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Audi A6 C5: How to Modify the Spare Tire Retaining Bolt

Keep reading to learn how to disassemble and modify the spare tire retaining bolt for your Audi A6 C5.

By Gabriella Massari - March 23, 2016
Contributors: Richard Solomon

This article applies to the Audi A6 C5 (1998-2004).

Are you thinking of adding wider wheels to your Audi A6 C5? If so, then you may run into a problem when trying to use the factory retaining bolt for the spare, should you need to install it. You may find that the bolt is too short or the cap is too large. To avoid this issue altogether, here are the step-by-step instructions on modifying the spare tire retaining bolt to fit your new wheels.

Audi A6 C5 How to Modify Spare Tire Retaining Bolt infographic

Material Needed

  • New retaining bolt

Step 1 – Pull cap portion off of wheel holding the bolt

Begin by pulling the "cap" portion of the bolt off of the "wheel" portion, as shown in Figure 2.

  • Spare tire retaining bolt
    Figure 1. Factory spare tire retaining bolt part.
  • Cap removed from wheel of retaining bolt
    Figure 2. Simply pull the cap off of the wheel with your hands.

Step 2 – Continue disassembling the bolt

Making room for a longer bolt requires the most amount of work in this DIY job, but luckily, it's just a matter of more disassembling.

  1. First, remove the centering ring (stepped cylinder) by pressing the two plastic tabs that hold it to the "wheel" portion inward.
  2. The ring will release, and then you can slide it off (Figure 4). Set it aside for now.
  • Push these two tabs inward to release the ring
    Figure 3. Push these two tabs inward to release the ring.
  • Slide the ring off
    Figure 4. Slide off the ring.
  • Set the center ring aside
    Figure 5. Set the center ring aside.

Step 3 – Release the cap over the bolt head

Four plastic tabs hold the cap to the bolt head. Press all four of them inward to release the cap.

Push the tabs inward to release the cap from the wheel
Figure 6. Push these four tabs inward.

Step 4 – Push the bolt out

At this point, you should be looking at the "wheel" with the bolt as well as the bolt cap you just removed in Step 3. Push the bolt out of the "wheel" using your fingers.

  • The "wheel" with bolt attached and the bolt cap removed.
    Figure 7. The "wheel" with bolt attached and the bolt cap removed.
  • Simply push the bolt through to remove it.
    Figure 8. Simply push the bolt through to remove it.

Step 5 – Re-assemble the new bolt part

The factory spare tire retaining bolt is a standard metric M8 bolt. You'll need to estimate the correct length of the new bolt you'll need to replace it. One Audi owner on the forum replaced his factory bolt with a 130mm partially-threaded M8 bolt that was about an inch longer (as shown in Figure 9). Visit a local hardware or auto parts store to determine which bolt to purchase. It's recommended to try and find a fully-threaded bolt, but a partially-threaded one will suffice.

Once you've obtained the OEM bolt, re-installation is the reverse of removal:

  1. Push the new bolt through the "wheel."
  2. Secure the bolt cap back on, making sure the four tabs snap back into place.
  3. Hand-screw the center ring over the new bolt.
  4. Secure the cap over the assembled "wheel."
Figure 9. A Fastenal bolt (top) compared to the factory Audi bolt (bottom).

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