Need help with CA replacement
Thread Starter
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Need help with CA replacement
on the front end of my 2001 A6. I'm changing outer CV boots in the process as well as replacing the struts. I was trying to remove the rear lower control arm for the sake of gaining some play to get the axle out. Here's my problem: I finally had to use a ball joint seperator tool and hammer it in to pop the CA loose. It seems there's no way to use that bar handle seperator without tearing the #@*$ out of the rubber boot on the ball joint, which is exactly what happened.
Can someone please tell me a better way to pop those lower CA's loose without destroying perfectly good ball joints?
Should I replace the one I tore straight away while I'm in there, or should I just put it back and hope it lasts 50,000 miles longer with a compromised boot?
I hate the idea of putting some questionable FEBI part on there, and the Lemfoerder is $140.
Can someone please tell me a better way to pop those lower CA's loose without destroying perfectly good ball joints?
Should I replace the one I tore straight away while I'm in there, or should I just put it back and hope it lasts 50,000 miles longer with a compromised boot?
I hate the idea of putting some questionable FEBI part on there, and the Lemfoerder is $140.
Tech Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,010
Likes: 192
From: Olney, MD
PUt in the Lemfoerder and call it an object lesson.
Agree with 4D4....I've replaced CV joint boots without pulling lower CAs...you just remove the pinch bolt for the upper CAs and move the UCAs up and swing the carrier out, releasing the outer CV joint/spline. You don't even have to release the tie rod end.
Agree with 4D4....I've replaced CV joint boots without pulling lower CAs...you just remove the pinch bolt for the upper CAs and move the UCAs up and swing the carrier out, releasing the outer CV joint/spline. You don't even have to release the tie rod end.
Thread Starter
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
OK, thanks for the feedback. The other side went smoother. Pinch bolt came right out on both sides thanks to the silikroil I've been soaking it in for a couple weeks. Now I'm dealing with two of the inner axle flange bolts on passenger side that seem to have stripped out. I'll be waiting until I have a bolt extractor before things can go any further.
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 8
From: NE Ohio
Pinch bolts cooperating? The Audi Gods were with you.
I just did my 01 last Tuesday left side drive-shaft after soaking that dam bolt for days with PB Blaster and using a air hammer punch bit and it still
took three hours, sheared the bolt head and ran the nut in with a air impact
to free the bolt right down to the last thread, even used the open end of a wrench to space the threads for more travel and "NO BEER DRINKING". "PITA"!!!!
Make sure and use 12 point star bits on the flange bolts, I caught myself
on that one before.
took three hours, sheared the bolt head and ran the nut in with a air impact
to free the bolt right down to the last thread, even used the open end of a wrench to space the threads for more travel and "NO BEER DRINKING". "PITA"!!!!
Make sure and use 12 point star bits on the flange bolts, I caught myself
on that one before.
Thread Starter
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
I did use a 12 point bit on those inner axle flanges. Two of them still managed to strip. I've been searching forums on ideas for removing those. They're so hard to get to is the trouble. I'm really having to pay up now for those trouble free pinch bolts.
Think I'll keep spraying the kroil on them and try one bolt extractor after another. Last resort I guess will be to grind the entire bolt head off.
Think I'll keep spraying the kroil on them and try one bolt extractor after another. Last resort I guess will be to grind the entire bolt head off.
Tech Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,010
Likes: 192
From: Olney, MD
I love my BF Ingersoll-Rand air wrench. Even with only 135psi on a cheap air compressor it yanks those flange bolts out like a champ! Point is to use an impact wrench.
Put them back in with loctite green or even blue--u might have to get them out again someday! U don't want them backing out otherwise.
Put them back in with loctite green or even blue--u might have to get them out again someday! U don't want them backing out otherwise.
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