2000 A4 Q 1.8 ATW

Orderd the front outside CV Boot kit and took things apart today. Noticed when I got the kit that the collar bolt was 27 mm bolt vs my current 14 mm hex, but hoped would fit anyway. NOT. So, thought I would fool around with the suspension bolts to see if loose and then wait until Monday to pick up a collar bolt that fits (hoping the boot might fit). BUT, as advertised, the upper and lower control arm bolt are stuck. What is the trick here? I thought I would try just the lower two control bolts as in some DIY.

 

You don't need to take off the lower control arm, for the uppers yes you un do the 16mm nut then bang out the large bolt. What i do is use a open end wrench at the colar of the bolt then use a hammer on whack on the wrench which will pull the bolt out. Then just wack upwards on the upper links and wham! Your done.

 

Thanks

 

CV Joint Boot Replacement

Ordered the boot kit and must have hit the wrong button and got a 6cyl one when i have a 4 cyl, thus too big in diameter. the collar bolt was 27 mm "nut", where I have a 14 mm hex, and the washers, boot, etc, were set up for a larger diameter shaft. Paid $14 plus $10 shipping. Never thought to call Stealership until today - 28.00 less my 10% off coupon. I'm a dumbass for not checking.

Only took off the back lower control arm (autozone tool which looks like a two pronged table fork and BFH) and the CV came out with wheel turned to the left (I'm working on the Right Side). Beat the heck out of the top horizontal control arm bolt and quit (mucho PB Blaster applied) before doing permanent damage. I won't mess with that again until future Wheel Bearing time. By the way, the front lower control arm is snuggled back against the housing and I don't think the two pronged fork with work on that one so I ordered a "scissors like " device with the screw in it for the future from sears for 19.99 plus delivery of $6.50.

I took the old Collar bolt and screwed it in and popped the CV Joint off the shaft with very minimal force. I'm not going to take apart to clean the grease out because I caught the small tear early and it hasn't rained in a month and I don't live at the beach/shore and pick up sand. And, it wasn't making noise I just saw some grease when I was rotating the tires recently. Plus, doesn't the grease want to come OUT, not sand IN?

Bought CV Clamp Plyers for $10 at parts store.

I think it was 2.5 hours labor at the stealership, so I might have saved a little money, but learned plenty and got to wear the pretty blue gloves in hot and humid weather for several hours.

I messed up the small cv boot clamp "alignment" and actually missed the backside of the rubber when I clamped, and after kicking myself for 10 minutes, I found a universal replacement at Advance for $2.56. So, I guess I'm not the only one who has screwed that up.

By the way these new boots are high performance plastic instead of rubber. Cool.

Cheers