General Information, Rear Axle

WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 18 other vehicles, including the 2016 Audi S4, 2016 Audi A4 Quattro, 2016 Audi A4, 2015 Audi S4, and 2015 Audi A4 Quattro. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

When installing waxed components, contact surfaces must be cleaned. Contact surfaces must be free of wax and grease.

Tightening specifications for non-lubricated bolts and nuts are given.

Always replace self-locking nuts and bolts.

Always replace the bolts and nuts, which are tightened with an additional tightening angle.

Welding or straightening operations are not permitted on load-bearing or wheel-controlling components.

Avoid hammering welding beads or applying color identification later to coil springs.

Do not perform any welding or grinding (separating work) in coil spring or suspension strut area! Cover coil spring or suspension struts if necessary.

When loosening, removing or installing hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical line, always make a sketch or take a picture. Doing so records the original installation locations.

If the cable ties, brackets or mounting elements were removed during the repair procedure, they must be installed at their original location.

Do not let the drive axle hang down. The inner joint could be damaged if it is bent too far.

Vehicles without a drive axle must not be moved, otherwise the wheel bearing will be damaged. If vehicle must be moved, observe the following:

-- Install an outer joint in place of the drive axle.

-- Tighten the threaded connection between the drive axle and the wheel hub to 200 Nm.

Bonded rubber bushings can only be turned to a limited extent. Only tighten threaded connections at control arms if vehicle is in curb weight position or control position.

Lifting wheel bearing to curb weight position. Refer to WHEEL BEARING IN CURB WEIGHT, REAR AXLE, LIFTING VEHICLES WITH COIL SPRING .

As a running change in MY 2010, aluminum coupling rods were replaced by plastic coupling rods. It is not permitted to mix different tie rods on an axle; allocation.

If the vehicle must still have an axle alignment, every screw and nut that must be loosened for adjustment must be tightened to the tightening specification. Tighten the bolts and nuts to the specified additional tightening angle after the alignment/adjustment is complete.

WARNING:

If vehicle will be driving on the streets, all screws and nuts must be tightened properly!

WARNING:

There is a risk of injury if the engine starts automatically in vehicles with the Start/Stop System.

When the Start/Stop System is on (recognizable by a message in the instrument cluster), the engine may start automatically.
Make sure that the start/stop system is deactivated when working on the vehicle (turn off the ignition, turn on the ignition when necessary).

NOTE:

For a short period of time, subframes for All Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles were installed on Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles.

For a short period of time, wheel bearing housings for All Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles were installed on Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles. Refer to OVERVIEW - WHEEL BEARING, VEHICLES WITH FRONT WHEEL DRIVE (FWD) -item 24- "Wheel Bearing" Housing (See figure 181). A mixed installation is not permitted. Procedure for vehicles equipped with an All Wheel Drive (AWD) wheel bearing housing. Refer to WHEEL BEARING HOUSING, ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), REMOVING AND INSTALLING .

For a short period, steel wheel bearing housings instead of aluminum wheel bearing housings were installed on Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles. Do not install both types together.