123quattro

Well, my car started making a very distinct clunking from the left rear wheel that is speed dependent. It kind of sounds like the chain used to haul cars up the track on a roller coaster. It is only speed dependent and cornering has no affect on it. I'm guessing it's the outer CV joint. Any one else have experience with this? It doesn't sound anything like a wheel bearing. That said, I'm going to put it up on a lift tomorrow and take a thorough look at it. Assuming it's the joint, it will get a new halfshaft. I guess my next question is should the bearing be replaced while the shaft is out? On my other Audis I've had wheel bearings fail relatively shortly after changing the halfshaft out. Just wondering if the bearings mind this in these cars.

Thanks for any advice

James-man

Absolute ditto on the question. Sound advice will be immediately appreciated by two 928 guys at once.

NickT

To get the half shaft out your really all ready there to replace the bearing. Just a matter of pulling the carrier completely off and pressing the bearings out and in. If I remember right they were in the $70 range when I did mine.

I think I would do it.

JHowell37

If the bearings are original, replace them.

Garth S

The double cage rear bearings can outlast the car ... so first determine the current problem. If it is the CV, and the wheel spins smoothly with the halfshaft removed, I'd be inclined to leave the bearing alone.
The halfshaft can be an easy DIY: so can the carrier removal ... but the stub removal from the carrier is likely a trip to the machine shop, followed by a trip to the alignment rack when assembled.

Otherwise, prevailing logic might indicate that if one bearing is replaced, why stop there ... do the other side too

blown 87

Mine didn't.

JHowell37

I've never seen that style of bearing last more then 100K miles, and it's most likely less then that.

Jim bailey - 928 International

The rear wheel bearings are quite robust and have a low fail rate. Many easily exceed 100,000 miles.

Mrmerlin

replace the half shaft and retighten things, spinning the wheel without the halfshaft installed might not tell you if the bearing is still good, it needs to have the shaft in it to work properly.The hub flange may keep things tight enough for spinning but the CV joint being torqued is the best way to test the bearing. The bearing can also be replaced with the housing in the car its a bit of heating with a MAP gas torch , and you must have the new bearing in the freezer for atleast 2 hours to cold soak it before reinstalling it into the heated carrier. Its a good bet that if one half shaft is bad then the other isnt far behind, so you might get a deal if you buy 2 , as always then the halfshaft system will be good for another 15 to 20 years. If you do remove the bearing then pay carful attention to the lower link pin this goes through the lower shock mount, the RR is more commonly bent due to hitting curbs and such, a used link pin will work. Stan

123quattro

Well, it turns out it wasn't the rear halfshaft at all. Last weekend I was adjusting my parking brake so it would work. Well, the cable broke after I tensioned it. Fast forward to yesterday. The piece that pushes the brake shoes apart popped out since it wasn't held in by the cable, I guess when I hit a bump. It was rubbing against one of the wheel studs making the noise I mistook for for the CV. 3 hours after work tonight and it's fixed.

WICruiser

Great news - a brake reapir is certainly preferred to a half shaft replacement.