rear differential bearing replacement
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rear differential bearing replacement
Has anybody actually repaired their noisy 05-07 d3 rear end? I have read the service bulletin that recommends replacing it due to "worn bearing or bearing carrier". I have a very pronounced whining between 55-80mph. I'd like to take a stab at replacing the bearing....how hard can it be? 
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Bearing
Can you tell which bearing is the one making the noise, there are 4 of them inside the housing.
usually is the front pinion shaft bearing the noisy one, but you won't know until taken apart.
not that hard to do depending who you ask, in an average it cost 1400.00 to replace them all.
usually is the front pinion shaft bearing the noisy one, but you won't know until taken apart.
not that hard to do depending who you ask, in an average it cost 1400.00 to replace them all.
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From: Kansas City
does it whine when you're on the gas or coasting ?
Has anybody actually repaired their noisy 05-07 d3 rear end? I have read the service bulletin that recommends replacing it due to "worn bearing or bearing carrier". I have a very pronounced whining between 55-80mph. I'd like to take a stab at replacing the bearing....how hard can it be?
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Joined: Aug 2011
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Haven't been in an Audi diff but...
I haven't opened up an Audi differential unit yet, but normally the carrier and pinion bearings aren't too bad to replace - WITH the right tools. Most of the bearing are press-fit, and so to remove or replace, you will need appropriate pullers and maybe a press. If the bearing is the carrier bearing, the job is pretty straightforward, but you will have to ensure that you get the preload correct, and that the ring gear to pinion gear mesh is correct.
If one of the the bearings on the pinion is a problem, then you will want to carefully measure pinion depth, which does take some special gauges, as otherwise the pinion and ring gear mesh won't be quite right, and you will end up with more noise than you started with.
I've just looked at the ETKA parts listing, and at least from what I can see, Audi doesn't list the parts that go inside the differential, only the complete unit. Seems like the dealers are more into 'replace the unit' rather than 'replace the part that's bad inside the unit'. By the time labor charges are considered, probably more economical to just but the complete differential and bolt it in.
If one of the the bearings on the pinion is a problem, then you will want to carefully measure pinion depth, which does take some special gauges, as otherwise the pinion and ring gear mesh won't be quite right, and you will end up with more noise than you started with.
I've just looked at the ETKA parts listing, and at least from what I can see, Audi doesn't list the parts that go inside the differential, only the complete unit. Seems like the dealers are more into 'replace the unit' rather than 'replace the part that's bad inside the unit'. By the time labor charges are considered, probably more economical to just but the complete differential and bolt it in.
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 99
Likes: 37
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 99
Likes: 37
I haven't opened up an Audi differential unit yet, but normally the carrier and pinion bearings aren't too bad to replace - WITH the right tools. Most of the bearing are press-fit, and so to remove or replace, you will need appropriate pullers and maybe a press. If the bearing is the carrier bearing, the job is pretty straightforward, but you will have to ensure that you get the preload correct, and that the ring gear to pinion gear mesh is correct.
If one of the the bearings on the pinion is a problem, then you will want to carefully measure pinion depth, which does take some special gauges, as otherwise the pinion and ring gear mesh won't be quite right, and you will end up with more noise than you started with.
I've just looked at the ETKA parts listing, and at least from what I can see, Audi doesn't list the parts that go inside the differential, only the complete unit. Seems like the dealers are more into 'replace the unit' rather than 'replace the part that's bad inside the unit'. By the time labor charges are considered, probably more economical to just but the complete differential and bolt it in.
If one of the the bearings on the pinion is a problem, then you will want to carefully measure pinion depth, which does take some special gauges, as otherwise the pinion and ring gear mesh won't be quite right, and you will end up with more noise than you started with.
I've just looked at the ETKA parts listing, and at least from what I can see, Audi doesn't list the parts that go inside the differential, only the complete unit. Seems like the dealers are more into 'replace the unit' rather than 'replace the part that's bad inside the unit'. By the time labor charges are considered, probably more economical to just but the complete differential and bolt it in.
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