RussB

After completing the left side boots, a crack on the right side outer CV joint boot appeared. This time I finished the job in 8-9 hours. (Hey -- I'm slow.) It remained a slimey, dirty, messy job, from start to finish.

My time for just replacing the boots, once the axle was out of the car and in the bench vise, was a little under two hours. (I don't have a parts cleaner, so I washed the joints clean with mineral spirits in a couple small pans with a parts cleaning brush.) I've been told that Alldata's flat rate for this is 70 minutes.

For those who are contemplating this job: make sure that you have all the necessary tools before you begin. This job requires a surprising variety of tools. (You'll need circlip spreading pliers, external snap ring pliers, CV boot clamp crimping pliers, etc. I had to borrow a friend's 1/2" aluminum drift to drive the joints off the axle; a hard steel drift would have munged the CV joint and/or splines.) I did find that a heavy duty 1/2 inch impact wrench (those axle nuts can be tough!) and a good 3/8 inch air ratchet made the job easier.

Russ Bellew

SteveAngry

Did the inner and outer drivers side CV on my 5ks...

A messy job and took forever...

I'll probably farm it out to a shop next time or buy a rebuilt halfshaft...

We had all the tools we needed except for a triple square socket. Had to run around and find one...

Steve
Michigan

RussB

... but somehow I had to justify the expense for all the tools that I needed to do the driver's side . .. so I felt obligated to do the passenger's side when (it was inevitable) it failed shortly
thereafter.

The only complication to the passenger's side is that there are three small (10 mm?) bolts that fasten a heat shield between the inner CV joint and exhaust pipe that must be removed. I found that a nice selection of 3/8 extensions and universal joints helped. Also, I'm quickly falling in love with my new 3/8 air ratchet.

I suppose that simply replacing the axle with a rebuilt one is logical. I guess that I just felt that if I caught the original joint (132k miles) before it was trashed by dirt and water, it would give me another 100 k miles.

To my surprise, my Audi mechanic and his colleague aren't put off at all by this job. They just take it in their stride. (When I look at some of the other jobs that they do on cars with overstuffed engine bays, I guess that I shouldn't be surprised.)

In any case, these DIY jobs have almost justified the expense of my new tools! (But please Lord, not another CV joint job for, oh, at least another 50 k miles.)