So... this one has a little history. Had a bit of a knock in my VRS 3 years ago now. Front left side has never been completely right since then. shortly after having my engine changed I had to get a bearing change which at 30,000 miles I found quite unusual to start with. Got the bearing done and all was well with the world for about 6 months until one evening I could hear a kind of grinding noise coming from the front left side brake disc. After a lot of confusion and a bit fiddling I could see that the bearing had slightly shifted outwards and was causing the disc to grind across the carrier when on full lock but for some bizarre reason this happened only when reversing on full lock. also, when driving at slow speeds ABS would burst on and off randomly when braking, at higher speeds when braking this would cause my ESP to kick out and then after that there was absolutely no grinding at all until the car was turned off and on and the ESP was back in.

 

after returning the car to the garage they confirmed that the bearing had infact worked it's way out. The bearing was re-pressed and again was great for about 4 months and now the same problem but without the brake disc grinding, just the ESP issues and ABS bursting on and off.

 

My first thoughts were a dodgy bearing but for the original and a replacement to be having issues I'm wondering whether my hub may be the issue here? I've got a friend who works in the aviation industry who's happy to check whether the hub or bearing is out of shape but I'm more worried about what would have caused this in the first place.

 

might also be worth noting that the front right tyre has worn immensely on the inside which I believe could also be as a result of what's happening on the front left wheel.

 

Any suggestions would be great.

 

Thanks.

Bearing has probably been damaged by fitting without the correct tooling for Gen2 type assemblies. It must not be pressed in by the hub, but by a surface behind there that's impossible to access without the special tools. This assumes that Mk2 Fabia uses the same combined bearing/hub as Mk1; I'd be surprised if that isn't the case though.  If they are pressed in by the hub, that's effectively pushing the inner of the bearing, so all the fitting forces are transmitted to the outer by the bearing itself, which it isn't designed to cope with.

 

Thanks for the response. This would make complete sense. So providing this is my issue - does this mean my best bet is to get it sorted by skoda (who seem to want to charge insane amounts for a bloody bearing) or could a local garage with the correct knowledge do this?

 

This is what it looked like before having it repressed which looks to me like a result of not pressing it correctly as you've said.

 

 

Edited 5 October, 20169 yr by daz1412

Watch this video, then ask any garage you ask to do the job whether they have the tooling you see in the vid.  If they don't seem to know what you're talking about, steer clear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEHRcL06fhA

Thank you. This has been driving me up the wall! pay cheap, pay twice I guess.

Damaged bearing race or not, if the outer was pressed home there is no way it should work its way out, if you had issues with the bearing itself having play fair enough, but the outer should not be able to work its way out regardless of being pressed in with the correct tool or a 200 pound gorilla with a sledgehammer.

 

I suspect it was never fully 'home' in the first place.

Edited 5 October, 20169 yr by SuperbTWM

For the original bearing to go at 30,000 I think there must be something causing this.

 

I had this bearing pressed a second time and it's happening again. So you're also thinking just a new bearing then?

Just got off the phone with skoda who have quoted me near enough £250 to change the bearing. call me tight but there's no chance in hell I'm paying that.

 

Could someone maybe link me to the correct bearing just be 100% sure I get the correct one.

 

Thanks.

Being a front bearing, there would be a circlip to stop it moving towards the centre line of the vehicle, and outwards movement would be controlled by the hub nut, so no way it could move. As said, if the bearing isn't pressed correctly, then the forces involved would transfer to the bearing itself, rather than the race. I suspect the correct tightening procedure hasn't been followed, thus leading to incorrect preload on the bearing assembly, and the resulting problems. If you think about it, the LH wheel rotates anticlockwise - the same direction as the nut will undo, so incorrect torqueing will lead to the nut undoing itself in the time frame you are talking about.

Hmmm, never thought of that. so maybe the best plan of action here is a new bearing (don't think it makes sense to repress a third time, surely?) press the new bearing and make sure everything is tightened correctly. May seem a silly question but do you know the correct torque for these? I have the means to press the bearing and the tools to be able to do this myself.

Found it - 45NM + 45 degrees according to the tech data I have here for a 2010 vRS Fabia

Edited 5 October, 20169 yr by octyal

Being a front bearing, there would be a circlip to stop it moving towards the centre line of the vehicle, and outwards movement would be controlled by the hub nut, so no way it could move. As said, if the bearing isn't pressed correctly, then the forces involved would transfer to the bearing itself, rather than the race. I suspect the correct tightening procedure hasn't been followed, thus leading to incorrect preload on the bearing assembly, and the resulting problems. If you think about it, the LH wheel rotates anticlockwise - the same direction as the nut will undo, so incorrect torqueing will lead to the nut undoing itself in the time frame you are talking about.

It isn't like that with this type, have a look at the pic I posted and the video.  No circlip.

Can't see the pics or video on work PC :( - the description is generic anyway, most fwd cars would have a circlip to retain the bearing on one side, and use the hub nut on the other.

Can't see the pics or video on work PC :( - the description is generic anyway, most fwd cars would have a circlip to retain the bearing on one side, and use the hub nut on the other.

But not a Fabia.

So, my plan of action is to ask my local vw specialist if they will press the bearing for me. I'll do all the other work myself. Could anyone be kind enough to point me in the direction of the correct bearing? I've seen some with built in sensors and some without, which do I need?

 

Thanks.

The thing is they shouldn't be pressing the bearing in at all.

so what exactly do I need done to the bearing? I'm capiable of removing everything but as far as I was aware the bearing has to be pressed? I'm a little confused now haha, sorry.

 

all I want is the bearing in the hub (correctly). I can remove and put everything back on myself.

Edited 6 October, 20169 yr by daz1412

What year and engine code is your car? With that info I may be able to find you a part number, but why not let the specialist garage sort that too, then it's at their risk if they get it wrong?

I suspect what Tech1e is getting at is that you need the tooling shown in the vid, and once you have that, you don't need a press.

 

Cheap copies of the tooling can now be found, but durability is probably rather low. That may not matter for the DIY'er. I used such tooling to extract that bearing/hub in my photo above, but it took a looong breaker bar to start the thing moving, with stripped bearing carrier in a sturdy vice on a heavy workbench. May be easier on a newer model admittedly. Haven't tried using it for fitting yet, the removal was just a practice run on a spare bearing-housing, 2003 era.

He has a 60 Plate Mk2 vRS CAVE that got a replacement engine fitted.  & various problems afterwords thanks to next to useless technicians.

As offski said, mk2 vrs 2010, cave engine. Had a lot of trouble since the engine change so not fancying taking it back to Skoda. Not fancying someone charging me stupid prices when all I need done is for the bearing to be put into the hub haha. Since they done the engine I've had this left side off enough to be able to put it back on in my sleep haha.

This page suggests a part number of 6R0407621E (1st item 8) assuming your front brake PR code is one of those listed in the Model Data section.  But note that it says cancelled under the part number, so there's probably a different number that supersedes that (why it doesn't tell you that number, I don't know).  I wouldn't be confident enough in that part number to say 'take my word for it, it's right', just the best I can do with what's online.

 

I understand you not wanting pay dealership labour rates, but the VW specialist will presumably be a step down from that in price.  Why not take the whole car to them, show them the bearing as-is; describe the problems you have. See what they say. Get quotes for these scenarios:

1) drive in, drive out, no parts supplied. "Just fix it" 

2) drive in, drive out bearing supplied by you (if they agree that it needs replacement).

3) walk in, walk out, bearing and stripped bearing carrier supplied to them. 

 

Then you'll have all the options and costs. Don't forget, me saying the bearing needs replacing is just an amateur on a forum, better to get someone qualified looking close-up at the reality.

 

 

Edit: that part number I've suggested leads to an ebay listing for a genuine part from a company I've used several times. They are very helpful.  I'd be tempted to give them a ring or message with your VIN or reg number and see if that part number is right.  There's also a couple of part numbers listed as supersessions which may be handy.  FAG make genuine items, I believe, but may well not be the only company who do.

Edited 7 October, 20169 yr by Wino

Thank you very much for your help. with the history I've had I'm without a doubt changing the bearing due to it already being pressed twice. I'll take it to a specialist and see what they say.

 

will keep this updated.

 

Thanks.

 

EDIT: Just spoke to someone at a local vw specialist. they're gonna price up all the options of me providing a bearing, them providing everything and just pressing a bearing for me.

Edited 7 October, 20169 yr by daz1412

No problem.

Just a quick update on this.

 

stripped the left side down, after a few set backs with not being able to get the hub nut off, I got there. luckily a friend of mine works in aviation and was able to take a few MM off the outside of the socket was able to get the hub nut off.

Got the bearing pressed for £15 at CIVS in Cardiff who were keen to know the history. Fitted the nice new shiny bearing and it's not safe to say it's all good. I never realised just how much sound the old bearing was causing.

 

However, One for the people who may remember my mysterious knocking noise which was coming from both sides on full lock. That has mysteriously disappeared. Been driving it for a good couple of weeks now and I've not heard it once. Confused, but i'll take it.

 

Thanks for the help.