Driveshaft, Removing and Installing

Special tools, testers and auxiliary items required 

• Torque wrench V.A.G 1576

Removing 

• Place vehicle on hoist → Positioning Vehicle on Hoist and Wheels .
• Remove wheel covers, remove cover cap on light-alloy wheels (removal hook in vehicle tool kit).

• Loosen collar bolt - arrow  - only 90 , otherwise wheel bearing will be damaged

• Remove wheel.
• Install all 5 wheel bolts and tighten by hand.

A second technician is needed for the next step:

• 1. Technician: Sit in vehicle and operate brake pedal
• 2. Technician: Remove driveshaft collar bolt.

If collar bolt is loose or removed, wheel bearings must not be loaded.

If bearings are loaded by vehicles own weight the wheel bearing will be damaged. The wheel bearings will be stressed and the life expectancy reduced.

If a vehicle that has a drive axle removed is to be moved, an outer CV joint must be installed in place of drive axle and be tightened to 200 Nm. Otherwise, the wheel bearing will be damaged.

• On vehicles with an auxiliary heater, remove the bolts - arrows  - connecting the exhaust pipe to the noise insulation.

• Loosen quick-release fasteners - 1  - and - 2  - and remove noise insulation.
• Remove track control arm on wheel bearing housing → Track Control Arm, Removing and Installing .
• Remove guide link on wheel bearing housing → Guide Link, Removing and Installing .

• Remove noise insulation - arrows  - if applicable.
• Remove driveshaft from wheel bearing housing.

• Remove driveshaft - 1  - from flange shaft.
• Remove driveshaft.

Installing 

Installation is in reverse order of removal. Observe the following when doing so:

• Position driveshaft inner joint - 1  - and tighten the bolts in a diagonal sequence to 10 Nm.
• Tighten driveshaft on flange shaft/transmission.
• Install track control arm on wheel bearing housing → Track Control Arm, Removing and Installing .
• Install guide link on wheel bearing housing → Guide Link, Removing and Installing .

• Install noise insulation - arrows  - , if applicable.
• Install noise insulation.

A second technician is needed to tighten the driveshaft collar bolt:

• 1. Technician: Sit in vehicle and operate brake pedal.
• 2. Technician: Tighten the driveshaft collar bolt to 200 Nm.
• Mount wheel and tighten → 44 - WHEELS, TIRES, VEHICLE ALIGNMENT .
• Place vehicle on wheels → Positioning Vehicle on Hoist and Wheels .

• Tighten driveshaft bolt by turning collar bolt an additional 180.