krazzz

Well I was going to replace the wheel bearing tonight except that I got blocked at step #1. I didn't have the right hex bit to take off the axle nut. Also, I was looking at the triple square bolts for the wheel bearing and do not have that size either. It looks like a T55 is a good fit but I want to get the right tool for the job. Help, I need to order the tools asap so I can get them by the weekend.

Mister Bally

On my '04 A8L; Factory rear is 17mm, front 19mm. My rear replacement from the dealer was 19mm though so best to have both. By the way, calipers comes in real handy to determine these sizes.


My triple square is labeled 12mm. I bought a set of four, Not Harbor Freight, either.

mishar

This may help:

Brozee

Went to do a suspension overhaul on my S5 two weeks ago including sway bars, sway bar links, end links, and a front end stabilizer and near everything had triple square bolts. None of the auto parts stores or home depot/lowes has seen them before. Had to order a 12 piece set off Amazon and wait to install. Real PITA.

Mister Bally

Wright Tool Co., Troy, MI.

MP4.2+6.0

Often cannot be broken with a standard half inch air gun at all. You need either a really sturdy breaker bar and a five foot plus heavy pipe length, or a torque multiplier type tool. You may break (at the swivel joint) or bend the breaker bar too. Been there done that. If you re-torque to full spec--it's a stretch bolt--you will be literally standing on the pipe length.

Make sure you have exactly the right triple square for the bearing bolts too. The place you insert the wrench tip into is pretty shallow, and a pain if you burr or strip the wrench area. BTDT too.

krazzz

The good news is that I got the bearing replaced last night. Wasn't too bad of job and I replaced the lower arms while I was at it.

The bad news is that since I eliminated the loud bearing noise up front I can now hear that my right rear bearing is starting to go. Not real bad but bad enough to hear it. I bought two bearings because I thought I was going to do the front passenger side. Can I use this bearing for the right rear? It is my understanding that they are the same with the only difference being the axle bolt. Is this correct?

MP4.2+6.0

I actually heard this same thing on my C5 2000 Audi A6 4.2, and at one point also had a front bearing when I needed a rear. I ended up ordering the rear by part #--did not want to take car down for an afternoon repair, and then get stuck waiting most a week for a part if wrong.

On the D3, the part #'s are the same except one has a "B." Both look like they include the bolts when you look on the Euro EKTA diagrams. Sometimes that suffix is a superseded part in Audi numbering world (or maybe a more complete kit like you are thinking), but I have found in a lot of Audi stuff in the suspension area it can be entirely different. Same stuff comes up with brake dust shields with only suffix differences, left versus right sides for calipers with only the last digit changing by 1, etc. Different parts when you go to bolt them in. Got burned on that on the D3 with the front diff. fill plug as another example where U.S. EKTA is wrong and they send you another tranny drain plug because they screwed up a suffix letter.

If you look on rockauto.com and get to the wheel bearings, a fair number (including decent/OES type suppliers like SKF or ***) show different measurements for front and rear on ID, OD and thickness. Click for yourself and decide (not all the measurements agreed every time for respective front or rear), but my sense is it's a no go, at least until you pull the bearing and could compare it side by side with what you have on hand.

Mister Bally

There was quite a difference in front vs. rear bearing prices for me so I believe they are different.