Help, noisy rear end suspect diff...

[DJones]

Another way of finding out which bearing has gone is to jack the rear of the car up and spin the wheels by hand, while you spinning the wheel with one hand hold the strut with the other and feel for and ruffness and vibration through the strut. This is normaly a sign long before noise is heard just by spinning the wheel.

Yep hold the spring it will amplify the rumble if it's their. As for the diff drop the oil out, if it's dirty something is breaking down, if it's clean it's ok. Rear diffs have no combustion deposits or synchroniser residue so should stay clean'ish if all ok...

Darren.

[s2driveruk]

I have the same issue Steve - MOT passed but a notice on the rear wheel bearings. My diff is a tad noiser than i remember but i think half my problem is a worn centre mount on the prop too...all in all its bloody noisy once upto speed but not sure what is transmitting what noise where

[benntenn67]

S2 woes

... A bit late adding to this but, I'm going with a bad wheel bearing as the cause of the noise - also the disco rear lights I'd put down to a bad earth, probably water/corrosion in the lamp cluster

[re2500]

I'd say it sounds like wheel bearing too. Very plausable that the bearing is noisy without any noticable play yet.

[QuattroFever]

+1 bearing. Had to replace one rear already. On motorway slight rights would drive silent. Once you straighten up or turn left(load up right susp leg) could hear it blatantly. Also no play in wheel.

[europeanme]

sorry to follow the crowd but the way your explaining it, its identical to the noise on my avant....wheel bearing sat in the front passenger footwell for the past 6 months....

[Fat Audi 80]

Wheel bearing would be my first guess too. As above they need to be pretty ****ed before an MOT man will bat an eyelid

If you want Steve I have a pair of rear hub carriers you could borrow to refurb and fit new beaings in, then it's a straight swap same day etc. Bearings you can get for £25 each

Thanks Alex, that is a kind offer, I will let you know.

How difficult is the bearing to press in and out? Presumably I need to go to a garage to do this. (I haven't searched yet, far too busy in my new job to piss about on the internet, and I don't seem to get much time for this place in the evening....)

I will try and get the car up in the air Thurs night and have another check.

Cheers,

Steve

[Fat Audi 80]

Thanks for all the advice chaps, I am not going to get depressed about a diff swap in a single garage yet and go with the wheel bearing for now.

Cheers,

Steve

[johne]

Steve,

+1 more for bearing especially as I've had to replace my N/S rear twice in 165,000 miles.

It's not difficult to change the bearing but it does need a press so you will have to find somewhere with one to take the housing to. Once you've done that it only takes a few minutes.

John

[andy10v]

Thanks Alex, that is a kind offer, I will let you know.

How difficult is the bearing to press in and out? Presumably I need to go to a garage to do this. (I haven't searched yet, far too busy in my new job to piss about on the internet, and I don't seem to get much time for this place in the evening....)

I will try and get the car up in the air Thurs night and have another check.

Cheers,

Steve

When I have done wheel bearings I removed the strut complete with hub carrier (to retain alignment) undid the abs connector in the engine bay and under the rear seat (so as not to disturb the abs sensor in the hub carrier) I then removed the old bearing and took the the hub carrier/strut along with a new bearing to a garage with a press so all they had to do was press it straight in. (I didn't have any sockets or tubes the right size to do it myself)

So crack hub nut on the ground
Crack of wheel bolts
Jack up and remove wheel
Disconnect drop link
Disconnect abs sensor
Remove brake caliper/carrier/disc and hang caliper on something (not the strut) (might have to undo a flexi? I cant remember if you can unclip it from the strut?)
Split tie rod end ball joint
Split lower balljoint on wishbone
Remove driveshaft from hub assembly
Unbolt strut in engine bay

You should then have the strut off complete and can them remove the hub, and the bearing from the hub carrier. The hub may come out with the inner race on it, leaving the outer race in the hub carrier. New bearing in and refit, replace stretch bolts etc as desired.

I think there might be diagrams for and in situ puller on here somewhere. (could be useful for sizes if you want to get pipe on hand for support if you are doing a diy press). Good time to replace top mounts again as well

Took me an afternoon to do two the first time.

Hope that is some help.

I have also changed the rear diff on the driveway 3 times by myself, hardest part is lining up the two driveshafts and the rear diff mount whilst holding up the diff with one hand. It is doable in an hour or so if all comes undone. Just make sure the bit is seated in the prop/driveshaft bolts.

[Fat Audi 80]

Thanks Andy, sound advice...

[Error404]

if you send me the bearing Steve I can press it in for you

[Fat Audi 80]

It gets better! Thanks Alex will let you know mate.

[Fat Audi 80]

Just managed to start looking at this, ADI coming up is a great motivator! Now that the driveshaft is out, can anyone explain what I am looking at? There appears to be s splined inner inside the bearing itself which the driveshaft fits into. How do you get the inner out? Does it need a press, or do you drive or pull it out? I still have the hub in place, does this need to come off to press out the bearing? Any advice or pics appreciated....

[AndyP]

Yes, you need to take the hub off to press the bearing out. There's an old thread by Graham where he shows how to make a tool to pull the bearing out in situ, but I think it's easier to press them out.