Trailing Arm With Mounting Bracket, Removing And Installing

WARNING: This page is about a different variant/trim than selected.

Special tools and workshop equipment required

Torque Wrench 1332 40-200Nm: VAG1332
Engine and Gearbox Jack: VAS6931
Engine/Gearbox Jack Adapter - Wheel Hub Support: T10149

Removing

-- Remove the wheel. Refer to WHEELS AND TIRES .

-- Remove coil spring. Refer to SPRING, REMOVING AND INSTALLING .

-- Remove the brackets -arrows- by pressing out the rivet inner pins.

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-- Free up the wiring harness -3-.

-- Remove the bolts -1 and 2- from the trailing arm.

-- Remove the respective underbody trim panel. Refer to UNDERBODY TRIM PANELS, REMOVING AND INSTALLING .

-- Remove the wire -2- from the bracket -1-.

Fig 1: Tighten The Bolts -arrows-

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-- Mark the mounting bracket -1- installation location on the body.

-- Remove the bolts -arrows-.

-- Remove the trailing arm with mounting bracket.

If the mounting bracket is separated from the trailing arm for the following steps, the installation position of the mounting bracket to the trailing arm must then be adjusted.

-- Clamp the trailing arm in the vise with protective covers.

Adjusting the installation position of mounting bracket relative to trailing link

Fig 2: Adjusting the installation position of mounting bracket relative to trailing link

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Dimension -a- is 37 mm.

1 - Trailing Arm

2 - Bracket

Place a steel ruler on the mounting bracket as illustrated and adjust the dimension specified above. Make sure that the steel ruler fully contacts the mounting bracket and it touches the inner trailing arm edge.

-- When dimension -a- has been adjusted, tighten the bolt -3-.

Installing

Installation is reverse of removal, noting the following:

Threaded Connector: Trailing Arm/Wheel Bearing Housing:

Fig 3: Identifying Longitudinal Control Arm And Wheel Bearing Housing Moved To Required Position

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Threaded connection of trailing arm/wheel bearing housing must only be tightened when all other components (spring and strut always) of the respective wheel suspension have been already assembled. To tighten, suspension must be unloaded. Only now do the trailing arm and wheel bearing housing move into the position required -arrows-.

Always perform the following work in the sequence given!

-- Install the trailing arm and mounting bracket with bolts -1 and 2- on the wheel bearing housing but do not yet tighten.

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-- Raise wheel suspension using : VAS6931 and : T10149 until mounting bracket makes contact on body.

-- Tighten the bolts -arrows- onto the old impression or the marking applied previously.

Fig 4: Tighten The Bolts -arrows-

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-- Secure the line -2- to the mounting bracket -1-.

-- Let down wheel suspension again using : VAS6931 and remove : T10149 from wheel hub.

-- Install coil spring. Refer to SPRING, REMOVING AND INSTALLING .

-- Tighten bolts -arrows- for longitudinal control arm to tightening specification, observe required position of components while doing so. Refer to Fig 3.

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-- Install the bracket by pressing in the rivet inner pins -arrows-.

-- An axle alignment may be required. Refer to EVALUATING NEED FOR AXLE ALIGNMENT .

Tightening Specifications

Refer to OVERVIEW - TRAILING ARM .
Refer to OVERVIEW - UNDERBODY TRIM PANELS .
Refer to WHEELS AND TIRES .