Left vs Right Front CV Axles
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AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
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Left vs Right Front CV Axles
Hello -
I have an 02 A6, with quite a few miles on it. Both my left and right front CVs are starting to make noise. I have to take some responsibility for the noise, over the years the boots failed and so they were probably exposed to the weather for a while before I realized the grease on the inside of the wheel.
In any case, the driver side boot ripped again (second time over the 11 year life of the car, so not too bad...) and I'm thinking about replacing the entire axle since with 110K and it being open to the weather twice now, it's probably time.
The driver and passenger side axles have different part numbers, but oddly enough, lots of places stock the passenger side, but list the driver side as a back-order. Any idea why? Can you think of any reason they'd use a different axle for the driver vs passenger side? Slightly different lengths maybe?
Thanks,
- Jeff
I have an 02 A6, with quite a few miles on it. Both my left and right front CVs are starting to make noise. I have to take some responsibility for the noise, over the years the boots failed and so they were probably exposed to the weather for a while before I realized the grease on the inside of the wheel.
In any case, the driver side boot ripped again (second time over the 11 year life of the car, so not too bad...) and I'm thinking about replacing the entire axle since with 110K and it being open to the weather twice now, it's probably time.
The driver and passenger side axles have different part numbers, but oddly enough, lots of places stock the passenger side, but list the driver side as a back-order. Any idea why? Can you think of any reason they'd use a different axle for the driver vs passenger side? Slightly different lengths maybe?
Thanks,
- Jeff
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,980
Likes: 900
From: DC
Hello -
I have an 02 A6, with quite a few miles on it. Both my left and right front CVs are starting to make noise. I have to take some responsibility for the noise, over the years the boots failed and so they were probably exposed to the weather for a while before I realized the grease on the inside of the wheel.
In any case, the driver side boot ripped again (second time over the 11 year life of the car, so not too bad...) and I'm thinking about replacing the entire axle since with 110K and it being open to the weather twice now, it's probably time.
The driver and passenger side axles have different part numbers, but oddly enough, lots of places stock the passenger side, but list the driver side as a back-order. Any idea why? Can you think of any reason they'd use a different axle for the driver vs passenger side? Slightly different lengths maybe?
Thanks,
- Jeff
I have an 02 A6, with quite a few miles on it. Both my left and right front CVs are starting to make noise. I have to take some responsibility for the noise, over the years the boots failed and so they were probably exposed to the weather for a while before I realized the grease on the inside of the wheel.
In any case, the driver side boot ripped again (second time over the 11 year life of the car, so not too bad...) and I'm thinking about replacing the entire axle since with 110K and it being open to the weather twice now, it's probably time.
The driver and passenger side axles have different part numbers, but oddly enough, lots of places stock the passenger side, but list the driver side as a back-order. Any idea why? Can you think of any reason they'd use a different axle for the driver vs passenger side? Slightly different lengths maybe?
Thanks,
- Jeff
http://www.raxles.com/
Seriously, do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Call Raxles immediately. They will require a core exchange, but you will have your new part in two days from your call to them. The core exchange is prepaid and prepackaged. Very easy.
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Sorry A4 phill you are wrong, they are not a "better/solid" build then OEM... ive worked with them for many years, the dirty secret is that on our cars they use the OEM axle (which is why there is a core charge) and the rebuild the outer cv joint with a new one from GKN .........
http://www.europaparts.com/cv-joint-893521100.html
go to Europa parts and buy the OEM GKN outer joint for only 80 dollars repair both front axles yourself. save 220+ dollars, never worry again
http://www.europaparts.com/cv-joint-893521100.html
go to Europa parts and buy the OEM GKN outer joint for only 80 dollars repair both front axles yourself. save 220+ dollars, never worry again
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,980
Likes: 900
From: DC
Sorry A4 phill you are wrong, they are not a "better/solid" build then OEM... ive worked with them for many years, the dirty secret is that on our cars they use the OEM axle (which is why there is a core charge) and the rebuild the outer cv joint with a new one from GKN .........
http://www.europaparts.com/cv-joint-893521100.html
go to Europa parts and buy the OEM GKN outer joint for only 80 dollars repair both front axles yourself. save 220+ dollars, never worry again
http://www.europaparts.com/cv-joint-893521100.html
go to Europa parts and buy the OEM GKN outer joint for only 80 dollars repair both front axles yourself. save 220+ dollars, never worry again
This is the beauty of a free market. The choice is yours.
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: May 2009
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thats all i was saying, and then pointed him to a site where he could do that himself for a fraction of the cost.
i was refuting that they build "beefed" up axles, as the audi axles are plenty "beefed" up from the factory !
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Thread Starter
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
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Thanks guys, so I take it the driver and passenger sides are different, and no one knows (or cares) why the passenger is more readily available than driver side.
I've worked on a lot of cars over the years, and just my two cents on CVs... Audi fanatics always wave the OEM banner, and for some things I think OEM makes a difference, but I think often times OEM is a little over-rated as well. I've read pages and pages (and pages) of side by side comparisons between OEM parts and non-OEM parts over the years. From my experience, it's more about the company making the parts, and less about OEM vs not.
90% of the time, the warranty is the biggest indicator of the quality. Using CV axles for example OEMs are terribly over priced. It's not like Audi's using special alloys in their OEM CVs, everyone's using the same steel, and probably having it poured somewhere it Asia or Eastern Europe(yes, believe it or not, it's possible that our precious Audi's have parts not made in Germany ;-)
I guess you could argue better quality control from OEM vs non-OEM, but from my experience you buy based on the warranty, and that's treated me very well thus far.
I've worked on a lot of cars over the years, and just my two cents on CVs... Audi fanatics always wave the OEM banner, and for some things I think OEM makes a difference, but I think often times OEM is a little over-rated as well. I've read pages and pages (and pages) of side by side comparisons between OEM parts and non-OEM parts over the years. From my experience, it's more about the company making the parts, and less about OEM vs not.
90% of the time, the warranty is the biggest indicator of the quality. Using CV axles for example OEMs are terribly over priced. It's not like Audi's using special alloys in their OEM CVs, everyone's using the same steel, and probably having it poured somewhere it Asia or Eastern Europe(yes, believe it or not, it's possible that our precious Audi's have parts not made in Germany ;-)
I guess you could argue better quality control from OEM vs non-OEM, but from my experience you buy based on the warranty, and that's treated me very well thus far.
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From: Toronto
Thanks guys, so I take it the driver and passenger sides are different, and no one knows (or cares) why the passenger is more readily available than driver side.
I've worked on a lot of cars over the years, and just my two cents on CVs... Audi fanatics always wave the OEM banner, and for some things I think OEM makes a difference, but I think often times OEM is a little over-rated as well. I've read pages and pages (and pages) of side by side comparisons between OEM parts and non-OEM parts over the years. From my experience, it's more about the company making the parts, and less about OEM vs not.
90% of the time, the warranty is the biggest indicator of the quality. Using CV axles for example OEMs are terribly over priced. It's not like Audi's using special alloys in their OEM CVs, everyone's using the same steel, and probably having it poured somewhere it Asia or Eastern Europe(yes, believe it or not, it's possible that our precious Audi's have parts not made in Germany ;-)
I guess you could argue better quality control from OEM vs non-OEM, but from my experience you buy based on the warranty, and that's treated me very well thus far.
I've worked on a lot of cars over the years, and just my two cents on CVs... Audi fanatics always wave the OEM banner, and for some things I think OEM makes a difference, but I think often times OEM is a little over-rated as well. I've read pages and pages (and pages) of side by side comparisons between OEM parts and non-OEM parts over the years. From my experience, it's more about the company making the parts, and less about OEM vs not.
90% of the time, the warranty is the biggest indicator of the quality. Using CV axles for example OEMs are terribly over priced. It's not like Audi's using special alloys in their OEM CVs, everyone's using the same steel, and probably having it poured somewhere it Asia or Eastern Europe(yes, believe it or not, it's possible that our precious Audi's have parts not made in Germany ;-)
I guess you could argue better quality control from OEM vs non-OEM, but from my experience you buy based on the warranty, and that's treated me very well thus far.
Audi fanatics go with oem parts for a reason.
How much experience do you have with Audis? You don't exactly have to go with Audi branded parts, but go with the manufacturers who supply Audi parts and also make non-Audi branded parts for the aftermarket.
While this isn't necessary for all things, the truth is that oem parts last a long time. If you read people's experiences on control arms, timing belt components, wheel bearings, axles, you will start appreciating oem quality.
Warranty is great, but if your aftermarket tensioner fails after 2 years, no company will pay thousands of dollars for head rebuild.
Let us know how those aftermarket CVs or wheel bearings or timing belt kits work out for you
