Wheel Bearing

[skyman]

Hi there,

Our 2001 petrol has developed a whine, which we think is the nearside front wheel bearing. [29]

Has anyone had a wheel bearing replaced? If so, did you get Audi, an independent garage or did you do it yourself?

We've still to contact Audi for a cost of a replacement bearing.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[gjp33]

when wheel bearings fail, you usually get an intermittent noise like a dry rusty hinge - I'm not saying that it's not that mind.

to check, jack up the wheel in question and grasp it at 12-6 o'clock, and push/pull the wheel as if you were trying to pivot it about the middle - any looseness or play is a duff bearing, or an incorrectly torqued driveshaft nut - but unless it has been played about with it's unlikely to be that.

(note that rear bearings are usually taper ones and have a certain amount of play as standard - never ever tighten a taper bearing fully or it'll seize up pretty quick)

other things to try when diagnosing noises from wheels/suspension is to monitor the fault when coasting, and under power - likewise when in gear/out of gear - also on the straight ahead and both lock positions. Some simple tests like these often eliminate certain things quite quickly.

I must admit I cannot think of many other things apart from the gearbox that would make a whine though.