How to Diagnose and Replace a MK7 Wheel Bearing

Getting a whine or growl coming from your MK7 while driving? You could have an issue with your wheel bearing. In this video we show you how to diagnose a wheel bearing noise while driving, how to inspect the wheel bearing once it has been removed, and how replace a wheel bearing on a MK7 Alltrack. This video would be the same or similar on all MQB or MK7 VW and Audi models.

Links Talked about in this video

Front Wheel Bearing (NSK) for MK7 GTI, Golf R, Alltrack, MQB Jetta and Audi A3, S3

Front Wheel Bearing (OEM) for MK7 GTI, Golf R, Alltrack, MQB Jetta and Audi A3, S3

Rear Wheel Bearing (NSK) for AWD MQB - MK7 Golf R, Alltrack and Audi A3, S3, RS3

Rear Wheel Bearing (OEM) for AWD MQB - MK7 Golf R, Alltrack and Audi A3, S3, RS3

Rear Wheel Bearing (SKF) for MK7 GTI and Golf

Rear Wheel Bearing (OEM) for MK7 GTI and Golf

Triple Square Set

MK7 GTI Performance Front Brake DIY Install (ShopDAP.com)

Upgrading to Caster Control Arms | MK7 DIY
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Cornelius NC 28031
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[fredygump]

Be aware that you might not hear anything! I had a front bearing disintegrate on work truck, and it didn't make any noise! Granted it was a different kind of bearing, but no noise /= no problem! In that case, the only indication was that I felt the steering go "loose" for a second, and then it was back to normal. I pulled over, thinking the power steering had a problem...but everything looked fine. Then I drove another 50 miles, worried and trying to figure out if there was a problem...but there was no sign of a problem. When I arrived, I told the guys I thought something was wrong with the truck...but they didn't see anything. The boss took the truck down the highway and back, and still, nothing seemed wrong. So I continued on...and about 20 miles down the road I tapped the brake, but they barely did anything. I immediately pulled off the highway and into a gas station. Everything still looked fine, but I guess I felt heat radiate from the front wheel...and I spit on the hub...it sizzled like a frying pan! That's when I knew my trip was over... I decided to move my truck to a better long term parking spot, but the instant the truck started to roll, the wheel went "thunk". Suddenly I had 15 degrees of negative camper! I'm not sure why I didn't die that day....

[DEAtHcoreBYfore]

I've been looking for the size of that center bolt for hours thanks you so much man keep it up 🤙

[BigSaulo]

Love this channel. I got a MK7.5 GSW and have started modding thanks to this channel.

[savagepandaprojects]

Another amazing video from Paul aka the official mountain Sage of VW/Audi! LOL

[mitchellbarnow]

That was a really straight forward repair, but I wouldn't attempt it without being able to stand up to get leverage. I spent too many long nights on the ground in high school, trying to fix my 1966 VW 1300 Beetle, without having the proper tools.

[robertgreenfield]

Thanks for the video. Did this today on my wife’s a3 etron. Went well except the brake rotor decided it wanted to be permanently attached to the hub. I ended up removing both together lol. Then I put the rotor on two 2x4s and smacked the hub lip with a mallet. Still didn’t come out easy, but it came out.

[scott]

Usually I’d have to car up in the air, have a second person ‘drive’ the vehicle while at its off the ground, get to around 60-70mph and then stick the car in neutral and turn the vehicle off, that way you can hear the bearing ‘whine’ without being drowned out by engine noise, for a much clearer diagnoses of the faulty bearing.

[casebass]

Thank you! I followed this to the T & got it done in about an hour, BUT, my ‘15 GTI bearing was held in w/ a 12mm triple square, not a 10mm as mentioned at 9:05.

[mitchferguson]

Thanks Paul, R/R 'ed my wheel bearing on my 2015 MK7 TDI with 38K (Whut!) this weekend. Your video guided with diagnosis and replacement, went smooth and have a smooth ride now. No more generator sound at 35+ mph. Cheers!

[jasonharris]

Wow, not a bad job to do at all. The bearing doesn't have to be pressed out or in which is good to know!

[dailydrivensedans]

Finnally a second use for my 60$ triple square kit! All ive found a use for them was therear brake caliper carrier bolts and possibly the electric seat rails but i cant quiet remember.
Happy too know vw uses the phenomenal desighn of triple square for more then just one thing!

Yea triple square was a pain in the butt for me as i had too put everything back together and order the set and then redue it but
Triple square and torques bits are by farr the best bit deaighn ive ever come across. Think about it: 8 internal splines. Internal so it cant strip unless the metal litterally breaks of and then again theirs 8 splins! Also the chance of it breaking off are slim too zero. The surface area transfer is like 90%. For reference philips has like a 15-20% transfer surface. Because its an internal bit the only failure point is basically if the bolt snaps off or if the head splits off. Both of which have nothing to do with the desighn itself.
If you cant tell i love triple square.
I dont wanna go back and correct but torx is 8 splin. I believe triple square is actrually 12. Just caught it cuz i typed triple square and remembered its in the name. Triple/3-square/4. 3x4;12

[MarianIacobet]

I had an issue with a front wheel bearing. You could listen a rattling noise only while driving between 70 and 100 km/h. Less or more than that, the noise would disappear. Changed the bearing and the noise was gone

[melkoun]

Up in New England it would never be this easy 😂 there would be rust holding the bearing to the knuckle so usually we break out the hammer or even an air chisel if it's really bad

[NemesisRTCW]

You can also have pretty severe pad knockback.
As the wheel gets a slight wobble the brakepads will get pushed away from the rotors, thus the first push on the pedal after nof using the brakes for a while will be mushy, as the first part of the pedal travel is now used to push the pads closer to the disk instead of clamping the disc.

[Me-sbmx]

Really interesting projects, one of the best VW DIY channels !

[ChriisInsane]

i was waiting for this video for the longest and i still managed to watch just to see if i did it right 🤣🤣 awesome video paul!!

[rodcosta]

Not enough subs and likes... great video as always!

[edralph]

In addition to listening for sound, can you also check the temperature of the lug nuts or wheel studs? In the 1980s we could tell by touch that the bad bearing wheel was hotter than normal.

[reynolds]

My GTI sounded like it had loud tires at lower speeds. No play in the bearing/wheel. My axle was a bear to remove and it took some wrestling to get it back in. I did both and the second one was easy by comparison. Maybe it is easier if both wheels are off the ground? I was only able to get 45 degrees on the bearing bolts with the car on a jack. You will need to get the car high enough off the ground to use a breaker bar if you want to get to 90. I had the same issue with the rear brake cradle bolts. Never got to 90 w/18" of leverage. Note that once you put the axle back in, you no longer have access to the bolts later without removing the axle and replacing the axle bolt.

I had one bearing fail at 45k and the other one slowly go until 87k. Junk in my mind. Those were SFK bearings from the factory, BTW. The axle bolt is 148ft/lb with 180. Not too hard with a 24" breaker bar. If your rotors are stuck, remember that half the lug nut holes provide you access to the rotor. Put some PB Blaster in their to help the process. Worst case, you can remove the rotor with the hub and break them loose off the car easier.

[paulvina]

My Alltrack was making a kind of rattling noise that got worse when I loaded the front right corner but wasn’t super noticeable above about 30 and wasn’t a growl and it doesn’t change with speed. I took everything apart and the bearing was 100% bad. I replaced it and the nose was gone for a couple of days and returned. Upper strut mount or ball joint maybe?