Rear Suspension Assembly

Rear Suspension Assembly Rear Axle, Rear Axle, Removing and Installing
Removing
- Vehicle must be standing on its wheels above vehicle lift





- Remove wheel trim.
On light alloy wheels use puller in vehicle tool kit to remove trim cap
- Raise vehicle.
- Extract brake fluid from reservoir.
- Remove wheels.





- Remove cover (arrows).





- Unbolt heat shield cover (arrows indicate bolted connections) and push forward until parking brake cable adjuster becomes accessible.





- Loosen both cable adjusters as follows:
- Remove locking clip -D-.
- Screw in adjusting nut -C- up to stop.
- Push adjuster together.





- Remove locking plates -1- on left and right-sides, slightly loosen bolts -2- for cable retaining plate, and remove cables from axle beam.





- Disconnect brake lines at rear axle (arrow) on both sides.
- Pull ABS wheel speed sensors out of mounting holes on both sides.
- Detach ABS wheel speed sensor wiring from rear axle.
- On vehicles with headlight range control remove linkage from axle beam.

Note: Use VAG1383 gearbox lifter together with 135912 attachment for removing and installing the axle beam.





- Unbolt and remove suspension strut from axle beam.
- Remove bolts from guide bushings and remove axle beam.

Installing
- Install axle together with guide bushings into mounting brackets and install bolts hand-tight.
- Install suspension struts and hand-tighten suspension strut to axle beam bolts.
- Coat O-ring for ABS wheel speed sensor with brake cylinder paste.





- Push ABS wheel speed sensors into wheel bearing housings up to stop.
- Install locking plates for ABS wheel speed sensors.
- Route parking brake cables and attach to brake calipers.
- Connect brake lines.
- Adjust parking brake.
- Install heat shield.
- Bleed brakes.

CAUTION: Vehicle must be standing on its wheels when tightening guide bushing to rear axle bolts. Otherwise bonded rubber bushings will be subjected to torsion resulting in shortened service life

- Tighten guide bushing bolts.
Tightening torque: 80 Nm (59 ft. lbs.) + 1/4-turn (90°)

CAUTION: Vehicle must be standing on its wheels when tightening suspension strut to rear axle bolts. Otherwise bonded rubber bushings will be subjected to torsion resulting in shortened service life

- Tighten suspension strut to axle beam bolts.
Tightening torque: 50 Nm (37 ft. lbs.) + 1/4-turn (90°)
- On vehicles with headlight range control, tighten bolted connection between headlight range control linkage to axle beam.
Tightening torque: 3 Nm +1/-0 Nm (27 inch lbs. +9/0 inch lbs.)
- Install cover below rear axle.
- Check wheel alignment and adjust if necessary.