.0T Avant \ Mk1 Callaway Scirocco \ audirs6parts@gmail.com / www.oilpro.myamsoil.com

  7. #7
    Registered User G2's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Eugene, OR
    Posts
    695
    Anyway-- regarding the wheel bearing issue. I think you're onto something. My car is doing the same, after a similar driving event. Evidence of abnormal tire wear combined with a smidge of wheel play with some noise, seems to have pinned at least one issue down.

    Let's hope for both our sakes that it's just the wheel bearing! Otherwise, I cringe at the thought of differential issues.....
    Cheers, G2/Gary
    C5-RS6/KWV3/Revo/H20 Inj./Custom BBK/Custom cooling/CNC arms \ VW Touareg V10 \ B7A4 2.0T Avant \ Mk1 Callaway Scirocco \ audirs6parts@gmail.com / www.oilpro.myamsoil.com

  8. #8
    Registered User Travis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Cambridge MN
    Posts
    49
    As far as the possibility of diff issues, I had the same thought cross my mind when there wasnt any play in the wheel, but now that its gotten worse it has to be the bearing, since the pitch of the sound verys greatly when weaving from left to right at moderate speeds. Almost twice as loud when vearing to the left as going straight. And once I got a friend in the car to confirm the sound was coming from the hub area (really hard to tell when driving by yourself if it coming from the center diff area or hub area. And as far as the torque setting goes im not terribly concerned about reaching whatever torque it needs, the joys of worling at a huge machine shop includes being able to barrow the fancy torque multiplier we have for the 500ft/lb+ torque settings on the cnc's :-) thanks again for all the replys, very much appriciated. This car would be un-ownable without this forum...
    <2003 RS6-stock avus silver, 102xxx><2003 A4-hit a doe doing 70-totalled>
    <1979 2 door Caprice "Aerocoupe"- My First car>< 1979 2 door Impala><1968 Chevy K20>

  9. #9
    Registered User Travis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Cambridge MN
    Posts
    49
    (note to self, dont accidently hit the back button on your phone right after typing a long paragraph... damnit) anyway... as for the tires, I doubt their helping anything, the torenzas are down to the wear bars, and are deffinatly showing signs of a toed out issue. Just waiting for another reason to visit the dealership since its an hour and 20 mins away, and the tires are almost shot anyway.
    <2003 RS6-stock avus silver, 102xxx><2003 A4-hit a doe doing 70-totalled>
    <1979 2 door Caprice "Aerocoupe"- My First car>< 1979 2 door Impala><1968 Chevy K20>

  10. #10
    Registered User DST's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Anchorage, AK
    Posts
    23
    Had a bad wheel bearing on mine (dvr side), definately had the growl noise, noticeably louder on a sweeping right turn at highway speed. Tires are fairly new. Warranty covered it at my local Indy shop- smooth, no noise.

    Definately feel better about it at speed.

    He showed me the bearings (2 in the hub)- one was dry, the other OK. Replaced both.
    '03 RS6 | Avus Silver Pearl | Black + CF interior | SE Exhaust | 64k miles and counting

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Park City, UT
    Posts
    1,106
    When you loosen or tighten that center bolt make sure the tire is on the ground or some one holds the brake. Not sure what holds that in shaft in place in the trans. I suspect you wouldn't want to stress it.

  12. #12
    Registered User Elevens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Plantatation Florida
    Posts
    661
    Quote Originally Posted by Travis View Post
    (note to self, dont accidently hit the back button on your phone right after typing a long paragraph... damnit) anyway... as for the tires, I doubt their helping anything, the torenzas are down to the wear bars, and are deffinatly showing signs of a toed out issue. Just waiting for another reason to visit the dealership since its an hour and 20 mins away, and the tires are almost shot anyway.
    If the Tires are badly worn, I'm almost certain that's the main source of the noise. As I said before the RS was really making a lot of what I thought was Bearing noise, 4 new Tires and complete silence after that. Your bearings may need replacing anyway, but I am almost certain it's your Tires...........................
    03 RS6, VIPER ECU, MTM TCU, Milltek Full Catless Non Res setup from Turbos to the boxes(ROAR'S), H&R Coilovers, Hotchkiss ARB's, 19x10's with 275-30-19 PSS's at each corner, Kenwood 9960 Head unit, V1 Radar Locator. 517 Trans Rebuild, ScrollProducts Turbo Rebuild.

  13. #13
    Registered User Travis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Cambridge MN
    Posts
    49
    Well since my new axle bolt isnt here yet I may try swapping the front and rear tires since the rears are wearing perfectly square. Just to see what happens since this thing is getting concerningly loud. Kinda screwed at the moment since my truck is out of comission (in the middle of putting a 4" lift kit it) so the beast is my only mode of transportation. Payed the extra $22 to get the bolt overnighted (yes, the bolt was under $5 and I payed 22 to ship it..... ) so with any luck that will be here tommarow after work.
    <2003 RS6-stock avus silver, 102xxx><2003 A4-hit a doe doing 70-totalled>
    <1979 2 door Caprice "Aerocoupe"- My First car>< 1979 2 door Impala><1968 Chevy K20>

  14. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Charleston, SC
    Posts
    600
    Quote Originally Posted by G2 View Post
    My 1/2" air gun makes 900lb/ft of torque and can't tighten that particular fastner more than 1/8th turn. Most CV bolts are in the 140-225 lb/ft range. From a professional viewpoint, the OE torque spec has an otherwordly torque spec compared to anything I've worked on.

    I'd like to know what the equivalent lb/ft is using the OE torque plus degree method..yikes!
    Even the best torque wrenches should not be used on that center axle bolt. You get to use your muscles and a long breaker bar on this. Using nm to ft lb converter on the interwebs, looksl ike 190nm = ~140 ft lb. which is actually not that stout.
    03 RS6 :: 01 allroad

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Park City, UT
    Posts
    1,106
    Quote Originally Posted by Travis View Post
    Well since my new axle bolt isnt here yet I may try swapping the front and rear tires since the rears are wearing perfectly square. Just to see what happens since this thing is getting concerningly loud. Kinda screwed at the moment since my truck is out of comission (in the middle of putting a 4" lift kit it) so the beast is my only mode of transportation. Payed the extra $22 to get the bolt overnighted (yes, the bolt was under $5 and I payed 22 to ship it..... ) so with any luck that will be here tommarow after work.
    Ummm,,,,,as far as I can tell....structurally that bolt holds.....nothing......all the drive torque held by the splines....turning, yes, some stress......catastrophic failure.....you lose a shaft....maybe a brake line.....honestly, put the old one back in one of mine and never an ounce of trouble.

  16. #16
    Registered User Travis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Cambridge MN
    Posts
    49
    Ok, sorry for the lack of updates, been a rough couple days. Did rotate the tires before doing the bearing, about 1/4 of the noise went away so it was deffinatly contributing but not 100%. New bearing is in now (boy that was fun considering I havnt owned the car long enough to even do brakes yet.....) install went smooth besides the bearing falling apart when using the bearing puller to remove it from the hub, the 2nd inner race got stuck on the hub and had to cut it off at work. One question though, why in the hell did Audi put the fricken brake bleeder right in the way of the bolt to take the outer caliper off?! Am I missing something? Because its awful damn hard to hold your finger over the bleeder hole while taking the bolt out to A. Not get dirt and crap in the caliper, and B. Not let so much fluid sit and pour out.... like I said, am I missing something here? And sweet jesus.... 190NM (140ft/lbs) + 180º is absolutly rediculous, Im 180 pounds, had a 4ft cheater bar on the breaker bar and was barely able to get to the 180º mark. But shes all done now, back to the wonderful quite ride. Thanks for the help everyone, much appriciated.
    <2003 RS6-stock avus silver, 102xxx><2003 A4-hit a doe doing 70-totalled>
    <1979 2 door Caprice "Aerocoupe"- My First car>< 1979 2 door Impala><1968 Chevy K20>

  17. #17
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Out there
    Posts
    7,780
    I'm not in front of a manual right now. But 140lb + 180 sounds like way too much.

    I just did RAxles on both cars and 140/lb + 90 sounds like spec. And it was a pita to get 90 degrees.

    The hub bolt is a stress to yield one time use that preloads the axle into the hub/bearing asm.

  18. #18
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Charleston, SC
    Posts
    600
    From Bentley, front axle main bolts... since this spec seems overboard, anyone have another source to check for this?

    03 RS6 :: 01 allroad

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •