Check your break lines...

[autigers35a3]

FYI. Check your brake lines. I heard today about a A3 owner that had a brake line leak onto the wheel bearings. Brake fluid melted the grease on his bearings and melted the bearing on the axle.
He is looking at replacing the axle due to the cost of the bearing being more than a NOS front axle.

 

[Tlauden]

Wow, thanks for the heads up!

 

[FL_Frank]

Thanks for the brake line reminder - have NOS set, but have not put them on as of yet as am soaking the old fittings in PB Blaster to save another headache.

Had my wheel bearings cleaned by either a bad axle seal, or a plugged vent line pressurizing the axle case and forcing oil through the bearings. They were shiny clean - all the grease was gone from them, but had not become one with the axle yet fortunately. The brakes were a complete mess too, but all easy to fix.

 

[steelandcanvas]

A good walk-around with a pre-trip inspection might have caught that, and then again, maybe not. For the newbs out there, always look at the insides of all the wheels, you just might see the beginnings of a problem. If you find anything, a small sample on your finger will tell you what it is, brake fluid, grease, or gear oil. Just my .