It's my turn... low rider
03-07-2017, 06:32 PM
#102
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
If mine broke, I would use it. Like I said, hit and miss with Chinese made stuff, it's just the quality control is not as good as reputable big companies.
Try it and let us know. eBay is pretty good with warranty on DOA.
Cheers,
Louis
Try it and let us know. eBay is pretty good with warranty on DOA.
Cheers,
Louis
03-07-2017, 06:37 PM
#103
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by MP4.2+6.0
BTDT. Check yours BTW. On my 2006 W12 now about two years ago (8-9 years old at time), the right side one just started slowly oozing grease but wasn't split. The rubber was just slowing failing. New OE boots are really tough--almost like a kevlaresque plastic.
Basically, you have to pull whole axle. Can be done with hub assembly still in car and only temporarily removing upper arms and tie rod end from it at bolt up points. You also have to remove the brake rotor and caliper, so I try to combine with a full brake job for overall labor savings.
You loosen axle bolt with car on ground since under immense torque. Once unbolted at both ends, whole shaft comes out. Then either use a rebuilt axle or do it yourself. I do my own; one of messiest jobs on planet. But only costs the two boot kits. I always do both inner and outer joints when out given labor, though typically only the outer one goes until very high miles. Have to separate axle from one side to replace either boot, which is done at inside base of outer one. Tricky circlip you play with while axle is held in vise, and then just the right whack with a mallet onto the outer joint springs it free. Then degrease and clean, repack and replace boots. Axle bolt torque again is hard. If you don't have a shop torque multiplier tool, it ends up being literally standing on a supported bar at end of a big socket drive at least 6 feet/two meters long.
Basically, you have to pull whole axle. Can be done with hub assembly still in car and only temporarily removing upper arms and tie rod end from it at bolt up points. You also have to remove the brake rotor and caliper, so I try to combine with a full brake job for overall labor savings.
You loosen axle bolt with car on ground since under immense torque. Once unbolted at both ends, whole shaft comes out. Then either use a rebuilt axle or do it yourself. I do my own; one of messiest jobs on planet. But only costs the two boot kits. I always do both inner and outer joints when out given labor, though typically only the outer one goes until very high miles. Have to separate axle from one side to replace either boot, which is done at inside base of outer one. Tricky circlip you play with while axle is held in vise, and then just the right whack with a mallet onto the outer joint springs it free. Then degrease and clean, repack and replace boots. Axle bolt torque again is hard. If you don't have a shop torque multiplier tool, it ends up being literally standing on a supported bar at end of a big socket drive at least 6 feet/two meters long.
Cheers,
Louis
03-07-2017, 06:41 PM
#104
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Tstealth32
Has anyone sourced just the o-rings for the strut? The large one and smaller one. Or are they common and can be found locally?
Hope someone did it and feed back, we may save tons of work and money,
Cheers
Louis
03-07-2017, 07:02 PM
#105
AudiWorld Super User
If you even tried to do it bolted in car, the inner joint by its nature flexes in and out so you won't get any force pounding on outer CV joint area, even if you could reach it in first place. Net, it has to come out. I changed boots and repacked new grease on my garage floor. BTW, never dissemble a joint fully unless you mark the relative position of the three mating parts. You can see a Sharpie line on mine. If you put it back together different than the way it came apart, it will likely develop noises. Or, you may just wipe out what you can as long as clean and just leave it be. Full disassembly would be more if inside has been contaminated through an obviously open boot.
Final pic. shows how I did axle bolt. That was w/ ½" drives. I have snapped tools before, and on this one snapped an old extension. Your ¾" set would be better.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 03-07-2017 at 07:08 PM.
03-07-2017, 07:39 PM
#107
AudiWorld Super User
I couldn't separate the inner off the shaft even w/ axle out of car, so good luck with that. As in, while I was fighting to get outer off the axle, I looked at maybe undoing inner instead. But maybe you will figure out something I couldn't. Axle also goes very deep into inner joint, which as a practical matter would make it very hard to swing outward from outer part of joint to then try to slip new boots on. See pic. of whole axle below. Inner has more depth than outer since it deals more with the up and down suspension movement at wheel that causes axle to go in and out at that joint.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 03-07-2017 at 07:43 PM.
03-07-2017, 09:16 PM
#109
AudiWorld Super User
Be sure you see the forest hiding right there behind the trees in that linked post you referenced: The motor is out of the car, and the subframe is completely unbolted. Fails to account for the exhaust that is MIA in those pictures just for starters. Exhaust drop on one side by itself is probably in same zone time wise as the hub related disassembly here--having dropped exhaust on one side on my C5 4.2 before they even put the ugly cat tighter in like on D3s. Don't recall how in the way that was, plus mine is a W12 anyway so not the same. Regardless though, MIA in the out of car pics. Then notice where axle is swung over in free air for the hammer swing would be sandwiched between the subframe and the bolt up point, or rather the sort of non existent space that isn't there when drivetrain is in the car. Oh, and that's after you first remove that outer aluminum wrap around cast shield stuff that surrounds much of joint area. And, if you try to go forward, you will see a blank aluminum plate in other pics from the link. Well, that is where the motor mount attaches, which is twice the diameter of that plate. Let alone, in the car, the U link for sway bar is in similar interference zone out toward hub.
Get under there and look for yourself. Or if you have pics with wheel off, review them. Some more of mine below. Meantime I wouldn't rely on a comparo done with motor out of vehicle. Apples and oranges. If you find a D3, C6 A6 or Q7 done in a complete vehicle, then you have something to work with.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 03-07-2017 at 09:48 PM.
03-08-2017, 08:58 AM
#110
AudiWorld Member
O-rings
I ordered a bunch of the large and small o-rings for the struts from one of the Chinese strut manufactures that sells the rebuild kits. They are cheap but shipping is expensive, so I bought enough to do 20 struts!!!