Front Steering Knuckle: Service and Repair
Wheel bearing housingSpecial tools, workshop equipment, testers, measuring instruments and auxiliary items required
^ 287A Ball joint puller
^ AG 1332 Torque wrench
Removing
- Unbolt hex bolt for drive shaft. (Loosen only when vehicle is standing on wheels -danger of accident-).
- Remove wheel.
- Disconnect ABS speed sensor wiring out of retainer on brake caliper.
- Remove bolts -1- for brake caliper and take off brake caliper.
- Remove disc brake.
- Secure brake caliper to body with wire.
- Remove bolts -1- for cover plate.
- Disconnect ABS speed sensor from wheel bearing housing.
- Remove nuts -2- and -3-.
- Remove rubber grommet -1- and separate connector -2-.
- Disconnect ABS speed sensor wiring from retainers -arrows-.
- Guide wiring through opening in wheel bearing housing and take out.
Note: Do not damage the rubber grommet!
- Remove hex bolt -3- and nut-4-.
- Remove track rod ball joint.
- Remove nut from joint pin.
- Press guide link joint pin out of tapered seat.
Note: Do not damage joint protective boot when doing this!
- Loosen joint pin nut, do not remove completely.
- Press track-control link joint pin out from tapered seat.
Note: Do not damage joint protective boot when doing this!
- Remove nut -1-, take out hex bolt and remove both links -2- out upward.
The slits in the wheel bearing housing must not be widened using a chisel or similar tool!
If the hex bolt cannot be removed from the wheel bearing housing, then the hex bolt and the links -2- must be pressed out of the wheel bearing housing.
- Swing wheel bearing housing in direction of arrow away to side, when doing this remove drive shaft pin from wheel hub.
- Remove nut from track-control link joint pin.
- Take off wheel bearing housing.
Installing
- Install wheel bearing housing.
- Install joint pins of track-control and guide links into wheel bearing housing.
- Screw on new self-locking nut and tighten
Counter hold joint pin with 4 mm AF hex key if necessary.
- Slide drive shaft outer joint pin into wheel hub and tighten new hex bolt hand tight.
- Insert upper links into wheel bearing housing, insert new bolt and tighten new nut -2-.
When tightening press upper links downward as far as possible!
- Install track rod.
- Tighten hex bolt.
- Screw on new self-locking nut and tighten.
- Connect ABS vehicle speed sensor.
- Screw on cover plate and tighten
- Install disc brake, screw on brake caliper.
- Install wheel and tighten.
- Tighten drive shaft hex bolt.
Check and if necessary, adjust the front axle, alignment must take place on a VW/Audi recommended alignment stand.