Looks like i need to replace my front bearings in the 2000 Audi TT - its a 1.8 with FWD not quattro.
from what i have been able to assertain, it looks pretty straight forward. Ive done this on front and rear of the 914, and have done other vehicles as well before , but not a FWD.
1. what special tools will i require? ie. bearing puller etc.
2. would it be easier to do the bearing and hub since they are not that expensive and i then will not have to take the bearing out of the old hub?
- it seems this might result in the need for a professional alignment if i go this route-
so any suggestions appreciated.

Did them on our Jetta a few times. The rears I knocked out and pressed in bearings using an appropriately sized socket. For the fronts, it was easier to just replace the hub and bearing together. No special tools required.

I did it on my Scirocco & my Civic. Rears were a piece of cake & required nothing special but the fronts required special tools to both remove & press new bearings in. Both my Civic & Scirocco are front wheel drive cars.

If I remember correctly, it is a press in double row bearing. That being said, I remove the steering knuckle and press the bearing out with my hydraulic press and press in the new one. If you do not have a press, remove the knuckle and take it to a machine shop so they can do the pressing.

To remove the knuckle, remove the large nut from the end of the half shaft, remove the brake caliper and carrier, slide off the brake rotor. Then you can take the nut off of the tie rod end and pop it off of the steering arm. Remove the two bolts that attach the knuckle to the strut. Either unbolt the ball joint from the lower A arm or remove the nut that attaches the ball joint from the knuckle and pop the knuckle off of the ball joint with a fork which ever is easiest. If your car has ABS, either remove the sensor or leave the sensor in and disconnect the sensor at the chassis. If you leave it in, you have to be careful not to damage the sensor while you are pressing the bearing in/out.

After changing the bearing, assembly is simply the reverse of removal (I love that statement).

So what tools do you need other than the proper sockets and wrenches? A ball joint fork and a tie rod end fork to pop them off.

It is not impossible to do at home but it can be tedious. A powerful air impact wrench makes removing the larger bolts and nuts easier. This is particularly true here in the land of six months of winter and terminal rust.

Best of luck.

thanks for the info and advice. Probably going to order the hub and bearing. shop quote to do one side was $500 so i will be tackling this soon. Looks like the 914 is going to take a back seat to the TT for a while as i am going to do and ECU 2 stage flash(@$500), and new sport cat down pipe and performance dual exhaust- looking for an additional 100hp total1! shshould be good fro some AX and DE in the next year.
Any advice on suspension mods for these as well?