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The short version
- An A4 wheel bearing is chosen by measurement on most years, not by trim or engine.
- The early cars split a different way. Front wheel drive and quattro used separate numbers from 1998 to 2008.
- 513301 and 512574 both appear across the same years at both ends, for a 15mm or a 19mm inner ring.
- Rear coverage runs out first. A 2016 quattro and any 2017 rear sit past the catalogs.
Every other vehicle on this site splits on a drivetrain, a trim, or a build date. Across most of its life an A4 wheel bearing splits on numbers you take with calipers instead.
The early cars, 1998 to 2008, split by drivetrain first. Front wheel drive and quattro used different parts.
The inner ring length
513301 is cataloged for a 15mm inner ring length and 512574 for a 19mm one. Both appear under the same years and the same engines.
The quattro rear repeats the same split from 2009 to 2015. Nothing in the vehicle description tells the two apart.
The same pair runs through the A5 listings too, so this is a family trait rather than an A4 quirk.
The other two dimensions
512305 covers the 2005 to 2008 front, with a 45mm or 43mm bore qualifier. The same number also covers 2002 to 2004 on all drivetrains, before that bore split existed.
On the 2015 to 2017 cars the split is outside diameter instead, 512566 at 80mm and 513379 at 85mm.
Three different measurements decide three different eras. That is unusual enough to be worth saying plainly.
Front wheel drive or quattro, on the early cars
The front hub differs by engine on the earliest cars. 510020 covers the four cylinder and 510019 the V6, both front wheel drive, from 1998 to 2001.
Quattro front used its own number, 510069, across 1998 to 2002. The rear repeats the split, with its own quattro and front wheel drive numbers through 2001.
Confirm the drivetrain before ordering anything from this era. That is on the front versus rear page.
A4 wheel bearing part numbers
| Years | Detail | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Rear, past the catalogs | match old part or VIN |
| 2016 | Rear, Quattro, past the catalogs | match old part or VIN |
| 2016 | Rear, front wheel drive | 512598 check price |
| 2015 to 2017 | Front, 80mm outside diameter | 512566 check price |
| 2015 to 2017 | Front, 85mm outside diameter | 513379 check price |
| 2010 to 2016 | Front, 15mm inner ring length | 513301 check price |
| 2010 to 2016 | Front, 19mm inner ring length | 512574 check price |
| 2010 to 2015 | Rear, Quattro and S4, 15mm inner ring length | 513301 check price |
| 2010 to 2015 | Rear, Quattro and S4, 19mm inner ring length | 512574 check price |
| 2009 to 2015 | Rear, 32mm inside diameter | 512557 check price |
| 2009 | Front, 2.0T and 3.2, 45mm or 43mm bearing ID | 512305 check price |
| 2009 | Front, 2.0T and 3.2, 15mm inner ring length | 513301 check price |
| 2009 | Front, 2.0T and 3.2, 19mm inner ring length | 512574 check price |
| 2009 | Rear, Quattro, 15mm inner ring length | 513301 check price |
| 2009 | Rear, Quattro, 19mm inner ring length | 512574 check price |
| 2009 | Rear, Base | WE60688 check price |
| 2009 | Rear, Cabriolet | WE61477 check price |
| 2009 | Rear, Quattro, parallel listing | WE60683 check price |
| 2005 to 2008 | Front, 45mm or 43mm bore | 512305 check price |
| 2005 to 2007 | Rear | 512231 check price |
| 2002 to 2008 | Rear, front wheel drive | 512231 check price |
| 2002 to 2008 | Rear, Quattro | 510019 check price |
| 2002 to 2004 | Front, all drivetrains | 512305 check price |
| 1998 to 2002 | Front, Quattro | 510069 check price |
| 1998 to 2001 | Front, front wheel drive, L4 engine | 510020 check price |
| 1998 to 2001 | Front, front wheel drive, V6 engine | 510019 check price |
| 1998 to 2001 | Rear, Quattro | 510020 check price |
| 1998 to 2001 | Rear, front wheel drive, serviceable set, inner seal | 1962 check price |
| 1998 to 2001 | Rear, front wheel drive, serviceable set, inner race set | SET8 check price |
| 1998 to 2001 | Rear, front wheel drive, serviceable set, outer race set | SET2 check price |
Every model year this chart resolves: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The 1998 to 2008 cars split by drivetrain. The 2009 and later cars split by a dimension instead, with quattro and front wheel drive sharing the same two rear numbers.
512231 also appears twice at the rear for overlapping years, once as a wide 2002 to 2008 citation and once as a narrower 2005 to 2007 range. Both point at the same part.
The serviceable rear bearing on the earliest cars
The 1998 to 2001 front wheel drive rear uses a serviceable tapered bearing set rather than a bolt on hub. It takes a seal and two separate race sets, inner and outer.
That design predates the cartridge hub the rest of this page covers. Order all three pieces together, not just the one that looks worn.
Cross referencing individual pieces against a full kit is on the cross reference page.
How to take the measurement
- Get the old part off first. Guessing from a photograph does not work here.
- Use calipers, not a rule. Four millimeters is the whole difference on the inner ring.
- Measure the inner ring length along the axis, not across the face.
- Measure the outside diameter on the newest cars, since that is what splits them.
- Write the number down before cleaning, in case markings come off with the corrosion.
Most of this range presses in, so budget for that tooling or a shop that has it. That is on the press in page.
Diagnosing an A4 wheel bearing
- Confirm the failure fully before ordering, since the right box depends on a measurement you cannot take until the part is out.
- Weave at road speed and note which side loads the noise.
- Coast in neutral to separate engine noise from bearing noise.
- Rock the wheel at twelve and six with it raised.
- Compare hub temperatures across the axle after a drive.
Those steps are on the checking page and the tire noise page.
Price links lead to Amazon searches for that number. As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases.
Common questions
How do I know which A4 wheel bearing I need?
Measure the old one on 2002 and later cars. On 1998 to 2001 cars, confirm the drivetrain and the engine instead.
Can I work it out from the year and engine alone?
Not on the 2009 to 2016 cars. Both inner ring lengths appear under the same years and engines.
Did the early cars really split by drivetrain?
Yes. Front wheel drive and quattro used different numbers at both ends from 1998 through 2008.
What about a 2016 or 2017 rear?
The quattro rear sits past the catalogs from 2016, and every rear does from 2017. Match the old part or the VIN.
Do I need a press?
On most of the range, yes. Budget for the tooling or for a shop.