Wheel Bearing Housing

Wheel Bearing Housing

Special tools, testers and auxiliary items required

• Ball Joint Puller (3287A)

• Torque Wrench (40-200 Nm) (V.A.G 1332)

• Engine-/Gearbox Jack (V.A.G 1383 A)

• Digital Torque Wrench (V.A.G 1756)

• Spreader (3424)

Removing

- Loosen the drive axle to wheel hub bolt. Refer to one of the following:

=> [ Drive Axle Bolt Loosening and Tightening, Twelve Point Bolt with Ribs ] Drive Axle Bolt Loosening and Tightening, Twelve Point Bolt with Ribs.

=> [ Drive Axle Bolt Loosening and Tightening, Twelve Point Bolt without Ribs ] Drive Axle Bolt Loosening and Tightening, Twelve Point Bolt without Ribs.

The wheel bearing must not be under a load while the drive axle bolt is loose.

If the wheel bearings are under the load of the vehicle weight, the wheel bearing will be damaged. This reduces the service life of the wheel bearings.

The drive axle bolt may be loosened a maximum of 90° when the vehicle is sitting on its wheels.

Vehicles without a drive axle must not be moved, otherwise the wheel bearing will be damaged. If a vehicle must be moved, be sure to note the following:

• Install an outer joint in place of the drive axle.

• Tighten the outer joint to 120 Nm.

- Remove the wheel.

- Remove the brake caliper and brake carrier and tie them to the body with wire.

- Remove the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) wheel speed sensor.

- Remove the brake rotor.

- Now, remove the cover plate bolts and plate from the wheel bearing housing.

- Loosen the tie rod to wheel bearing housing nut, but do not remove it yet.

To protect the threads, leave the nut on the stud a few turns.

- Press off the tie rod from the wheel bearing housing using the ball joint puller (3287A) and now remove the nut.






- Press the drive axle out of the hub as far as possible (in the direction of the transmission).

- Remove the wheel bearing housing/strut pinch bolt and nut - arrow -.






- Insert the spreader (3424) into the slot in the wheel bearing housing.






- Using a ratchet and the spreader (3424) , open the wheel bearing housing slot.

- Loosen the ball joint nuts - arrows -.






- Now, place the engine-/gearbox jack (V.A.G 1383 A) under the wheel bearing housing.

- First, separate the ball joint from the control arm, then pull off the wheel bearing housing from the strut.

• If the wheel bearing housing is being replaced, then the ball joint must also be replaced. Use new nuts.

Installing

Installation is the reverse of removal, with special attention to the following:

- Tighten the drive axle to wheel hub bolt. Refer to one of the following:

=> [ Drive Axle Bolt Loosening and Tightening, Twelve Point Bolt with Ribs ] Drive Axle Bolt Loosening and Tightening, Twelve Point Bolt with Ribs.

=> [ Drive Axle Bolt Loosening and Tightening, Twelve Point Bolt without Ribs ] Drive Axle Bolt Loosening and Tightening, Twelve Point Bolt without Ribs.

The vehicle must not rest on its wheels when doing so.

With the bolt loosened, the wheel bearing can be damaged by the vehicle weight.

Differences Between a Twelve Point Bolt With Ribs and a Bolt Without Ribs






The contact surfaces - arrows A and B - are different on the two bolts.

I Twelve point bolt with ribs - arrow A -
II Twelve point bolt without ribs - arrow B -

If a wheel bearing housing was replaced, the vehicle must be aligned. Refer to => [ Vehicle Alignment ] Vehicle Alignment.

- Install the wheel and tighten the wheel bolts. Refer to => [ Wheel Bolt Tightening Specifications ] [1][2]Specifications.

Tightening Specifications