Got some questions regarding my cv joint. I've been getting a clicking noise when i accelerate from stop and some shuddering if i am accelerating from a stop and turning, both from what i read is outer cv joint. I do also get some straight line shuttering (supposedly inner cv joint), but not as bad, could this still be caused by just the outer cv joint going bad?...as i would rather just replace that than the whole thing. How often do inner cv joints go bad?

Do you recommend taking out the pinch bolt and disconnecting the upper control arms like the bentley book says?...or would it be easier to disconnect the lower rear control arm?...is just doing that enough?

Will using the outer cv bolt to pop out the outer joint work, or do you recommend using a 2 arm puller?

All replies appreciated - jared

 

Jared,

I just finished installing a new right front "knee" assembly on my 00 A6. I can tell you that it seemed like a jigsaw puzzle to get everything to line up correctly. Everything needed to be in just the right spot and installed in just the right order. (though mine was all mangled up from the wreck)

As far as taking the lower rear control arm off the problem that I ran into was that the inner bolt hit the seam of the unibody before it was all the way out... and there are metal lines that are right there in the way so I didnt want to get to violent. But since I HAD to take that bolt off to replace that arm, I ended up unbolting the right rear x-member bolt and used a prybar to drop the whole works down enough to get the lower control arm bolt out all the way.

The upper control arms (depending on how you are planning on taking them off) were not as bad. the rear upper was very easy to get the inner bolt back into but the front one was a pain... it was a try and try again method that finally worked... I shaved one side of the shoulder of the bolt off because the coil spring was in the way. you can unbolt the complete upper strut mount (3 bolts in the engine compartment) and the upper control arms will drop down with the strut and that upper plate that they bolt to.

Also a tip after looking back. pop your center cap off and break loose the axle bolt before taking the wheel and stuff off. My impact couldn't break it free.. there was to much play when it wasnt stopped by a wheel and the ground.

Hope something in my ramblings help.

Ben