1996 a4 inner cv joint bearings. Question.

[PCVET]

The bearings came out of my inner cv joint when i took it off. How do i get them to go back in? I can get three of them in at the most and than it locks up and becomes difficult for me to get the other three in. Is there a special order in which they have to go in? any help is appreciated

Thanks

[djwimbo]

there should be a retaining clip so the joint doesn't come apart. Since it's a plunge joint you should just be able to slide everything in together.

[PCVET]

can you elaborate at all. we took the little ring that was holding the assembly together off and have been trying to figure out why these bearings wont fit in it just isnt fitting right. Nothing is broken either

[djwimbo]

when you remove the boot and the inner race is still inside the cup, there should be a ring that helps prevent the balls/joint from coming apart. You should've removed this to get it apart. Looks like you did that correctly.

You should be able to rotate the cage around so you can put each ball in individually. That would mean rotating the joint around at a decent angle.

EDIT: You should have to put the balls back in from the "inside" of the joint, the side that the flange at the trans/diff is on. IIRC