Audi Workshop Service and Repair Manuals

Removing and installing subframe with attachments - four-wheel drive vehicles Special tools and workshop equipment required

t  Torque wrench -V.A.G 1331-

t  Torque wrench -V.A.G 1332-

t  Engine and gearbox jack -V.A.G 1383 A- with universal gearbox support -V.A.G 1359/2-

t  Tensioning strap -T10038- Removing subframe with attachments   Note If the bolt securing the drive shaft to the wheel hub has to be slackened for subsequent operations, remember that this must be done with the vehicle standing on its wheels. Slackening bolt securing drive shaft to wheel hub → Chapter.

–  Before starting work, measure distance -a- from centre of wheel to lower edge of wheel housing with vehicle standing on its wheels. –  Raise vehicle on lifting platform. –  Remove wheels. –  Remove coil springs → Chapter. –  Remove rear silencer(s) → Rep. gr.26. –  Detach propshaft from rear final drive → Rep. gr.39.

–  Tie up propshaft -3- to vehicle body -2- with a wire -1-. –  Push rear propshaft tube towards gearbox as far as possible.

–  On vehicles with sport differential, remove bolts -arrows- and detach bracket -1- from rear final drive.   Note Mark connectors -2- for oil pressure and oil temperature senders and clutch valves. –  Unplug connectors -2- from oil pressure and oil temperature senders and clutch valves. –  Then unplug connector -4- from four-wheel drive pump -V415-. –  Now unclip wiring harness -3- from final drive and subframe -items 5…7- and tie up.

–  Unscrew bolt -2- on both sides and detach bracket -1- with wiring.

–  Release and unplug connector -1- from rear left speed sensor -G46- and rear right speed sensor -G44-. –  Release and unplug connector -3- for electromechanical parking brake (both sides). –  Release and unplug connector -5- from rear left vehicle level sender -G76- and, if fitted, rear right vehicle level sender -G77-. –  Unclip wiring harness -4- on left and, if fitted, on right. –  On vehicles with electronic damping control, unplug connector at shock absorber and move wiring harness clear.

–  Unclip retaining tabs -1- and detach stone deflector -2-.

–  Remove bolt -2- and take off washer -1-.

–  Detach bolt connection -1-. –  Detach brake calipers → Rep. gr.46. –  Guide brake calipers past suspension and secure to body so that weight of calipers does not stretch or damage brake hose or brake pipe. –  Attach upper transverse link to wheel bearing housing (hand-tight) -1-.

–  Remove covers -1- and -2- → Rep. gr.66.

–  If fitted, remove stone deflectors -1-, -2- and -3-.   WARNING BEFORE slackening subframe bolts, secure vehicle against tipping over (e.g. by placing a weight of approx. 50 kg in the luggage compartment).

–  Position engine and gearbox jack -V.A.G 1383 A- with universal gearbox support -V.A.G 1359/2- beneath subframe and secure with tensioning strap -T10038-. –  Support rear final drive -1- with a suitable block of wood -2-. –  Support front of subframe with a suitable block of wood -4- below cross member -3-. –  Secure subframe with tensioning strap -T10038- on engine and gearbox jack -V.A.G 1383 A-. –  Tie tensioning strap -T10038- around subframe roughly beneath drive shaft and feed strap past rear final drive. –  Route tensioning strap -T10038- below universal gearbox support -V.A.G 1359/2- and tighten strap.

–  Remove bolts -1- and -2- on both sides. –  Detach support -3- on both sides.

–  Remove bolts -arrows-. –  Carefully lower subframe with attachments. Look out for brake calipers and their lines when doing so. Installing subframe with attachments Installation is carried out in the reverse sequence. Note the following points: Tightening torques → Chapter „Exploded view of subframe, anti-roll bar, coupling rod - four-wheel drive vehicles“ → Chapter „Exploded view of wheel bearing housing, wheel bearing unit, shock absorber for coil springs - four-wheel drive vehicles“   Note t  Bonded rubber bushes can only be turned to a limited extent. The suspension mountings must therefore only be tightened when the suspension is in the unladen position or reference position. t  Raising suspension to unladen position (vehicles with coil springs) → Chapter Applies to allroad: –  Position spacers → Item (left and right) and → Item (left and right) on bonded rubber bushes of subframe (ribbed side of spacers should face body). Applies to all vehicles: –  Bores in subframe mountings must be aligned centrally with mounting points on body.

–  Align subframe centrally so that dimension -a- (on vehicles without stone deflector) is 19 mm and dimension -b- (on vehicles with stone deflector) is 14 mm.   Note Do not install coil springs until subframe bolts have been tightened to specified torque. –  Secure wheel → Wheels and tyres; Rep. gr.44. –  Wheel alignment must be checked and adjusted, see chart → Chapter. Front and rear wheel alignment must always be checked and adjusted if necessary using VW/Audi approved equipment.