Axle Beam and/or Guide Bearing Replacement (Axle Removed)

NOTE: Welding and straightening on wheel bearing and suspension components are not permissible.

1. Floor pan assembly, body
- Bolt on mounting bracket
2. Hex bolt
- Always replace
- Take out to remove rear axle
3. Mounting bracket
- Do not loosen to remove rear axle
- Brake proportioning valve attachment, refer to Brakes and Traction Control
- Installing:
- Install brackets loosely with mounting bolts
- Slide brackets in longitudinal direction (in driving direction) as far as possible, then thread in until slightly tight
- Check distance of rear axle to both wheelhousings and align in transverse direction, refer to Fig. 5, below.
- Tighten mounting bolts for brackets to specified torque
4. Self-locking nuts
- Always replace
- When tightening, vehicle must be standing on ground
- Tighten to: 80 Nm (59 ft lb) plus additional 1/4-turn (90°)
5. Ribbed bolt
- Always replace (genuine Audi parts)
- Tighten to: 150 Nm (111 ft lb)
- Drill out damaged bolts and repair using suitable threading tool
6. Axle beam
- Provided with sockets to hold ABS wheel speed sensors
7. Guide bearing
- Pressing out, refer to Fig. 1, below.
- Installation position, refer to Fig. 2, below.
- Pressing in, refer to Fig. 3, below.
- Replacing with rear axle installed, refer to Strut overhaul. Service and Repair





Fig. 1 Pressing out guide bearing





Fig. 2 Guide bearing installation
- Install bearings in axle so that:
- Axes (B and C in illustration) are parallel to each other
- Bearing is oriented toward direction of travel (arrow C in illustration)





Fig. 3 Pressing in guide bearing
- When bearing is pressed in, pin (a in illustration) must make contact with metal bearing housing, refer to Fig 4, below.





Fig. 4 Aligning guide bearing
- Metal bearing housing must make contact with end face of pin (a in illustration).





Fig. 5 Checking distances between rear axle and wheelhousings
- Install both wheel bolts and fasten brake discs.
- Place straightedge wheel mounting surface of brake disc and use depth gauge to measure distance between strut adapter and wheelhousing on left and right sides.
- Measuring point is bead on strut adapter (arrow at a in illustration).
- If necessary loosen bearing mounts and slide rear axle in transverse direction until spacing is equal.
- Maximum difference between left and right sides: 2.0 mm (0.08 in.) measured at strut adapter
- Tighten mounting bolts on both rear beam axle bearing mounts to specified torque.