So it is time to do the rear wheel bearings. I've pushed it a little bit, but they only howl slightly (although noticeably); nothing I'm not used to in my Bronco with mudders.

Doing this job, I'm running into the typical issues. I've started with the driver';s side if that matters.

* ABS sensor took some wigglin' to get out. It came out unbroken and un-mangled.

* Control arm ball joint came loose before the nut was all the way off - still workin' that issue. Going to use the clamp a little different when I heard back into the garage.

* The camber adjustment bolt, the real problem - the nut snapped the bolt right off!!! Everything is frozen up in there, almost like the bolt is rusted to the inner sleeve in the bushing (there is a metal sleeve in that bushing right?). Hitting it with a 3pound sledge and drift is doing nothing but making noise, almost like if the car were laughing at me!!

Any advice?

I have a 12T press and adapters and everything else (minus a new camber bolt), but cannot mount the CAR in the press to get this bolt out. I'm considering a ball joint press to press the bolt out and see what happens. Also considered cutting the bolt at the front (towards the head) but that will ruin bushings and everything else along the way.

I found one thread from March I think (big wheel bearing month here I guess) where the guy had the same problem (in MD), and took it to a shop to solve. He was not sure what they said they used, but he mentioned a press while it was on the car (which is where my idea for ball joint press came from). But there have been no other tales of this misery of mine that I can find.

Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated guys and dolls.

If I weren't oncall, I'd be drinking. More...

--MIKE--

 

Well I had mine done by a guy that works for my dad cuz he was out of work for the day and the same thing happend. I think he used a air hammer to get it out though. Its pretty typical to happen from what he said.

 

Well, the ball joint press was a no-go. The bolt is more easily turned (I've been hitting it with PB Blaster for hours now), but the press just pinched the two sides of the lower control arm. Of course I have an air chisel/hammer, but it is at the other house 100 miles away, along with the air compressor (which cannot drive the thing anyway, stupid pancake). So I guess I'll hit Home Deport tomorrow and rent a compressor and air chisel and try to pump that bolt out.

P.I.T.A. I tell ya. And the other side is likely going to be no different.

--MIKE--

 

same problem happened with me. we were hammering it with a 4lb sledge and still nothing. i took it to the stealership and they had to cut it out. the control arm your talking about is the smaller lower one on the rear right? we had trouble with that too. you should really take it to the stealership and let them take care of it. we use a nut splitters to get that nut off. ya the wheel bearings are a PITA on these cars unless you can get the spindle out. for future reference, the bas sensor can be undone at the harness under the rear seats so and you don't need the sensor out of the hub to press the bearings in and out. upstatenya4(jeremy) and i have done 2 cars and they were both a PITA. we even killed a 6 ton press in the process lol

 

Any other suggestions to getting this bolt out? I'm trying to replace my control arms (bushings bad) on a 99 A4 Quattro, but the bolt holding the two upper control arms is frozen. Used a breaker bar, but stopped before I twisted the head of the bolt off. Biggie size hammer didn't do a thing. I hate to pay a shop to do this for me. Any other suggestions? Also, I've read some threads about getting a grease gun with a needle and injecting that into the ball joints to stop the squeaking noise (happens when I press down on the car). Anyone have success with this? Thanks

 

mjwhiat, you're talking about the front end? This thread is about the rear end, quite a different setup/problem.

On topic for this one, I've ordered the bushings for the bottom of the knuckle and a new bolt and nut. I'll be breaking out the sawzall later to fix this thing good. When all else fails, cut!

 

if cutting doesn't do it, drill, if drilling doesn't do it your fugged

 

Yes, sorry about that. Talking about the front end and understand it's a different set up, but the problem is the same--suspension bolt exposed to the elements frozen in place. Looks like force and more force is the answer, until something breaks and then it's money and more money! Think I'll try a grease gun with a needle and see if that stops the squeaking.

 

mjwhiat, my upper bolt on the rear was also as exposed, but was no problem getting out. I believe the difference is that my upper was a solid cylindrical bolt, whereas the bottom has the groove so that when the bolat is moved, both washers (head end and nut end) rotate the same. This leaves a groove for water to enter and rust/corrosion to start. Not sure if that is the say deal you are looking at.

Greasing cannot hurt, it might fix it, or it might now. Either way, you are not out much. You could try heat on the nut being careful to keep the heat from the rubber bits.

 

I've been in and out of front and back setups on my 96 quattro and I've got to say that soaking the bolts and nuts in PB Blaster for at least a day in advance makes a world of difference. After snapping the head off the bolt I guess it just comes down to determination, Good Luck. I have to get in and replace a wheel bearing right now also, and I don't even know if it's front or back this time.