Hello everyone,

I have been searching for the instructions or procedures to replace my Audi rear diff. Has anybody done it and published the steps?

It's a dogs n cats fight back there and I'm sure it is not going to end well.

Thank you in advance for any information on the subject.

Luis

 

It should be as simple as disconnecting both drive axles and the driveshaft (swing them out of the way and tie them up in place), and unbolting the front and rear differential mounts then dropping it out.

 

^^^What he said.^^^^ I did all 3 seals on mine a couple years ago. It's about 4 big torx (maybe t-45, don't remember) on the front support, and about 3 hex bolts on the back. Disconnect the shafts and it drops right out.

 

Mtroxel, you have any tips for doing the seals? Both my brother's and father's B5s need all the rear diff seals replaced so I'll be doing that within the next few months.

I assume it's basically the same as the transmission axle seals. Press the flange out with two bolts, pry the old seal out, insert new seal, beat the flange back into place?

 

The two seals on the output shafts might have taken 5 minutes per side. But the input seal on the front is a bit of a pain.


On the advice of my indy Audi tech friend, I removed the whole pumpkin. But first I took those 4 bolts that hold the front housing and pulled that off. There's a little plug in that housing up by the very front. Pry that out and look inside, you'll see a circlip that has to come off the shaft or it won't come out. Do some swearing and you'll get it. Then you put the driveshaft bolts back in that flange, tighten them back into the housing and use them to draw the shaft out of the friction fit bearing. Seal's right there. When you put the shaft back in, remember to thread it through the circlip. I remember it going back on easier than it came off.

 

Thank you guys for the heads up on the project!