This is a how to guide I threw together explaining how to change the outer C.V joint on a Passat, it can also be used for an A4/A6. Hopefully it will entice other members to also create how to's, for other members to use or reference off. This Passat had a torn C.V boot and the joint itself was also shot as the torn boot was not got in time so water/dirt got in and wore the drive. Passats tend to like outer C.V boots so this problem is pretty common. Tell tale signs at the early stages are grease surrounding joint/boot. At the later stages if its neglected, the joint will begin to click while the steering is locked and the car in motion. A torn C.V joint is an nct fail, noisy or not. So anyways, onto the job, With the car on the ground you need to first open the large centre nut holding axle into hub bearing centre. Its hefty, and is tight, these can be a hex head, or a large torx depending yr/model so check it out before you go at anything to endsure you have the right tool. Opening, apply handbrake/chock wheels, Out, Loosen wheel nuts, Jack and support car, remove wheel, the joint in question is easily seen, The bolt holding the top two arms to hub carrier has to come out. This bolt is normally inserted the other way so driving this out was a touch awkward, but nothing too hard, parallel pin punch and out it came, These fairly lock in there so maybe some wd40/paraffin or something will ease it out that bit quicker, With the bolt out the two top arms need to be removed, the punch will drive them up easy, These will spring out when driven up, but this is normal, as this is the arms position with the car on its wheels, so that there is the least amount torsion through the inboard arm bushes. This is also why the inboard ends of arms must be tightened with the wheels on the ground, or with the hub in its correct running position so as not to have bushings strained when at the running working height. The abs sender, its a good idea to pull this out a touch so that there is no way you can damage the nose of it when removing axle, Pulled out a touch, just twist, and pull, its tight, but will come out, 3mm is plenty, You can now catch hub carrier assembly and pull out at the top slightly and move towards the rear of the car at the top, this will allow you to remove outer C.V. splines from the hub bearing centre, push the entrie axle assembly towards box also and out of hub, and out it will come, Under the car you need to open the inner C.V joint where its onto flange, this is pretty handy, put car in 1st gear so drive wont spin, open all you can see, then put car in neutral, turn drive a half turn, then open the rest, these bolts are multi splines, Off, Manoeuvre it down, and in from wheel, bit fiddly, but it will come down, and out,
Out, and the joint in question, Place axle in the vice, get the bolt again you removed a while ago, thread it into joint once more until you cant turn it by hand anymore, put the ratchet on it and give it around 3-4 turns, you will hear a click, and it will get easier turn again, the joint is now out over spring retaining clip and can be removed, Cut the two boot ties, Pull the whole lot off, joint and boot, Clean end of shaft with a cloth and some cleaner/petrol/jizer etc, this will remove any grit that got in through torn C.V boot and that will_ruin your new C.V, Open up the box of bits you got with the new C.V kit, in it you should find, The new joint. The new boot 2 boot clips. Retainer clip. Plastic tapered spacer. Dished washer. Grease. Bolt. Fit new dished washer and spacer. Note direction of dished washer, concave face out, fit new boot to axle before fitting these of course...also fit new spring clip to groove near the end of axle splines, New joint, you need to pack grease into this real well, work it in good everywhere you can, one of the packs should all fit in there with not much mess, Like so, Put the other pack into and around inside off boot, Screw new bolt into new joint say 12mm and offer it up to end of shaft, it will go onto shaft about 3mm, just enough to make sure you are on splines correctly, Give it one sharp tap to seat onto axle, and locate over spring clip, pull it if your not sure its home, it shouldn't come off, Bring the boot up onto new C.V and ensure its seated in the locating groove, Fit new boot clips and crimp off, All done, and ready to refit, Offer it up, and jiggle/swear it into place, it will go back in, just take it easy, Fit bolts again, get them all in and started by hand, then tighten them up, Torque to 80nm, Back out at the hub again things should look like this, or something like this, Lift drive shaft and line her up for hub, this can take a bit of moving/lining up to get in, change angle of outer C.V and or hub position to get it home, like so, Push in abs sensor to where it was again, make sure its nose is not touching pickup ring, rotate shaft slightly to check its not, if it is, withdraw sensor approx 1mm, Fit new bolt hand tight to keep axle in place, Line up top arms/hub barrier and tap them down again with a mallet/rubber hammer/etc, make sure they are not too far down as they have a groove that the bolt glides by, I always spray copper grease on this bolt going back so that it wont be such a pig for the next guy to remove, Tapped in, this time the correct way round, new nut also, torque to 40nm, Have a look over everything then fit wheel, more copper grease between hub lip and alloy wheel, this wheel was corroded there and was stuck firm, With the car off the jack/supports and the wheel on the ground tighten wheel nuts, then tighten main hub bolt, 115nm, then give it another 180 degrees ( a half turn). This applies to the m14 bolt. The m16 bolt you need to bring to 190nm, then give it another 180 degrees ( a half turn) M14 and m16 both apply to the diameter of the bolt in mm, so check which one yours has. Recheck wheel nuts after a few mile and then enjoy going around corners/roundabouts/housing estates quietly from now on! Enjoy folks, hope this helps someone some day. Brian,
Great guide BrianG! I have to say I'm liking the outer CV's short nose/bolt arrangement, rather than the mk2 golf's long threaded nose/nut arrangement. Looks loads easier to remove. How does it compare spline-wise to the CV joint on say a mk2?
Grand Brian! Is the inner CV joint 'Rezeppa' or 'Tripod' type? It looks quite a small diameter for a Rezeppa! A99. These look just like the Audi 80 FWD and 90 Q Rear CVs which have a bigger spline on the hub, but the same inner spline to drive shaft. If you want to use those joints, you need to use the early Mk2 upright and bore out to 68mm and use 321 498 625 D Passat Wheel Brg. And use an Audi 80 Hub 893 407 615 Turned down to suit a 39mm inner race, drilled and tapped 4 x 100 PCD. VWMS
