Front driveshaft nuts - how do I get to them....?

mowog

mowog

Member
Apologies if this seems like a daft question, but I'm going to need to replace both outer CV joints (yay...). Found a helpful looking guide on the forum, but it talks about removing a 36mm driveshaft nut. However, this is what I find in the centre of my hubs. What am I looking at here? Is this some sort of cover, behind which is the nut? And if so, how does one remove it? Pretty sure I don't have a gigantic allen key knocking around...



2021-06-18 08.35.05.jpg
 
Not a silly question. I'm sure the is the early (original) fastening for the driveshaft and does need a large hex to undo.
The later (replacement) fasteners are 'normal' 36mm 12 point nuts which just need a standard socket.
Someone more knowledgeable will be able to confirm for sure.
 
my 2001 and 2005 model cars both had the 36mm 12point nuts, never seen these hex key ones, with how much force I needed to crack mine loose I'd highly recommend leaving it to simmer in some WD40 with an occasional spray over a good period of time... They're 120nm and with years of road grime/moisture can put up a fight.
 
Should probably have said, mine's an X-reg 1.4 petrol.

I'm literally breaking out in a cold sweat at the thought of trying to undo those... ?
 
Had the same nuts on my 2001 tdi. Seem to recall they were fairly easy to undo and were a rather lightweight construction - maybe even pressed metal.

Cheers Spike
 
You are looking at it! You need a 36mm Allen key bit. These were always used on the 1.2Tdi. They are very easy to remove but torque up the replacement correctly. They are not re-useable.

RAB
 
RAB said:
You are looking at it! You need a 36mm Allen key bit.

RAB
Click to expand...

Is that a slip of the pen RAB.
I thought the allen key was 19mm and the new style nut requires the 36mm 12 point socket

Cheers Spike
 
spike said:
Is that a slip of the pen RAB.
I thought the allen key was 19mm and the new style nut requires the 36mm 12 point socket

Cheers Spike
Click to expand...
Ah, maybe! I thought it was bigger than 19mm. Maybe not!

RAB
 
It seems it’s front wheel bearing weekend
My X reg 1.4 has one of these and a normal hex on the other side, progress on mine has halted until tomorrow now when the 19mm Allen key socket arrives


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
If you don’t want to wait for the hex key then you could find a suitable sized nut and use this with a 19mm socket to undo the fastener. I’ve done similar with gearbox drain plugs etc.
 
Had the same issue with my old Skoda Fabia TDI from what I recall they came off OK getting the hub off the driveshaft on the driver's side was a bit of a mare as I recall even with a hydraulic puller, and the lump & copper hammer.
Good luck. The plus side it light till late and warm.
 
Thanks so much all - at least I have an idea what I'm up against.

I'm going to cheat with the CV boots and use the stretchy ones. Yes, I know they're a bit rubbish, but I've convinced myself that the various electronic woes / persistent oil leaks / faults I haven't even discovered yet are going to make the car un-MOT-able, so with only two months of ticket left I think stretchy CV boots will be fine for now. I used some on a Yaris years ago, and they were pleasingly stress-free IIRC.

If by some miracle I can nurse it through a successful test then I'll treat it to the real thing! :D
 
Just a bit of an update, mainly so that this thread is more useful for anyone else in the same situation who finds it in future...

I used the trick with a bolt and a couple of nuts locked together to undo the driveshaft nuts. Rather disconcertingly, they're just pressed steel, and the passenger side one was no more than finger tight. I don't think I've ever removed a driveshaft nut like it. Usually you're looking at a breaker bar and a lot of sweat!

Anyway, picture below...

IMG_20210619_123806.jpg


I must confess I'm a little bit concerned about the 36mm replacement: from an engineering perspective it seems odd to fit something that is expecting the tiny amount of torque you can apply to pressed steel nut with a 'proper' nut that requires a great deal of torque. Can anyone put my mind at ease?

While I'm here, can anyone point me at a list of torque values for things I'll be undoing? Thank you!
 
Ah you have just reminded me that when I did my Skoda Fabia one of the pressed steel nuts was MISSING. Usual from the garage, they are prone to that sir. And why didn't the wheel covers catch it. Because someone nicked them. Off a 2001 Skoda Fabia ? they must have come up in the world. It went back together with the 36 mm nut (not pressed steel). Don't have the torque figure to hand though.
 
Manual pages here..

Audi Workshop Service and Repair Manuals > A2 > Running gear, front-wheel drive | Front suspension, drive shafts | Drive shafts (basic running gear) | Removing and installing drive shafts (vehicles with forged-steel wishbone) | Removing

A2 > Audi Workshop Service and Repair Manuals > Running gear, front-wheel drive | Front suspension, drive shafts | Drive shafts (basic running gear) | Removing and installing drive shafts (vehicles with forged-steel wishbone) | Removing
workshop-manuals.com

and here..

Audi Workshop Service and Repair Manuals > A2 > Running gear, front-wheel drive | Front suspension, drive shafts | Drive shafts (basic running gear) | Removing and installing drive shafts (vehicles with forged-steel wishbone) | Nut securing drive sha

A2 > Audi Workshop Service and Repair Manuals > Running gear, front-wheel drive | Front suspension, drive shafts | Drive shafts (basic running gear) | Removing and installing drive shafts (vehicles with forged-steel wishbone) | Nut securing drive shaft
workshop-manuals.com

and here..

Audi Workshop Service and Repair Manuals > A2 > Running gear, front-wheel drive | Front suspension, drive shafts | Drive shafts (basic running gear) | Removing and installing drive shafts (vehicles with forged-steel wishbone) | Tightening torques

A2 > Audi Workshop Service and Repair Manuals > Running gear, front-wheel drive | Front suspension, drive shafts | Drive shafts (basic running gear) | Removing and installing drive shafts (vehicles with forged-steel wishbone) | Tightening torques
workshop-manuals.com
 
Quote from mowog -
I must confess I'm a little bit concerned about the 36mm replacement: from an engineering perspective it seems odd to fit something that is expecting the tiny amount of torque you can apply to pressed steel nut with a 'proper' nut that requires a great deal of torque. Can anyone put my mind at ease?

Audi had driveshaft spline fretting issues on some cars.
Pure speculation but next thing we know is they added Loctite to the splines and fitted a proper nut

Cheers Spike
 
From Elsawin 5.3, the correct tightening torque for the 12-point nut is 120Nm. This is the only nut that should be used on non 1.2Tdi A2's. For the 1.2Tdi the hexagon socket nut is the only option and is tightened to 30Nm.

RAB
 

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By the way, which brands do you all suggest? Outer and inner?
Lobro seems twice or more than twice as expensive as many of the others. SKF is quite expensive too, and oddly dark (is it really ALL hardened?).
Do they all pale in comparison to the Audi OE? What about the current Audi dealer ones?
Is it worth trying to hunt down a second hand driveshaft from something like a polo and taking the joint(s) from it?
Thanks in advance
PS spidan is better than lobro? It's even more expensive it seems. :)
 
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