Audi A4 Wheel bearing Replacement (B8, B8.5)

I'm walking through changing my wheel bearing in my 2015 Audi A4 2.0T. I go step by step on how I'm changing out the wheel bearing on this car. If you try this project yourself, there are specialized tools that you wouldn't find in your standard tool set. Look below for links which are the tools needed.
This wheel bearing install is the same for many of Audi's cars, Q5, A4, A5, S4, S5 etc. It is also the same for a B8 / B8.5 and other Audis. I walk through step by how I replaced our wheel bearing while using typical tools. If you don't want to buy a slide hammer, you can always rent one from Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts.
T12 Triple Square (Bearing Bolts): amzn.to/47SXyCo
19mm Allen (Axle Bolt): amzn.to/3RxHCj2
1/2 Breaker Bar (All the bolts): amzn.to/47K051x
Torque Wrench 1/2": amzn.to/3RzgfoA
Torque Wrench 3/8": amzn.to/3Rxm4TF
Magnetic Viewing Film: amzn.to/3Ndl4kT
Slide Hammer: amzn.to/41NCRFA
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All videos are for entertainment purposes only. Attempt these projects at your own risk! If you do, make sure you follow all manufacturers instructions!

[@bigmike2149]

Great job bro! That is definitely one of the downsides to living in areas that snow. We don’t see much of that here in SF Bay Area. Cheers! 👍🏻

[@SmackeysGarage]

Very true. Even a small job turns into a big job with corrosion.

[@deejay4837]

Pro-tip, use the pipe from your floor jack as an extension to your breaker bar to tighten down the axle nut the last 180°. You'd be surprised how much it turns and how easy. Makes you also realize that it can be under torqued. I've removed axle nuts by hand cause the person did not torque them down correctly.

[@SmackeysGarage]

Good tip!

[@Big_Shonk]

Thanks Brotha this was super helpful

[@SmackeysGarage]

You’re welcome! Glad to help

[@timwindsor03]

Awesome video brother. Happy New Year. Thanks for sharing. Keep the content coming. Hope you have an incredible weekend. Much love and RESPECT

[@SmackeysGarage]

Happy new year! Thanks Tim!

[@itsthatguydes]

Thank you ive been wondering why mine was making them noises i just changed them bearings and im good

[@SmackeysGarage]

Glad to hear it fixed it! How many miles were on your car when they went?

[@celenarucci]

Super helpful vid. I have a 2014 Audi A4 , and I’ve been trying to find an auto parts store that sells wheel bearings already pre pressed, any suggestions?

[@SmackeysGarage]

Glad you think so! I haven't seen any already pressed together. Any local mechanic shop would probably press it for you for cheap money. If you are worried about it, I'd buy a new hub + new bearing and have them pressed together before you take it apart. That'll help reduce your downtime with the car apart.

[@deejay4837]

Next time leave the hub on - if you're not reusing it and/or it's damaged - and tap each side to walk it out of the spindle. You can away with very lightly tapping the hub, but you have to be extremely careful not to damage the hub as it is the weak point in the suspension and is the cause of mystery vibrations due to run-out/bent hub. IF you cannot get it out with the hub intact get the bearing housing cracked off enough like in the video and use what's called a "demolition driver"....basically a screwdriver that you can bang with hammer or baby sledge. Milwaukee tools sells a good one that you can use to wedge in the little space and increase the gap more and more by chiseling it through the little space that you made with a slide hammer etc. I've done these with a slide hammer only to have them stop midway and the 5 pound slide hammer do nothing for the rest of the way.....

[@SmackeysGarage]

Thanks for sharing these tips. I'm going to pick up a demolition driver. Sounds like a tool that I should have in my toolbox.

[@raymondferguson1935]

If the bolts at the rear of the bearing loosen take them out half way and use a air chisel to hit them that is a good way to remove a stubborn bearing without damaging anything.

[@SmackeysGarage]

I did try that with my air chisel. New England corrosion has me beat

[@mateenio2186]

Really helpful video, thank you!

[@SmackeysGarage]

You are welcome!

[@squidy8485]

What socket size did you use to remove the axel bolt before you used the hammer on the bearing?

[@SmackeysGarage]

Axle bolt was 19mm. Have it linked in the video descriptions. I believe all the tools I used were there

[@uqdah2000]

Very informative video, thanks. I have a 2018 Q5. I hit a curb pretty hard (driver-side front wheel )and now have what sounds and feels like I'm driving over rumble strips. I have no vibration in the steering wheel nor does the car pull to either side. Got a wheel alignment and changed the tire, but the sound and feel is still there. It is pronounced when turn the wheel right at highway speed. Do you think this could be the bearing?

[@SmackeysGarage]

Yea it could be the bearing from a shock like that. Was the alignment far off when you got it aligned? Something also could have been bent, and they just aligned it so the wheels are straight again. Turning the wheel right at highway speeds or higher speeds would indicate the driver side wheel bearing.

[@uqdah2000]

@@SmackeysGarage Thanks for the speedy reply! The shop (Mavis Discount Tire) didn't provide the alignment specs. I can say that there was no pull or steering wheel vibration before the alignment either. I went there because I thought that the tire may have been damaged when I heard the noise. It sounds like road noise when the windows are up. But can't hear anything when they are down.

[@musclecarmitch908]

Great video! Great job!👍

[@SmackeysGarage]

Thanks Mitch!

[@thefattysplace]

I have just done one on my a5. Quick question for you if you don't mind; my new bearing wasn't a snug fit to the carrier. I would say it had a couple mm wiggle room. Is this normal? I thought the carrier would be providing support to the bearing, so the bearing would be a tight fit and have to be pulled into place with the bolts? Seems wrong that just the 4 bolts hold the wheel on?

[@SmackeysGarage]

That doesn’t sound normal. You’re right. I would expect the bearing to be located based on the knuckle and the bolts just keep it in place. Any chance you have calipers and can check the old one via the new one?

[@woodyyiv]

I have 3 questions : 1. I have a audi a4 2012 and I would like to know how much time does it take average to do this job. 2. And is it a 350 usd job without the new piece. 3. What is the piece name sorry im not Really into cars. Thank you!

[@SmackeysGarage]

1. Depends if it is stuck or not. If it is stuck it could be hours, if it isn't it could be about an hour to do. Most are stuck. 2. A dealership will quote you $1000 with the part 3. Called a wheel bearing and hub.

[@AudiA4-iv2pz]

I just did mine last night, the same bolt on the same location had to be cut off

[@SmackeysGarage]

Yea. That bolt gets pretty corroded in. You know it’s bad when they make a special fixture to drill it out.

[@thedetaildoc4907]

Should’ve done the rears like us. They are 3x harder

[@SmackeysGarage]

That’s in the plan shortly. What was so hard about them? Were they stuck?

[@thedetaildoc4907]

@@SmackeysGarage there is a long bolt that connects the lower control arm to the knuckle, and it absolutely removes all space to get the m12 on the backside to get the wheel bearing out. It’s a nightmare honestly

[@nateweiss7276]

Can you do the rear please !

[@SmackeysGarage]

I will this spring. It’s definitely more work.

[@MatthewHokie]

@@SmackeysGarage Why is it more work? Is it because of the electronic parking brake on the rear? I curse that every time I've had to do a brake job.

[@SmackeysGarage]

That is exactly why. I plan on doing it in the upcoming weeks. I have the parts, I just haven't had the space to do it in the garage until recently. You need a special tool or need to move the parking brake with a small battery.

[@MatthewHokie]

@@SmackeysGarage I use the Rosstech VCDS for the brake work to disengage or retract the piston. Do you need anything else? Honestly, probably going to a shop for my rear bearing replacement. Seeing you struggle with those bolts and corrosion gives me some PTSD. Mine's a 2012 so the corrosion is likely the same or worse.

[@kodasmith4890]

Is there any assemblies that don’t require being Pressed in

[@SmackeysGarage]

I’ve looked and haven’t found any

[@SmackeysGarage]

I’ve looked and never found any.

[@gregorytolson1648]

I have a ‘19 Audi a5. Was getting vibration at highway speeds, tire shop claimed my wheel was bent, got the wheel fixed and noticed no difference. Do you think a bent wheel hub could be the culprit?

[@SmackeysGarage]

I haven’t heard of any wheel hubs being bent from use. I mean it is a pretty stout part. It would need a pretty hard sideways hit to bend. I’d see if the bearing has a ton of play and if it doesn’t I’d take a look at the axles.

[@gregorytolson1648]

@@SmackeysGarageyeah a buddy of mine thinks it could also maybe be axles. I changed the brakes on the car since it was vibrating when braking also but new rotors and pads the vibration is still there in the steering wheel

[@henners88]

I have horrendous noise and my mechanic told me I need two front wheel bearings. I waited a week for him to do it and he told me on collection that he was unable to do it as he needed a 'specialist tool' and I needed to take it to an Audi specialist. I now have it booked in in 2 weeks time which is annoying as I still have to use the car a couple of times a week and the noise is getting louder. Watching your video I really can't understand why he couldn't do it?

[@SmackeysGarage]

I'm guessing he wants to remove the steering knuckle to press the bearing out. The pin that holds the two upper control arms in place is usually frozen and corroded and they sell a special tool to drill it out. They do get stuck often. He probably prefers using the press at the shop to push it out rather than the slide hammer. Either method works, but with the press it is just more time consuming since everything needs to be disassembled.

[@henners88]

@@SmackeysGarage thanks for replying, this would make sense 👍🏻. Hopefully I don’t cause more damage driving on them but I have no choice.

[@myconautnooob.8669]

Messed up as soon as you said “my mechanic”😅😂😂😂😂. Anytime someone comes into the shop.

[@henners88]

@@myconautnooob.8669 I don’t refer to him as that to his face mate, it’s just a figure of speech and a shorter descriptive reference FYI.

[@myconautnooob.8669]

@@henners88😂😂😂😂 come on bro. We all know a person like that. 😂😂😂

[@macdaddy1234ism]

Is this basically the next thing to fix after replacing control arms from pot hole damage ?!

[@SmackeysGarage]

Yep. The bearings take a beating on these cars. Boston here is full of potholes.

[@macdaddy1234ism]

@@SmackeysGarage Damnn ok yup :/ I’m in Seattle :////

[@SmackeysGarage]

@@macdaddy1234ism So you are living the same thing I am!

[@macdaddy1234ism]

@@SmackeysGarage 2019! S4 Seattle So far new rims and new tires Control arms getting put on next Friday .. the problem is still there vibration while turning on the steering wheel and clinking sounds … no shaking steering wheel while going straight though …..

[@SmackeysGarage]

Ah that sucks. I'm assuming they will do an alignment when they get the car done. Ours has taken a beating over the years and has only needed wheel bearings so far. It'll need a full suspension at some point soon due to all the pot holes. Wish I got an S4 though. Must be a fun drive!

[@wtfneisha]

If i have an Audi a4 and hit a curb and when i drive i hear a kind of humming and rolling sound. Wouldn’t this be my wheel bearing ?

[@SmackeysGarage]

It could be. How hard did you hit it? More likely something got bent.

[@TomPrefontaine]

How much is the dealer going to cost me for front 2?

[@SmackeysGarage]

I’d expect $1,000 to $1,600 from a dealer.

[@Robbysan97]

I was just at dealer and they quoted $400 for parts $660 for labor, so both probably around $2k. Pretty crazy

[@SmackeysGarage]

Yep. That sounds about right.

[@TomPrefontaine]

@@Robbysan97 I was quoted 1300 for 1, lol. Did it myself, but the 8.5 has a nut on the top of the control arm that interferes with the 4th triple square if using a hex shaft imo. I had to buy a triple square with rounded(smaller) shaft for better clearance. I had already stripped it though and had to drill it out anyway. Mine was all rusted in place too, so the hammer pull and penetrating oil was needed. I bought the bearing and hub new from FCP.

[@ItsCleto]

Some of the worst bearings to do besides Subaru.

[@SmackeysGarage]

I agree with you there. I’ve done them in my older legacy as well when I had it.