Track Control Link

Track control link, removing and installing

Removing
- Remove wheel trim; pull trim cap off light-alloy wheels (puller in vehicle tool kit).
- Remove wheel.

Note: For vehicles with headlight range control, refer to Lighting and Horns, Head lamp alignment Sensor, Service and Repair.

- Secure brake disc with wheel bolt.
- Remove brake caliper and attach to body.

Note:
^ Protect boot against damage, e.g. using a leather cloth.
^ For safety reasons, screw collared nut back on again at joint pin of track control link approximately 4 turns so that it is flush.
^ Make sure that both lever arms are parallel to one another when maximum force is expended; re-adjust if necessary.





- Press joint pin of track control link off tapered seat.





- Unscrew hex bolt -1-.
- Unscrew bolts -2- and -4- and take out connecting link.

Note: To avoid damaging joints of upper links, provide support e.g. using VAG 1383 A (engine and transmission lifter) to guard against excessive rebound.

- Unscrew hex bolt -3-.
- Take out track control link.

Installing

Note:
^ Always replace nuts and bolts.
^ Bonded rubber bushings can only be turned to a limited extent. The bolted joints at the suspension links are therefore not to be tightened until the vehicle is standing on the ground.

- Install new hex bolt -3- and new hex nut.
- Tighten to 80 Nm plus additional 90° turn.
- Remove residual adhesive from joint pins of track control link





- Tighten nuts at joint pins (track control link) to 125 Nm.
- Tighten hex nut -1- to 90 Nm.
- Tighten bolt -2- to 40 Nm plus additional 90° turn.
- Tighten bolt -4- to 50 Nm plus additional 90° turn.
- Install brake disc, bolt on brake caliper.
- Bolt on attachment of headlight range control (if present), refer to Lighting and Horns, Head lamp alignment Sensor, Service and Repair.