Audi Workshop Service and Repair Manuals

Checking inner constant velocity joint The joint should be dismantled to renew dirty grease or for checking the balls and ball races for wear and damage.   Note Ball hub and joint body are paired. Mark position in relation to each other with a waterproof felt-tip pen prior to removal.

Removing –  Swivel ball hub and ball cage. –  Push out joint body in direction of arrow. –  Push balls out of cage.

–  Align ball hub with cage as shown -arrows- and pivot hub out of cage. –  Check joint, ball hub, ball cage and balls for pitting and signs of seizure.   Note Excessive backlash in the joint will cause knocking or jolts under load change. In such cases the joint must be renewed. Polished areas and visible tracks in the ball races are not a reason for renewing the joint. Installing Installation is performed in reverse sequence; note the following:

–  Insert hub into cage via the two chamfers. No specific installation position is required. Push balls into cage. –  Insert hub with cage and balls at a right angle to the joint body.   Note

t  When inserting, ensure that the wide spacing -a- on the joint body is aligned with the narrow spacing -b- on the hub after swivelling in. t  Chamfer on internal diameter of ball hub (splines) must face large diameter of joint body. t  On installation, also use felt-tip pen mark made on removal as a guide.

–  Swivel the hub into the joint body; at the same time the hub must be swivelled out of the cage -arrows- far enough to allow the balls to fit into the ball races.

–  Swivel in the hub with balls by applying firm pressure on the cage -arrow-. Checking function of constant velocity joint: The constant velocity joint has been correctly assembled if the ball hub can be moved by hand backwards and forwards over its entire axial range of movement.