Further to an MOT failure this week (my bad) I have to change one of the rear outer CV boots on the ever aging allroad. I have done the fronts several times and those are pretty easy, but the good old factory manual says you have to remove the rear driveshaft in order to change the outer CV boot at the rear - **** that I say - means removing the exhaust and fighting with diff mounts etc so I had a recce tonight and happy to report a superior method that I haven't found online anywhere.
I wanted to recce it as I know for fact the wheel speed sensors at the rear haven't been touched since the wagon was built in 2001 so I was rightly expecting trouble with those.
Broadly speaking it goes like this - while I remember - I will add photos and more detail when I come to actually do the job when the parts get here. Its probably going to be pretty repeatable to any C5 or B5/B6/B7 quattro.
00 - put the air suspension into service mode (allroads only)
01 - loosen central hub bolt with vehicle on the ground as per the norm
02 - jack it up and secure the offending corner on a suitable axle stand
03 - off with the roadwheel
04 - remove brake pads
05 - remove brake caliper, disc & carrier (as we need to get the dust shield off for easy access to the next stages). Tie/bungie the caliper up so its not straining on the hydraulic line. See pic 2553
06 - remove the dust shield - 3 x 10mm head bolts - soaked aplenty in penetrating juice as these can be pretty tortuous - mine came out first time in 15yrs - awesome. See pic 2554
07 - now the 5mm allen bolt for the speed sensor is easy to access... I took plenty of time to clean out any crud from the head so the 5mm tool fitted nice...the bolt comes out OK but the actual speed sensor can be rusted tightly into the hub carrier - I tried to persuade it with penetrating oil and some judicious hammering but its not for coming out. Skip to number 09 if your speed sensor does come out without much drama !
08 - Leaving the speed sensor in the hub, turn attention to the plastic clamp on the lower wishbone which carries the speed sensor cable... detach that (two very crusty 8mm nuts) so there is a good amount of slack on the cable... when we remove the hub carrier of the drive shaft this will just swing out with the speed sensor attached so the CV boot can be accessed. Proceed to step number 09.
09- Remove the upper wishbone bolt that connects to the hub carrier
10 - Carefully mark (with paint or a punch) where the lower eccentric mount bolt with camber adjustment is sitting before you loosen the bottom bolt
11 - Remove the bolt connecting the link rod from rear of hub knuckle to the anti-roll bar. Note the upper bolt is much easier to remove than the lower one.
12 - Remove the bolt that connects the outer end of the track rod to the hub carrier
13 - Remove the central hub bolt so the hub carrier comes away from the driveshaft and the wishbones (with some pry and hammer persuasion)... there is enough slack on the cable if the wheel speed sensor is still stuck inside the hub carrier. See 2555
Now the outer CV boot can be accessed with plenty of working area... and refitting would be reversal of removal as per the norm - paying attention to torques of course.
The outer joint needed a good few persuasive whacks from the old hammer to get it off, but other than that it was pretty straightforward. See 2556 & 2557
When it comes to rebuilding you must have the lower bolt started on the anti-roll bar link before you put the knuckle back in position due to severe clearance issues. Note that the link rod bends OUTWARDS at the upper link rod mount.
@ELSAWIN - I laugh in your direction !
I wanted to recce it as I know for fact the wheel speed sensors at the rear haven't been touched since the wagon was built in 2001 so I was rightly expecting trouble with those.
Broadly speaking it goes like this - while I remember - I will add photos and more detail when I come to actually do the job when the parts get here. Its probably going to be pretty repeatable to any C5 or B5/B6/B7 quattro.
00 - put the air suspension into service mode (allroads only)
01 - loosen central hub bolt with vehicle on the ground as per the norm
02 - jack it up and secure the offending corner on a suitable axle stand
03 - off with the roadwheel
04 - remove brake pads
05 - remove brake caliper, disc & carrier (as we need to get the dust shield off for easy access to the next stages). Tie/bungie the caliper up so its not straining on the hydraulic line. See pic 2553
06 - remove the dust shield - 3 x 10mm head bolts - soaked aplenty in penetrating juice as these can be pretty tortuous - mine came out first time in 15yrs - awesome. See pic 2554
07 - now the 5mm allen bolt for the speed sensor is easy to access... I took plenty of time to clean out any crud from the head so the 5mm tool fitted nice...the bolt comes out OK but the actual speed sensor can be rusted tightly into the hub carrier - I tried to persuade it with penetrating oil and some judicious hammering but its not for coming out. Skip to number 09 if your speed sensor does come out without much drama !
08 - Leaving the speed sensor in the hub, turn attention to the plastic clamp on the lower wishbone which carries the speed sensor cable... detach that (two very crusty 8mm nuts) so there is a good amount of slack on the cable... when we remove the hub carrier of the drive shaft this will just swing out with the speed sensor attached so the CV boot can be accessed. Proceed to step number 09.
09- Remove the upper wishbone bolt that connects to the hub carrier
10 - Carefully mark (with paint or a punch) where the lower eccentric mount bolt with camber adjustment is sitting before you loosen the bottom bolt
11 - Remove the bolt connecting the link rod from rear of hub knuckle to the anti-roll bar. Note the upper bolt is much easier to remove than the lower one.
12 - Remove the bolt that connects the outer end of the track rod to the hub carrier
13 - Remove the central hub bolt so the hub carrier comes away from the driveshaft and the wishbones (with some pry and hammer persuasion)... there is enough slack on the cable if the wheel speed sensor is still stuck inside the hub carrier. See 2555
Now the outer CV boot can be accessed with plenty of working area... and refitting would be reversal of removal as per the norm - paying attention to torques of course.
The outer joint needed a good few persuasive whacks from the old hammer to get it off, but other than that it was pretty straightforward. See 2556 & 2557
When it comes to rebuilding you must have the lower bolt started on the anti-roll bar link before you put the knuckle back in position due to severe clearance issues. Note that the link rod bends OUTWARDS at the upper link rod mount.
@ELSAWIN - I laugh in your direction !
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