Dmytro Bazulin

Background: dealer and mechanics each want $450-500 for CV boot replacement. After watching few videos the prices started to look even more ridiculous.

Okay, got my tools, new axles, manual - all ready to go and have my first upper arms pinch bolt experience, right? Got car on jacks, taking wheel off and... No upper control arms to be found. WTF?

VIN comes out to my model, 1998 AUDI A6 WAGON QUATTRO AWD
VIN:WAUJC84A3WN001844

but where are the bloody upper control arms?!

I'm guessing the first year they probably were still using older design, the confirmation is the video


this looks exactly like what my car has. But I can't find any instructions on how to take the axle off. I kinda tried go through lower control arms and pinch bolt came out easy, but I chickened out when the control arm didn't budge at the hammer.

Any ideas where to look? Amazon doesn't seem to have good manuals for pre-98 A6 and most videos/walkthrough are post-98.

midnightrider36

the setup in the video is for 100's and a6's up to nd including 97. your car has the multilink setup with two lower arms and two upper arms. the two upper arms are held in the knuckle by the pinch bolt. for removal of the axle, start by leaving the car on its wheels, popping the center cap of the wheel off and loosening the axle bolt. it should be a 17mm allen socket. then with the wheel off, loosen the inner axle bolts which hold the axle to the flange on the transmission. then take off the brake caliper, bracket and rotor. sometimes you can turn the wheel all the way to its lock with the steering and theres enough room to get the axle out of the hub. popping the outer tie rod from the knuckle gives even more flexibility. another person might be required to twist the knuckle while you try to pop out the axle. if you still cant get enough room the you'll have to deal with either the pinch bolt for the upper arms or the lower ball joints.

Dmytro Bazulin

Thanks for the instructions, but turns out the 98 A6 Avant didn't have upper control arms. The instructions in the manual suggest that unbolting the axle from the flange and turning the wheels all the way should make for enough clearance to take the axle out. I did try that but probably didn't turn to the click. I will try again next weekend with probably taking out the brakes. Really don't want to get the lower control arms involved right now even though I might be in for the replacement soon.

TVonaStone

if u havent already taken out the cv axle. the best way for me was to remove the tie-rod end and turning the wheel. even then it is still work to get the cv axle out and back in again.