A4 B8 front wheel bearing - bolt torques?

[Mr Zap]

Hi. Does anyone have info on the torque settings for the bearing and hub bolts for the front of an A4 B8 (2ltr '08 reg) please?

Also, this car seems to have 19mm "inverted" hub bolts, i.e. I'll need a hex adaptor like used on motorbikes. Amazon have several but has anyone got any recommendations for one which fits and won't shear the minute I lean on it?!

Thanks.

[Crasher]

Off the top of my head, the screw head is M14 and the design is known as an ZXN. I can look the torque spec up tomorrow but one thing I will warn you about is these cast iron bearings corrode solidly into the alloy upright and can be almost impossible to remove.

[Mr Zap]

Nearly got the job done yesterday.....

Funny enough the bearing came out easier than expected. Shifting the 12 point spline bolts was tough though, needed two of us on a double-ended 1/2" breaker bar with the leg clamped to a bench! Once released though, whacking them got it out.

It was only on reassembly that I noticed the lower ball joint clamp bolt wasn't seated and on investigation found it was sheared, must have been like that since we got the car! Obviously I can't leave it like that so the job is stalled pending trying to get the remaining part of the bolt out of the casting .... ??

[Crasher]

We did one Friday morning on a 2015 A4 Avant and I was dreading it, we had been fobbing the customer off since lockdown but my mechanic Matt is back now. He put the striking tool on and the bearing came out after three blows with a 4lb copper hammer. The lower ball joints are VERY prone to failure, I would guess someone did the joint before you bought it and did not use a new bolt, they are strictly one time only TTY.

[Mr Zap]

Hmm the lower ball joint doesn't look very new, but who knows? I have had success though, my good friend and local(ish) mechanic has managed to get the sheared bolt out. Just need a new bolt now, plus perhps a new joint too while I'm at it!