# Rear Wheel Bearing Help



## Barn01 (Feb 26, 2011)

I need to change the rear wheel bearings on my '06 A3 (FWD) and I need to know what socket size I need to remove the center hub bolt. I've tried searching and couldn't seem to find the answer I was looking for. I'm pretty sure the carrier bolt is a 14mm triple square to I bought one of those. It's the hub bolt I'm not sure of and want to have all the tools before I attempt this.


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## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

Barn01 said:


> I need to change the rear wheel bearings on my '06 A3 (FWD) and I need to know what socket size I need to remove the center hub bolt. I've tried searching and couldn't seem to find the answer I was looking for. I'm pretty sure the carrier bolt is a 14mm triple square to I bought one of those. It's the hub bolt I'm not sure of and want to have all the tools before I attempt this.


18mm triple square, you will also need a new bolt as it is a one time use version.


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## Barn01 (Feb 26, 2011)

Thanks Uber, damn the set I just bought only goes up to 16mm ... time to look for an 18mm 

Is the torque on it really 150ft/lbs + 1/2 turn? That seems insanely tight, I'd be borderline worried of stripping a thread or busting the bold head. There's no way you're pressing on the inside of the bearing?


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## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

Barn01 said:


> Thanks Uber, damn the set I just bought only goes up to 16mm ... time to look for an 18mm
> 
> Is the torque on it really 150ft/lbs + 1/2 turn? That seems insanely tight, I'd be borderline worried of stripping a thread or busting the bold head. There's no way you're pressing on the inside of the bearing?


yes its 150 lbs.

I did my but i could only get it to turn 3/4 way to 1/2 turn after 150 lbs.

i got my bit off ebay. Make sure u get the 1/4 inch bit for more stength.

and u need super ghith strength breaker bar too to losen the bolt.


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## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

tp.wannabe.s3 said:


> Make sure u get the 1/4 inch bit for more stength.


1/2" not 1/4"


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## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

Uber-A3 said:


> 1/2" not 1/4"


yea ur right. American system sucks, i can never get it right.

Metric system so much better


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## Barn01 (Feb 26, 2011)

How many km's were on the car when you had to replace yours? I'm at 165 000km's


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## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

my was worn at 30k Miles, but replaced around 50k Miles,


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## Barn01 (Feb 26, 2011)

Uber-A3 said:


> 18mm triple square, you will also need a new bolt as it is a one time use version.


Mine isn't an 18mm triple square. 

I just picked up two bolts from the dealer and I need a 24mm 12 point (double hex) socket. 

Sooooooo glad I picked up the bolts first. I had a 18mm triple square bit ordered in and he was nice enough to say he'd send it back no charge.


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## Barn01 (Feb 26, 2011)

tp.wannabe.s3 said:


> my was worn at 30k Miles, but replaced around 50k Miles,


Wow that seems like pretty short life compared to mine! Are you carting around some pretty heavy loads or banking lots of really hard corners?


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## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

Barn01 said:


> Wow that seems like pretty short life compared to mine! Are you carting around some pretty heavy loads or banking lots of really hard corners?


no idea prolly hit some bad pot holes


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## ewax (Apr 12, 2011)

*Symptoms*

I am not sure if I have the same problem. What are the symptoms of a bad wheel bearing. I can hear some road noise at 30-40mph but I am not sure if it is from a bad bearing or coming from somewhere else.


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## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

it sounds like a tump. faster you go faster it will thump.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

ewax said:


> I am not sure if I have the same problem. What are the symptoms of a bad wheel bearing. I can hear some road noise at 30-40mph but I am not sure if it is from a bad bearing or coming from somewhere else.


 Jack up a wheel and spin it by hand. If you hear a grinding or rough noise not coming from the brake pads, it's the bearing. 

Dave


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## Barn01 (Feb 26, 2011)

ewax said:


> I am not sure if I have the same problem. What are the symptoms of a bad wheel bearing. I can hear some road noise at 30-40mph but I am not sure if it is from a bad bearing or coming from somewhere else.


 It might start out sounding like noisy tires and then gets to a hum after a while. Leave it long enough and it becomes so loud that at certain speeds it's hard to hear the radio. Diff speeds will change how loud the hum is. 

On way to test it is to take a semi hard right and listen and take a semi hard left and listen. If the sound goes away while in the turn then it's likely a wheel bearing. Note which way turning makes the sound go away and that's the side the bad bearing is likely on. (turning left puts weight to right side and visa versa). 

The other way was stated, to jack up the wheel and spin it listening for a grinding type noise. Really bad bearings will show play in the wheel when trying to wiggle it.


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## Barn01 (Feb 26, 2011)

Ok slightly pissed, I had a 18mm triple square ordered for me but when I picked up the replacement hub bolts from the DEALER, they needed a 24mm 12pt socket. So without looking at what was on the car I assumed I didn't need the 18mm triple square bit. Well sure enough after getting into the job it turns out that the orig hub bolts do require an 18mm triple square and the replacement is a 24mm 12pt socket. So if anyone one needs to do this job this is a heads up for ya. 

Also while changing the rotors it would really help to have an impact wrench for the torx 30 holding the disc on.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

Barn01 said:


> Ok slightly pissed, I had a 18mm triple square ordered for me but when I picked up the replacement hub bolts from the DEALER, they needed a 24mm 12pt socket. So without looking at what was on the car I assumed I didn't need the 18mm triple square bit. Well sure enough after getting into the job it turns out that the orig hub bolts do require an 18mm triple square and the replacement is a 24mm 12pt socket. So if anyone one needs to do this job this is a heads up for ya.
> 
> Also while changing the rotors it would really help to have an impact wrench for the torx 30 holding the disc on.


 They gave you the wrong hub bolts. The 24mm 12pt is for the front axle, not the rear.


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## Barn01 (Feb 26, 2011)

crew219 said:


> They gave you the wrong hub bolts. The 24mm 12pt is for the front axle, not the rear.


 Thank goodness for this forum ... I'll make sure to change those up this week. 

To think I would have been stuck AGAIN with everything apart and not the right stuff to put back together. It's funny because I told him rear hub several times and when he handed me the bolts I looked at him and said ... I thought these were supposed to be 18mm triple square. He was like nope that's them!


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## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

Barn01 said:


> Mine isn't an 18mm triple square.
> 
> I just picked up two bolts from the dealer and I need a 24mm 12 point (double hex) socket.
> 
> Sooooooo glad I picked up the bolts first. I had a 18mm triple square bit ordered in and he was nice enough to say he'd send it back no charge.


 
Pretty sure that's the front wheel bolt 

oops just saw Crew beat me to it.


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