A4 Rear End humming noise

Hi all, I have a problem and I hope some of you might be able to give me
some help. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro, 5 speed. It has 60K miles on it. In
the last week or so I've noticed that there seems to be a humming type of
noise coming from the right rear (I think...sometimes noise can be
deceiving). The sound almost seems like the noise you used to get when you
put snow tires on a car. My tires are in excellent shape, so I don't think
they are the problem.
The sound is more noticable at higher speeds and increases as speed
increases. If I put the clutch in, or shift to neutral at a high speed
(60mph or so), the sound remains. I haven't noticed this sound before this.
I am thinking something in a bearing or axle? What are your thoughts?
Anyone experience anything similar to this?
I'm not too familiar with Audi running gear (axles, bearings, CV joints,
etc.), but I am a pretty fair backyard mechanic, so I will be able to
comprehend any suggestions. Any help or suggestions would be greatly
appreciated. Thank You

"Haywood" > wrote in message
. net...
> Hi all, I have a problem and I hope some of you might be able to give me
> some help. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro, 5 speed. It has 60K miles on it. In
> the last week or so I've noticed that there seems to be a humming type of
> noise coming from the right rear (I think...sometimes noise can be
> deceiving). The sound almost seems like the noise you used to get when you
> put snow tires on a car. My tires are in excellent shape, so I don't
think
> they are the problem.
> The sound is more noticable at higher speeds and increases as speed
> increases. If I put the clutch in, or shift to neutral at a high speed
> (60mph or so), the sound remains. I haven't noticed this sound before
this.
> I am thinking something in a bearing or axle? What are your thoughts?
> Anyone experience anything similar to this?
> I'm not too familiar with Audi running gear (axles, bearings, CV joints,
> etc.), but I am a pretty fair backyard mechanic, so I will be able to
> comprehend any suggestions. Any help or suggestions would be greatly
> appreciated. Thank You

Wheel Bearings

Wheels Bearings

Wheels Bearings

)

Hope this helps, A4's eat em

In article >,
says...
>
> "Haywood" > wrote in message
> . net...
> > Hi all, I have a problem and I hope some of you might be able to give me
> > some help. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro, 5 speed. It has 60K miles on it. In
> > the last week or so I've noticed that there seems to be a humming type of
> > noise coming from the right rear (I think...sometimes noise can be
> > deceiving). The sound almost seems like the noise you used to get when you
> > put snow tires on a car. My tires are in excellent shape, so I don't
> think
> > they are the problem.
> > The sound is more noticable at higher speeds and increases as speed
> > increases. If I put the clutch in, or shift to neutral at a high speed
> > (60mph or so), the sound remains. I haven't noticed this sound before
> this.
> > I am thinking something in a bearing or axle? What are your thoughts?
> > Anyone experience anything similar to this?
> > I'm not too familiar with Audi running gear (axles, bearings, CV joints,
> > etc.), but I am a pretty fair backyard mechanic, so I will be able to
> > comprehend any suggestions. Any help or suggestions would be greatly
> > appreciated. Thank You
>
> Wheel Bearings
>
> Wheels Bearings
>
> Wheels Bearings
>
> )
>
> Hope this helps, A4's eat em
>
>
>
Thanks for the tip...are they tapered? Any idea how hard they are to
replace...I don't have an A4 repair manual yet? Thanks again

Haywood wrote:
> In article >,
> says...
>
>>"Haywood" > wrote in message
c.net...
>>
>>>Hi all, I have a problem and I hope some of you might be able to give me
>>>some help. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro, 5 speed. It has 60K miles on it. In
>>>the last week or so I've noticed that there seems to be a humming type of
>>>noise coming from the right rear (I think...sometimes noise can be
>>>deceiving). The sound almost seems like the noise you used to get when you
>>>put snow tires on a car. My tires are in excellent shape, so I don't
>>
>>think
>>
>>>they are the problem.
>>>The sound is more noticable at higher speeds and increases as speed
>>>increases. If I put the clutch in, or shift to neutral at a high speed
>>>(60mph or so), the sound remains. I haven't noticed this sound before
>>
>>this.
>>
>>>I am thinking something in a bearing or axle? What are your thoughts?
>>>Anyone experience anything similar to this?
>>>I'm not too familiar with Audi running gear (axles, bearings, CV joints,
>>>etc.), but I am a pretty fair backyard mechanic, so I will be able to
>>>comprehend any suggestions. Any help or suggestions would be greatly
>>>appreciated. Thank You
>>
>>Wheel Bearings
>>
>>Wheels Bearings
>>
>>Wheels Bearings
>>
>>)
>>
>>Hope this helps, A4's eat em
>>
>>
>>
>
> Thanks for the tip...are they tapered? Any idea how hard they are to
> replace...I don't have an A4 repair manual yet? Thanks again

No. Not tapered. They are about 4" in diameter and pressed into the strut. The
bearing includes an outer and inner bearing in one assembly.

You will need to remove the strut and press the bearing out and the new one back
in while being careful of the ABS sensor. Really not to badoa job if you have
the tools.

The best is to use a bearing tool like a hub Shark so it can be done without
removing the strut.

At 60M it sounds like a good time to replace the rear pads as well.

TonyJ
98.5 A4 1.8TQ 5spd APR

"Tony" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> >
> > Thanks for the tip...are they tapered? Any idea how hard they are to
> > replace...I don't have an A4 repair manual yet? Thanks again
>
> No. Not tapered. They are about 4" in diameter and pressed into the strut.
The
> bearing includes an outer and inner bearing in one assembly.
>
> You will need to remove the strut and press the bearing out and the new
one back
> in while being careful of the ABS sensor. Really not to badoa job if you
have
> the tools.
>
> The best is to use a bearing tool like a hub Shark so it can be done
without
> removing the strut.
>
> At 60M it sounds like a good time to replace the rear pads as well.
>
> TonyJ
> 98.5 A4 1.8TQ 5spd APR

They are still really hard to do though, my garage had to take them to a
special place to have them pressed out as they didnt have a press man
enough.

On the good side though the bearings are sealed so they wont fail they just
keep getting louder and louder untill you can no longer bear it anymore

>
> On the good side though the bearings are sealed so they wont fail they
> just
> keep getting louder and louder untill you can no longer bear it anymore
>
>

They do fail. If you let go too long they'll take out the hub and the hub
carrier.
The hub carrier = very expensive.

Very easy to do if you have a arbor press or something like a hub tamer.
I just did my rears I few week ago. About a 3 hour job once you know how to
do it, 4 or 5 the first time.

--Vic

In article >,
says...
> >
> > On the good side though the bearings are sealed so they wont fail they
> > just
> > keep getting louder and louder untill you can no longer bear it anymore
> >
> >
>
> They do fail. If you let go too long they'll take out the hub and the hub
> carrier.
> The hub carrier = very expensive.
>
> Very easy to do if you have a arbor press or something like a hub tamer.
> I just did my rears I few week ago. About a 3 hour job once you know how to
> do it, 4 or 5 the first time.
>
> --Vic
>
>
>
Thanks for all the advice. I had a local mechanic do the job. Actually I did
both sides. Why chance it? The bill was $509 including a 4 wheel alignment.
Was that a fair price? Anyway, I'm happy that my A4 is quiet again.

Not bad, not cheap but not outrageous. The dealer wanted $1200 to do all
four on my car.

I said forget it and did it myself. I paid $120 for rear bearing and $270
for a hubtamer.
Now I have the tools on top of getting the job done for less than the
dealer.

The parts are $120, labor is four hours for 2 rear bearings, $300, 4 wheel
alignment =$80.
Local garage get about 75/hour so total is about right.

>>
> Thanks for all the advice. I had a local mechanic do the job. Actually I
> did
> both sides. Why chance it? The bill was $509 including a 4 wheel
> alignment.
> Was that a fair price? Anyway, I'm happy that my A4 is quiet again.

In article > ,
Haywood > wrote:
>>
>Thanks for all the advice. I had a local mechanic do the job. Actually I did
>both sides. Why chance it? The bill was $509 including a 4 wheel alignment.
>Was that a fair price? Anyway, I'm happy that my A4 is quiet again.

It was a bit under $300 for a local shop to do one of mine and a bit over
that for the dealer to do the other. (They didn't fail at the same time.)

--
John Carr )