Replacing an Audi A2 Outer CV Joint Without Removing the Driveshaft

Hi all,

I have been reading the forum but thought I would make a contribution as I don't think such a guide with pictures exists.

This is for the nearside outer CV joint on a 2001 A2 1.4 petrol.

Note: the engine under tray is missing on my car. Not sure if it would otherwise be in the way.

Always use axle stands.

Essential tools:
36mm 12 point socket
Breaker bar or impact wrench
17mm, 18mm, (19mm?) socket or spanners

First remove the centre cap on your wheel and loosen off the 36mm hub nut. Mine came off easily with a breaker bar. Loosen wheel nuts, jack up, put on axle stands and remove wheel.

Disconnect track rod (loosen nut then hit the part of the steering knuckle that that the track rod end goes through and it should drop out)

Extract the bolt at the front of the wishbone

Use a socket extension to hit the end of the cv joint spline. I recommend keeping the nut on at this point to avoid damaging the thread. This should release the spline from the hub.

You should be able to pull the hub forwards/to the side enough to pull the driveshaft out the back.

Remove the rubber boot fasteners and pull boot back. Use a hammer and possibly extension or drift to hit the back of the cv joint to knock it off the spline. It has a split ring in a groove so may require some force. Look at your new one to figure out the best place to hit it.

Remove old boot, clean up the spline. SLIDE ON NEW BOOT AT THIS POINT! Pack new cv joint with grease supplied with the kit and tap it into position. Slide boot over it and fasten. I used a cable tie for the smaller end as the metal ring supplied was difficult to get tight.

Now reassemble everything! I had difficulty getting the track rod end bolt to do back up as it was quite rusty and the shaft was spinning in the joint. In the end I placed an axle stand under the track rod end and carefully lowered the car down onto it which wedged the shaft into the steering knuckle tight enough for me to do the nut up.


All in all a very satisfying job. Sorry if I missed steps. I rushed through this a bit.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[TAABVW]

Had the occasional knock since having mine replaced the other week. Got a pair of GuV joints from J&R, as recommended on these forums and had the work done at Awesome, prior to MOT, as the nearside boot was split last year, so the joint will have needed replacing this year.

It's a low speed/no speed (manoeuvring/setting off) clunk, which I mistook to be the strut top bearings at first, or I thought it'd be things settling in, but 2 weeks later, it's still happening, not every time I do a 3 point turn, but it'll normally happen once a journey.

Thoughts??

I have the exact same knocking you describe after replacing top mounts, shocks, wishbones, track rod ends and bearings on the front of my TDI90. The only 2 possibilities I can think of are the CV joints or the driveshaft splines not being re-glued into the hubs. I don't think its the CV joints as they are silent on full lock slow turn (classic test). Therefor I conclude that not re-gluing the drive shafts into the hubs is the most probable cause. The trouble is, they were so difficult to remove (I split a 12 tonne hydraulic press trying) I didn't want to go through the pain again in the future. I now regard this occasional knock like a little friend just letting me know she's mine. I have rechecked all my work so am confident nothing is loose or dangerous. Passed MOT twice since. I suspect the instruction to glue is to stop this knocking so unless someone can advise me that gluing these driveshafts is a major safety concern then mine will remain unglued.

Trevor

 

[ben tomlinson]

I have the exact same knocking you describe after replacing top mounts, shocks, wishbones, track rod ends and bearings on the front of my TDI90. The only 2 possibilities I can think of are the CV joints or the driveshaft splines not being re-glued into the hubs. I don't think its the CV joints as they are silent on full lock slow turn (classic test). Therefor I conclude that not re-gluing the drive shafts into the hubs is the most probable cause. The trouble is, they were so difficult to remove (I split a 12 tonne hydraulic press trying) I didn't want to go through the pain again in the future. I now regard this occasional knock like a little friend just letting me know she's mine. I have rechecked all my work so am confident nothing is loose or dangerous. Passed MOT twice since. I suspect the instruction to glue is to stop this knocking so unless someone can advise me that gluing these driveshafts is a major safety concern then mine will remain unglued.

Trevor

i have left my drive shafts un glued for the same purpose, i'll get a slight noise now and then from the shafts, been like this for 3-4 years, passed every mot. But the whole point on gluing in the splines is to prevent fretting / movement within the hub, i have replace a few T4,T5s driveshafts due to wearing out and spining inside the hub (loss of drive), but i will risk it!

 

[TAABVW]

i have left my drive shafts un glued for the same purpose, i'll get a slight noise now and then from the shafts, been like this for 3-4 years, passed every mot. But the whole point on gluing in the splines is to prevent fretting / movement within the hub, i have replace a few T4,T5s driveshafts due to wearing out and spining inside the hub (loss of drive), but i will risk it!

This "fretting" you describe is a radial movement due to a loose fitting or worn driveshaft. Whilst possible, the evidence and experience of my knocking doesn't support this. In my experience knocking due to worn drive shafts is repeatable; you can brake and accelerate in a certain way and reliably make it knock. My knocking is very difficult to reliably repeat. It tends to happen at slow speed while turning a corner (or maneuvering), under braking or accelerating......but not always. Therefore I think the noise is caused by the driveshaft sliding axially in and out of the hub slightly.

Thoughts???

Trevor

 

[TAABVW]

Having just had my driveshaft off to replace a CV boot my above post must be wrong. The only way the driveshaft could be axially moving in the hub is if the hub not was loose. Therefore the glue must be to prevent fretting as Ben said above.

Never mind being wrong but I wish I could work out what that knocking is.

T

 

[steaman]

SKF definition of anti-fretting agent:
anti-fretting agent is developed to prevent oxidation between metal surfaces mounted with loose fit. Fitting rust is caused by very small oscillating movements or vibrations and can lead to serious damage to bearings and other machine parts as well as severely hampering disassembly.


Wiki:
Fretting refers to wear and sometimes corrosion damage at the asperities of contact surfaces. This damage is induced under load and in the presence of repeated relative surface motion, as induced for example by vibration. The ASM Handbook on Fatigue and Fracture defines fretting as: "A special wear process that occurs at the contact area between two materials under load and subject to minute relative motion by vibration or some other force." Fretting tangibly degrades the surface layer quality producing increased surface roughness and micropits, which reduces the fatigue strength of the components.

The amplitude of the relative sliding motion is often in the order from micrometers to millimeters, but can be as low as 3 nanometers.[1]

The contact movement causes mechanical wear and material transfer at the surface, often followed by oxidation of both the metallic debris and the freshly exposed metallic surfaces. Because the oxidized debris is usually much harder than the surfaces from which it came, it often acts as an abrasive agent that increases the rate of fretting.

 

[H-M3]

Sorry not to jack this thread, after having my 20 year old brake fluid changed the garage advised that my front pass outer cv gator is fooked and needs changing urgently. Any suggestions on parts please? Would you use OE or genuine only?

 

[Howey]

Mecatech stretch cv boots are the best i have ever fitted, can be used with a cone/spredder and are supple. Last it would seem forever, never seen one split however i dont know if they still make them and website is a dead loss.

Just got me an SKF universal off amazon for under £8 looks good but the proof will be in the pudding!

Removing bottom ball joint is my method of access to outer cv joint