DumpTTruck

Ya most people replace because of the noise. The actual bearing usually has no play to speak of.

DumpTTruck

Mostly because the unit bearings can't be maintained. Once the grease breaks down you're up shyte creek.

JustJeff

well, yeah, that would be a clue.

esanmiguel

It looks like part of the ball bearings just stopped turning and was scouring the inner race. There was enough grease in there, what broke is the plastic guides that keep all the ball bearings in place.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/102944/outer.jpg">

XCLR8TT

I think it would be a pretty damn good clue. ;-p

Audiboy

at least each time I have to replace the brakes. Car has 250K miles.

My Mitsu SUV front bearings gave out at ~120K. The rears are bad now at around 135K. They are also open bearings. In both cases, they didn't get loud, but as the race wore out, there was excessive play.

I replaced my wife's Integra front sealed bearings around 140K. Now at 200K, I think I hear the tranny side.

My A4 rear bearings gave out at 110K. Fronts are still good at 140K it has now.

So in retrospect with all my long term cars, my audi bearings seem to fair well. I can't complain - specially my most abused cars are the Audis.

OndrejAudiA420

mine go bad pretty quick too, especially with wheel spacers

bobbyH

Several hundred miles on one. I could not believe how loud it was until it was fixed!