RMcQ

I came to the 2.7T braintrust a while back with a vibration on acceleration issue. I got lots of great info of where to look for a problem, but everything seemed to check out fine. This was months ago and the problem oddly went away (or was significantly reduced) only to come back with a vengance.

Current symptoms: vibration on acceleration, vibration goes away at neutral throttle or coast, intermittant clunking noise when starting from a stop which can be reproduced by going forward and reverse in a parking lot.

I went under the car again and started checking for play at all CV joints and suspension components. The front inner CV joints exhibit more play than any other joints on the car. The front right inner is the worst. I can make it click when I push up/down or forward/aft with my hand.

Interestingly there is grease loss, but not from a torn boot. It is coming out under the clamp as shown here. You can see the line of accumulated grease on the heat shield/cover that is above the joint. Any thoughts on all this?

Raxles.com does not have any allroad specific axles so I'm not sure what my course of action should be. I guess I'm leaning toward buying two new inner CV joints and doing all the labor myself.

<img src="http://www.showyourmedia.com/files/1138118048.JPG">

SAC-CA-GTI

the stockers. Quick how to:
1. Remove hub cap or center cap on wheel
2. Find 17mm hex wrench(Sears). Use handle from Jack for leverage. Loosen hub nut BEFORE raising vehicle
3. Loosen lug nuts, jack up vehicle, remove wheel
4. If 6spd, have someone stand on brakes, loosen 5 or 6 bolts (from what it looks like on your car, 6 on ours) on inner cv to tranny
5. Loosen 16mm nut on control arm to hub and remove bolt
6. Using loosened hub bolt, back it out, and use a dead blow hammer to tap out cv from hub
7. Remove drive shaft

Not sure how to remove inner cv as I have not done one. There may be a lock ring or something under the boot...not sure. Search for inner cv.

8. install in Reverse

Torques: Hub bolt 140ftlb +90
16mm nut from control arm to hub 30ft. lb.

VERY EASY to do.

RMcQ

so much how to do it, but to try to confirm that this is the most likely cause of my problem so I don't do labor in vein. It isn't "hard" but is is messy and takes a while. I have no problem with that is it will fix my car, but I'll be pissed if I do it for no reason.

Anyone else ever see the leaking grease like mine? It is that way on both sides. Mileage is 104,xxx.

krazylegz

a new clamp for now. No clicking or clunking here.

crew219

Are allroad axles different from regular A6 axles? I'd really just go the Raxles route

RMcQ

Already spoke to Marty. Best he can do is remanufacture mine if I mail them down to him. He offered a 1 day turn around which is good, but for $175 per and at least a week of downtime I'm thinking I might just replace the joints myself.

My question really is how well do my symptoms point to this is the problem.

RMcQ

I was told by this forum that this play is normal. it is hard to positively isolate this normal play from any potential play in the inner joint.

Ochlockonee

To answer your question, yes that is a classic symptom of inner cv joint failure.

O.W. Kenobi

That's exactly what mine looked like. Had just the boots replaced.