Drive Axle

Drive Axle

Special tools, testers and auxiliary items required

• Torque Wrench (40-200 Nm) (V.A.G 1332)

• Digital Torque Wrench (V.A.G 1756)

Removing

When disassembling and performing repairs on vehicle, the drive axle must not be allowed to hang down and contact the stops in the joint by overflexing.

Removing

- Loosen the drive axle to wheel hub bolt. Refer to one of the following:

=> [ Drive Axle to Wheel Hub Bolt, Loosening and Tightening, with a Twelve Point Bolt with Ribs ] Drive Axle to Wheel Hub Bolt, Loosening and Tightening, with a Twelve Point Bolt with Ribs.

=> [ Drive Axle to Wheel Hub Bolt, Loosening and Tightening, with a Twelve Point Bolt without Ribs ] Drive Axle to Wheel Hub Bolt, Loosening and Tightening, with a Twelve Point Bolt without Ribs.

The wheel bearing must not be under a load while the drive axle bolt is loose.

If the wheel bearings are under the load of the vehicle weight, the wheel bearing will be damaged. This reduces the service life of the wheel bearings.

The drive axle bolt may be loosened a maximum of 90° when the vehicle is sitting on its wheels.

Vehicles without a drive axle must not be moved, otherwise the wheel bearing will be damaged. If a vehicle must be moved, be sure to note the following:

• Install an outer joint in place of the drive axle.

• Tighten the outer joint to 120 Nm.

- Remove the wheel.

- Remove the coil spring. Refer to => [ Coil Spring ] Coil Spring.

- Remove the bolts - arrows - for the lower track control arm - 1 - and the tie rod - 2 - from the wheel bearing housing.






- Remove the shock absorber lower bolt - arrow - from the wheel bearing housing.






- Unbolt the drive axle from the rear final drive flange shaft.

- Swing the wheel bearing housing upward and remove the drive axle from the wheel bearing housing inner splines.

- Remove the drive axle.

Installing

Installation is the reverse of removal, with special attention to the following:

- Install the drive axle inner Constant Velocity (CV) joint to the rear final drive flange shaft and initially tighten the bolts diagonally to 10 Nm.

- Then, tighten the bolts diagonally to 40 Nm

- Tighten the drive axle to wheel hub bolt. Refer to one of the following:

=> [ Drive Axle to Wheel Hub Bolt, Loosening and Tightening, with a Twelve Point Bolt with Ribs ] Drive Axle to Wheel Hub Bolt, Loosening and Tightening, with a Twelve Point Bolt with Ribs.

=> [ Drive Axle to Wheel Hub Bolt, Loosening and Tightening, with a Twelve Point Bolt without Ribs ] Drive Axle to Wheel Hub Bolt, Loosening and Tightening, with a Twelve Point Bolt without Ribs.

The vehicle must not rest on its wheels when doing so.

With the bolt loosened, the wheel bearing can be damaged by the vehicle weight.

Differences Between a Twelve Point Bolt With Ribs and a Bolt Without Ribs






The contact surfaces - arrows A and B - are different on the two bolts.

I Twelve point bolt with ribs - arrow A -
II Twelve point bolt without ribs - arrow B -

Connections to the wheel bearing housing must only be tightened when dimension "a" is achieved. Refer to => [ Tightening of the respective bolts/nuts must then only occur after dimension between the wheel hub center and the lower edge of the wheel housing has been attained. ] Rear Subframe.

Tightening Specifications