Tie Rod: Service and Repair
COMPONENT IDENTIFICATION
WARNING:
^ Airbags and related equipment (e.g. steering wheel) must only be disassembled, assembled and repaired by trained Audi Service Department personnel.
^ Before working on any airbag, steering wheel or steering column components, first always disconnect the battery.
^ After the battery and airbag power supply have been disconnected make sure that the front wheels face straight ahead when the steering wheel is removed (to ensure that the airbag spiral spring win not be damaged).
^ Make sure that no person is in the vehicle when connecting the battery Ground strap.
CAUTION:
^ Before disconnecting the battery, determine the correct coding for the anti-theft radio.
^ Do not attempt to weld or straighten steering system components
NOTE:
^ Power steering filling and bleeding.
^ Checking steering system for leaks. Testing and Inspection
1. Bulkhead seal
- Carefully install in groove in rotary valve housing and in bulkhead
2. Bulkhead
3. Hex bolt
4. Steering damper
- Can be replaced with steering gear installed-remove brake booster first
- Before removing, remove steering gear with bracket
- To check, remove from bracket
- Checking:
Piston rod must move smoothly and evenly over entire stroke. If necessary, compare with new damper by simulating installed position and moving damper several times over entire stroke
With proper function, traces of oil leakage are not cause for replacement
5. Hex bolt
- Tighten to: 45Nm (33ft lb)
6. Bracket for steering damper, steering rack side
7. Hex nut
- Tighten to: 35 Nm (26 ft lb)
8. Washer
9. Self-locking nut
- Always replace
- Tighten to: 45 Nm (33 ft lb)
- Before mounting, tighten socket-head bolts at left wheel housing
10 -Self-locking nut
- Always replace
- Tighten to: 45 Nm (33 ft lb)
11. Self-locking nut
- Always replace
- Tighten to: 40 Nm (30 ft lb)
12. Self-locking nut
- Always replace
- Tighten to: 30 Nm (22 ft lb)
13. Tie rod end, right
- Pressing off steering arm, refer to Fig. 2, below.
NOTE: When installing or adjusting the two tie rod ends (i.e. when adjusting toe), make sure that the joint pins are not tilting to the front or to the rear.
14. Pressure hose
- Routing to steering gear, refer to Fig. 1, below.
- To disconnect at steering gear housing, brake booster must first be removed
15. Banjo bolts
- Tighten to: 40 Nm (30 ft lb)
16. Return hose
- Routing to steering gear, refer to Fig. 1, below
- Before removing banjo bolt -15- block off return hose using clamp 3094
- To disconnect at rotary valve housing, brake booster must be removed and steering damper disconnected on wheelhousing side and moved upward
17. O-rings
- Always replace
- Install on both sides of banjo fittings on pressure hose and return hose
18 -Tie rod carrier
- Disconnect from steering rack
- When tightening tie rods on carrier, vehicle must be standing on its wheels
- After disconnecting and connecting at steering rack, check toe and adjust if necessary
19. Socket-head bolt
- Tighten to: 40 Nm (30 ft lbs)
- Counter-hold on hex portion of threaded bushing
20. Strap
- Install in both tie rods and screw into carrier with vehicle standing on wheels
21. Threaded bushing
- When removing and installing socket-head bolt, counter-hold against hex
22. Bracket for steering damper, wheelhousing side
23. Steering gear
- Overall ratio: 16.8 :1
- Align when installing steering column
- Do not install steering gear with excess tension; adjust in mounts if necessary
- After installing, move to centered position, install steering wheel in correct position (spokes horizontal), and tighten
- Repairing, refer to Overhaul.
- Adjusting toe. Service and Repair
- Connect battery Ground strap
24. Left wheelhousing
25. Socket-head bolt
- Tighten to: 20 Nm (15 ft lb)
- Tighten before bolting steering gear to bulkhead
26. Spring washer
- Always replace
27. Tie rod end, left
- Pressing off steering arm, refer to Fig. 2, below.
NOTE: When installing or adjusting the two tie rod ends (i.e. when adjusting toe), make sure that the joint pins are not tilting to the front or to the rear.
28. Threaded piece
- Always adjust toe on both tie rods. Service and Repair
29. Adjusting screw
- Steering play, adjusting, refer to correct type found under Overhaul. Service and Repair
Fig. 1 Routing to steering gear
1 in illustration = Return hose
2 in illustration = Pressure hose
- When connecting lines to steering gear note specifications:
a in illustration = approx. 30±
b in illustration = approx. 5±
Fig. 2 Pressing off tie rod end
REMOVAL
NOTE: Brake booster must be removed when removing and installing steering gear.
- Disconnect battery Ground strap.
- Remove strut tower crossmember (arrows).
- Pry cover off intake air silencer using screwdriver.
- Remove both intake air silencer mounting bolts.
- Disconnect intake air duct at mass air flow sensor.
- Disconnect crankcase ventilation hose at large diameter end and disconnect from cylinder head covers.
- Push intake air silencer to rear and lift upward.
- Disconnect vacuum hose from throttle body, and remove intake air silencer.
- Remove strainer from brake fluid reservoir, and remove brake fluid.
- Disconnect both brake lines between brake master cylinder and ABS hydraulic unit.
- Disconnect harness connector for brake fluid level sensor at brake fluid reservoir.
- Remove brake master cylinder from brake booster.
- Remove bolt for fastening crankcase breather from cylinder head cover.
- Disconnect cruise control vacuum line.
- Disconnect cruise control diaphragm with bracket from throttle body.
- Disconnect connectors for knock sensor, heated oxygen sensor and oxygen sensor heater from bracket.
- Plug holes for brake lines on brake master cylinder and ABS hydraulic unit with bleeder screws.
- Disconnect check valve with vacuum line from brake booster.
- Block off supply and return lines with hose clamps 3094.
- Disconnect harness connector for engine coolant temperature sensor in rear coolant line.
- Remove lower instrument panel knee bar on driver's side, refer to Body and Frame.
- Remove safety clip from pin on brake pedal.
- Remove bolt from clevis.
- Disconnect spring from clevis.
- Remove mounting bolts for flanged tube with bracket at steering pinion and steering column.
- Press steering column off coupling.
- Remove flanged tube with bracket from steering pinion, then push steering column slightly to one side.
- Disconnect brake booster from pedal bracket.
- Carefully remove brake booster.
- Disconnect pressure hose banjo fitting from steering gear.
- Move steering (turn wheels from lock to lock) so hydraulic oil can be removed from pressure hose connection.
- Seal hose in steering gear housing with plug.
- Remove self-locking nuts from tie rod carrier mounting bolts.
- Remove mounting bolts for steering damper to bracket on wheelhousing side.
- Remove both tie rod carrier mounting bolts.
- Disconnect tie rod carrier from steering rack.
- Remove steering damper with bracket.
- Disconnect return hose banjo fitting from steering gear.
- Seal hole with plug.
- For vehicles with Servotronic, disconnect harness connector for Servotronic valve.
- Remove steering gear mounting bolts on left wheelhousing.
- Remove bracket for steering damper on wheelhousing side.
- While doing so, disconnect brake line from retaining clip.
- Unclip fasteners for bulkhead seal (working from engine compartment).
- Remove bulkhead seal from footwell.
- Disconnect steering gear mounting nuts from bulkhead using angled box wrench.
- Pull steering gear slightly toward front of vehicle, so that it comes free from bulkhead.
- Guide steering gear upward by turning slightly as necessary, then remove.
INSTALLING
Installation is the reverse of removal; note the following points:
- Install steering gear and attach to bulkhead by hand.
- Tighten steering gear to left wheelhousing with steering damper bracket (2 technicians required).
- Tighten steering gear to bulkhead with angled box wrench.
- Carefully place bulkhead seal into position.
- Attach brake line in holding clip on bracket for steering damper, wheelhousing side.
- Connect return hose on rotary valve housing and on pressure hose on steering gear housing in such a way that hose does not contact anything, refer to Fig. 1, above.
- Connect harness connector for Servotronic valve.
- Attach brake booster to bulkhead and secure, then install bulkhead seal onto bulkhead.
- Install harness connector for engine coolant temperature sensor at rear coolant line.
- Install threaded pin.
- Mount cruise control diaphragm with bracket on throttle body.
- Connect cruise control vacuum line.
- Clip in connectors.
- Connect coil spring to pedal clevis.
- Install pin in clevis and/or install pedal, and secure with new clip.
- Connect harness connector for brake fluid level sensor on brake fluid reservoir.
- Remove hose clamps 3094 from supply and return hoses.
- Connect vacuum hose on throttle body.
- Connect both crankcase breather hoses to cylinder head cover.
- Install strut tower crossmember.
Tighten to: 20 Nm (15 ft lbs)
- Turn steering wheel several times from lock to lock (engine not running) to bleed air from steering gear.
NOTE:
If noises occur during the test drive, this procedure must be repeated.
^ Bleed brake system and check for leaks.
^ Connect battery Ground strap.
^ Check hydraulic oil level and top off if necessary
^ Check return hose on rotary valve housing for leaks.
^ Check pressure hose on steering gear housing for leaks.
^ Adjust toe.