Gmorning folks, long time reader of the forum, but never had the need to make a post since I’m usually pretty handy with the search function. However, I’m a bit short on time and need to get some quick answers.

Replacing the front wheel bearings on my 01 A4 1.8TQ but I have the feeling that the bearing kit came with the wrong axle bolt. I’m pretty sure the front axle bolt requires a 16mm hex bit (M16) but the bolts that came with the kit are only 14mm. I know the rear axle bolts are 14mm, which makes me wonder if they send me the wrong bearing kit all together. So my question is, is there any difference between front and rear bearings? If so, how do I distinguish one from the other? I’m hoping they at least sent me the correct bearing so all I have to do is go pick up the correct axle bolts.

Thanks,
Chilly

 

well, the easiest way would be to check what size bolt is on your car now? my fronts are 14mm...

the bearings should be the same

 

the front axle bolt on my car is not the 14mm, its something bigger like the 16mm, i don't have a 16mm socket so i can't say for sure. The part number of the front wheel bearing kit that i ordered is 4B0498625 and its suppose to fit 96-01 A4s.

I did some searching and found this DIY for the B5 S4 http://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel45.shtml
it seems like bearing kit i need is 8D0598625A? However every store i go to (purems, MJM autohaus etc.) shows 8D0598625A as the rear bearing set.... My A4 is the 01 sports model, I know it has stiffer suspension similar to the S4, aside from that I don't know if it shares any common parts as the S4

 

The axle bolt should be a 14mm pan-head hex.

 

huh.... there is definitely something different with my car then, maybe the previous owner changed the axle and didn't use the one with 14mm bolt...

is there any model of Audi out there that uses the 16mm axle bolt in the front and is interchangable with the 14mm one? gonna have to swing by the dealer to sort this out, this is just too weird.

 

are you talking the size of the threads? or the wrench you use to remove the bolt? bolts are sized by the thread, NOT by the socket in the head.
My car had hex head cap screws in it when i changed the bearings, but socket head cap screws came with the new bearings. as long as the threads are the same you are fine.....

 

The bearing should be the same I would think a wheel bearing is a wheel bearing. I know when I did my rear it was a 14mm and I had also heard the front was a 16mm but that might just be on the S4's. But I dont think the head size of the bolt is gonna make much of a difference, and if you think it does im sure you can just buy a 16mm hex bolt at some autoparts store.

 

Well turns out that I ordered the wrong front bearing kits any how. the AWM model has different front bearings as the ATW model. Silly me... but shame on all those part stores for not selling the AWM front bearings. http://www.blauparts.com/ is the only store I've seen that warns buyers about the difference between AWM and ATW parts.

 

No, you can't use just any bolt. They are stretch bolts.

 

Glad you got it sorted. Blauparts are good people. Lots of knowledge there. Highly recommended.