hunterp27

Has anyone redone their CV joints? My back ones are fine but the front inner boots are deteriorating and I want to remove them and repack the bearings and replace the boots. I have heard their is an Audi kit that comes with grease, boots and clamps. Any info would be appreciated.

MP4.2+6.0

Yes, I just did it on one side last weekend by chance. Yes, the Audi kit has the boot, the clamps and the grease. Likewise on mine, one inner boot was deteriorating and starting to ooze grease. But it wasn't cracked. The rubber problem appeared to be heat and age deteriorated. On disassembly it was definitely soft and felt oil or grease soaked and on its last legs. Watch area probably for anyone with a D3 from what I saw. The outer one actually seemed solid. On all prior Audis--many of them--at higher mileage it has always been a front outer that splits first. But not here.

To get the axle apart to put the new boot on, you pretty much have to separate it at the outer CV joint. Not easy to separate BTW--took a lot of force with a sledge, a soft chisel (drift) and a sledge with it clamped in a vise. Same experience when I did it on a C5 with same internal C ring attachment that is held by (strong) pressure fit. Anyway, in separating outer joint from the axle, you are opening outer CV joint boot anyway. At that point, logical to do the outer boot replace too, given all the labor.

Also realize that to pull axle, you are fully removing all the brake hardware and undoing pinch bolt for upper control arms--as well as the tie rod end bolt up point. Thus, if you need to do front brakes, especially rotors, or upper control arms, good time to merge the jobs. Since I am cleaning up all loose ends on W12 and getting it very salable, I did a full front brake job at same time. My rotors were worn to slightly under spec, so that was a no brainer. I did control arms in last couple of years, so I didn't need any further work there.

Finally, know the front axle bolt is under very high torque. Like 400-600 foot pounds effectively as a guess. Torque is to a certain amount manageable with a big torque wrench, then 180 degrees more with a huge fine threaded bolt that ends up taking a tremendous amount of force--beyond what you can apply even literally standing or jumping on a close two foot long bar (BTDT...). If you don't have shop equipment, it takes an effective lever arm a good 6 or 8 feet long to deal with it with "normal" force you can apply by hand. I use heavy pipe slid over a breaker bar. On most removals, I break a tool too. This time it was an extension. In past it has been the ginormous allen key socket; another time it was a breaker bar. Typically the ones that break are off brands. As an odd byproduct it has helped slim some of my tools down to more just Craftsman stuff that is more durable than various old stuff I have from bygone times. And if (when?) the Craftsman breaks, I just put on my straightest face bringing in the parts, saying I dunno just came apart one day for no obvious reason. Anyway, I also had to order a new allen socket for this job. Audi moved size up from 17mm to 19mm w/ this generation. Also, you need to be careful to loosen the bolt in stages--some with wheel still on ground to resist the huge force you put on it (you would not want to do that to tranny parking pawl lock), but still fairly tight to avoid wheel bearing damage. Then you jack up, pull wheel, and wrench fully loose.

I have pics and such, but those are initial pointers on things to know and likely things to buy. I would not do this job preemptively BTW, since it is a lot of work and the single greasiest job I ever do on Audis. But if a boot is compromised, no choice. And then, you can save a bunch of money avoiding replacing joints once they get dirt, water or other contamination and/or run dry of grease.

hunterp27

MP,

are you positive that you have to unwind the brakes and pinch bolt? I watched a couple videos on YouTube for VW Passats and one Audi A4, and they were able to turn the wheel enough to get the axle out without removing the brakes. I couldn't find an A8 video to determine if this would work on the D3;s as well. I trust you prolly tried to go this route and there wasnt enough room to sneak it out even with the wheel turned???
Amen on the long breaker bar. These are tightened down with huge force as the prospect of a wheel coming off its axle isn't a good one. If you have a helper, they can sit in the car with their foot on the brakes to take the pressure off the diff/tranny

When you bought the kit, did you have the option of buying both inside and outside boots?

MP4.2+6.0

Yes, each CV joint boot kit is sold separately. No, I'm not convinced you could get it out without removing brakes. Maybe though, if what you are doing is basically folding everything down, pivoting round the lower suspension arm all joints that you leave in. But, you are trying to clear the inner CV joint protective casting which juts far out (and is not that easy to pull either), and also the motor and tranny subframe. Remember all of this is bound to be sized up on S8/W12/A8, and some may not even exist like that inner CV joint protective piece that I think had a lot to do with exhaust plumbing on these. The axle probably flexes in an out 3 or 4 inches total w/ CV joint range of motion, but you are probably trying to clear 6" plus with the depth the outer CV joint fits into the hub. It was tight, and in doing it I pushed axle into a space behind differential bolt up area and outside of the inner joint shield. Even had to rotate axle to exactly the right position to clear the inner "ears" where the half dozen Torx bolts hold inner CV joint to transaxle flange. To do that I needed more working room near hub, and that area to rear of hub is exactly where the very bulky caliper bolts up. Parts are way supersized compared to a typical A4, and unless an older Passat those are probably transverse set ups anyway.

I had no helper but you are right that could be an option to hold axle/rotor if you disassemble in the right order. Since I was pulling rotors anyway for replacement, it didn't matter.

MP4.2+6.0

Also, you might just get the kits from AutohausAZ. They have the GKN/Lobro ones, which I do think of as OEM/OES. Less expensive. See:

Your Parts Search

Meyle that they also have has struck me as disguised Chinese junk in past (for suspension), so I avoid it. GKN/Lobro pricing is just as good anyway. Also usually not hard to hit free shipping total on AutohausAZ site; one of my "go to" sites for non-dealer sourced when still trying to find OES.

Pothole5000

I just did my B6 A4 last fall and I couldn't get the shaft out without undoing the pinch bolt and letting the hub assembly swing down. It also took a ton of force to get the shaft apart, I think a better vice set up would have helped me as I couldn't set it up vertically and hit straight down on it... still need to move my vice further out to the edge of the bench. I used a 5' pipe that I borrowed from work over my breaker bar and it was not too hard hitting the torque specs.

Mister Bally

This sounds/looks a lot like work...

MP4.2+6.0

Same thing. I tried vice horizontally and no go. Mine is heavy--well over 20 pounds, but not mounted. Then I rotated axle vertically in the jaws to hit it straight down. There are some detents along axle shaft that help lock it against vice jaws too. With a 5 pound sledge behind the soft chisel I was using, after a fair number more fairly persuasive whacks, it broke free. I was a little worried I might crack the obviously way hardened steel of the inner part of the joint you whack, but could see the chisel face was deforming some which is what I was hoping as far as relative hardness.

Resetting was a lot easier. With new lock ring in kit, insert old axle center bolt well into joint and hit it vertically with several sharp blows. I did NOT close up the outer boot clamps until I knew I had it seated, in case I had to backtrack.

Yes Mister Bally, a lot of work and not huge fun. I've done it enough though to just roll through it without much need to look at manual or get frustrated at known hurdle steps like breaking center axle bolt and getting outer CV joint off of axle shaft. The axle work (separate from brakes) was maybe 4 hours total with prior experience, though not counting some final assembly like putting wheel back on post-brakes. If you ever removed a C3 axle shaft, somewhat different and those used to use the old finnicky internal circlips, but similar overall work and as greasy as always.

Mister Bally

I made sure Ballykid got to experience a proper boot replacement procedure along with all of the greasy glory last year. Now he knows that if you can afford it, a reman halfshaft is the easier way to go. And I do mean genuine, not a far-East piece of junk. Thus, on the affordability side, put a new OEM/OES rubber boot. He also tried to save with the "plastic" boot and realized you get what you pay for.

OT: His TT was completed five hours prior to exactly six weeks from when his engine blew. He texted me at 3:30 am from the garage after a successful start-up after completely reassembling the car. No leaks nor warning lights! He left the car for me to shakedown/break-in as he had to return to school.
Only about 160 miles driven gently so far but all is well. Quite proud of him on that one.

Once he's done with this term, He's going to post a nice write-up on the TT thread of his saga.

flawless45

Hey all,

I though I'd chime in here and let you guys know that you can remove the front cv axle from both sides without removing the pinch bolt and brakes. I've done both sides by myself and it really doesn't take too long. I'm about to do it again because my front passenger outer boot clamp seemed to have made a disappearing act recently. I'm hoping to just clean it up, repack and replace the clap if all looks well.

If anyone wants more details on "how to", let me know.