Can't put it off much longer.

[Beatty, Robert]

Mike,

The disassembly of the suspension thats required is actually just one bolt.
Its the control arm bolt that holds the arm to the bottom of the strut.  If
you take that bolt out and pry down on the control arm with a pry bar, the
ball joint will pop out of the bottom of the strut and give you the freedom
needed to pull the cv joint.  Just make sure you have loosened your inner cv
triple squares 1st and then the joint will come out as soon as you loosen
those bolts the rest of the way.  Install is reverse.  Only hard part is
putting the ball joint back in.  If your working alone, it can be a pain in
the ass.  With 2 people its a piece of cake.  If I am working alone, I will
jack up my pry bar, moving the control arm down and then swing the strut in
position over the ball joint and then slowly release my jack and seating the
ball joint.  Install the bolt locking the ball joint in the bottom of the
strut and your just about done.  All in all, it shouldnt take more than 45
min for you to remove and install the whole thing.

No alignment is needed for this btw.

Rob

86 5ktq
89 200tqa



-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Arman [mailto:armanmik at n-jcenter.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 8:01 AM
To: quattro at audifans.com
Subject: Can't put it off much longer.




As the subject line says, it is time.

I have to change the driver's side halfshaft/drive axle on my 86 non-turbo
standard transmission FWD 5000.

I have the correct driver for the tranny flange studs (triple square), have
a reconditioned and re-booted drive shaft, even have the new nut for the
outboard end and a paper gasket for the inboard end.

It is my understanding that on the non-turbo 5 speed cars, the suspension
doesn't have to come apart - evidently there's enough room to unbolt the
drive flange, remove the big nut, and withdraw the shaft back out of the
wheel bearing in the hub, working toward the engine compartment.
Installation is alleged to be the reverse of removal. (Uh-huh.) I also know
not to move the car without the axle bolted in and torqued.

When I pulled apart my parts car ("the wreck that keeps on giving"), I
remember one axle came out of the hub easily, but the other needed some
convincing with a large Harley tool (BFH). This obviously wasn't much good
for the threaded end on the axle, but I'm sure it also damaged the hub
bearing.

My questions, therefore are;

Can I do this without further disassembly of the front suspension, and if
not, what else comes off?

If the axle decides to stick in the hub, what's the best way to get it out?
Collection of pullers? Brass hammer (doubtful)? Witchcraft?

Do I recall something about loctite (or similar) on the stub axle and let
it harden for XX hours, then torque the big nut?

Anything else I should know about this? Does this sound like a dirty, but
not very long Saturday afternoon job, or will my car be apart for months?

Best Regards,

Mike Arman