TimD

THe one on audipages doesnt say much....

JimR

<ul><li><a href="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/misc27.shtml">Some of the bolt sizes and such are different, but it's pretty much the same for our cars.</a></li></ul>

marcodant

once one goes chance (and lucky of the audi gods) the other will so get a rebuilt from raaxle and be done with it. I have to do the driver side it looks like next I have already did the pass side. take off the upper control arms to replace the axle. it might seem tight but you can get it. also unbolting the shock wil get you more room but I got it without unbolting the shock. DO NOT REMOVE THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS unless you want to do a alignment again..

gondar

I had made a below posting a few months ago and it might give you some practical info. You need a good vise if you are going to take the joints off.

2000 control arm, tie rod, CV joint notes
User account number (aid): 61005
Posted by gondar on 2005-03-14 12:48:01

edit delete
Having blown a front outer boot and being forced to work on the pointy end of the car, here are a few observations that might help others.

The half shafts are easy to pull because of the short stub axle. I used a 30" extension and didn't even have to get under the car for the 12mm star allens. However, it took major impact wrench action on the 17mm hex bolt to force the outer joints off the half shafts. They drag off over a small internal ring. You need a good vise. I was a bit worried about damaging the ***** or races but after I took the blown joint apart to check for grit and clean it, it seemed fine. Surgical gloves strongly recommended, messy work. ***** and races very slick. Tight upon reassembly. So tight I had to heat the housing and cool the cage to get the two together. I could have bashed them together but it seemed wrong.

ECS had outer kits for $20 and fcpgroton.com supplied inner AUDI brand kits for about $28. They will work on price, generally. The inner hubs beat off with a foot-long brass drift. Again, need a good vise. I had a puller somewhere but did not bother to look for it. Two big C clamps and a flat metal bar depress the end caps enough to get the snap ring in.
I had boot pliers but possibly a pair of channelocks would work on "scrunch" bands. The large AUDI clamps compress with 8" lineman's pliers, then snap together. Not as nice as lever-type ACURA clamps, but OK.

The left front upper front control arm had no more than 1mm of vertical play in the balljoint, probably less, very hard to feel if not disconnected from the knuckle. But it clicked over slow bumps, especially turning right. These parts are underengineered for sure. IMPEX had an arm for $75. Loosen 5 18mm nuts and the inner fender shroud and yank the arm out. There is (was)a little snap ring on the arm bolt that impresses me as a manufacturing step, it was less strong than a brass drift and big hammer. I needle- injected some synthetic grease into the three old top joints. What do I have to lose? They sure won't fail any faster. Car now quiet.

Both tie rod ends had blown boots, one was getting loose in the socket. One came off OK, the other took MAJOR heat and probably 250 ft lbs and two people to unscrew. Ended up with 18" pipe wrenches and cheaters. Drilled through the TRE body and pinned it to the shaft to remove, it was spinning on the rubber. Inner joints were tight @77K mi. New TREs (fcpgroton also) are the all-steel ones but do not seem any harsher. I put plenty of grease on the threads.

Measured TRE positions carefully (made little cardboard gauges). Wheel was in exactly the same position when done, a good sign. It has always been about 5 degrees to the left (low, I guessed two flats adjustment on each inner and am now dead center. Car drives and tracks perfectly, but it did before too, save for the clicking.