Drive Axle

Drive Axle

Special tools, testers and auxiliary items required

• Torque wrench (V.A.G 1332)

• Angle wrench (V.A.G 1756)


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

Removing

- Loosen drive axle bolt to wheel hub:

• Twelve-point bolt with ribs, refer to => [ Drive Axle Twelve-Point Bolt with Ribs, Loosening and Tightening ] Drive Axle Twelve-Point Bolt with Ribs, Loosening and Tightening

• Twelve-point bolt without ribs, refer to => [ Drive Axle Twelve-Point Bolt without Ribs, Loosening and Tightening ] Drive Axle Twelve-Point Bolt without Ribs, Loosening and Tightening


The wheel bearing must not be under a load while the drive axle threaded connection on the wheel side is loose.

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

The drive axle bolt may be loosened maximum 90° when the vehicle is standing 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 wheel.

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

- Remove the bolts - arrows - for the lower transverse link - 1 - and tie rod - 2 - from the wheel bearing housing.






- Remove bolt - arrow -.






- Loosen input shaft at transmission flange.

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

- Remove drive axle.

Installing

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

- Install inner joint of drive axle and initially tighten bolts diagonally to 10 Nm.

- Tighten multipoint socket head bolts diagonally to 40 Nm

- Tighten the drive axle/wheel hub bolt:

• Twelve-point bolt with ribs, refer to => [ Drive Axle Twelve-Point Bolt with Ribs, Loosening and Tightening ] Drive Axle Twelve-Point Bolt with Ribs, Loosening and Tightening.

• Twelve-point bolt without ribs, refer to => [ Drive Axle Twelve-Point Bolt without Ribs, Loosening and Tightening ] Drive Axle Twelve-Point Bolt without Ribs, Loosening and Tightening.


Vehicle must not rest on wheels when doing so.

With bolt loosened, wheel bearing can be damaged by vehicle's own weight.

Differences Between a Twelve-Point Bolt with Ribs and a Twelve-Point Bolt without Ribs






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

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

• Connections to wheel bearing housing may only be carried out of dimension between wheel hub center and lower edge of wheel housing, measured before assembly, is achieved! => [ Measure dimension. ] Rear Suspension, Lifting to Curb Weight Position

Tightening Specifications