With only 55k miles my 2013 S5 was showing indications of drive axle failure. A drive line clunk was there, and maybe getting worse, but its always had a slight clunk since new, but most concerning was the noticeable click click click, when turning at low speed, or even backing out of the garage. The clicking started about 5 thousand miles ago, and was getting noticeably louder and occurring at lower turn angles. Then a couple hundred miles ago, I noticed I could feel binding when pulling into the garage, Ok it seems the axles are shot, so time to change before they completely let go. The boots were in good shape and no grease was leaking, but with 99% confidence that it was the axles, I started this one day project that turned into two days. Before I started, I had to order some tools online to supplement my arsenal, as there are many large triple square and Hex nut tools needed, but all up, tool cost was about 40 bucks, so def cheaper than hiring it out. I went slow, cursed allot, and thought through each step. I could probably do the whole job in one day now that I know what I'm doing.
This is not really meant to be an online DIY, But I did follow the excellent DIY one here...http://www.a5oc.com/forums/a5-s5-top...placement.html
Whomever put this one together, many thanks.
I wrestled the old axles out of the car, not an easy task, but I was able to do it without undoing the upper control arms. Immediately I noticed a problem with the OEM axles, the grease was done, crapola as they say. It poured out of the end of the axles like motor oil. I could not really notice any obvious signs of clunking or distress when I articulated them by hand, but given the grease situation, I was now confidant the axles were going bad, damaged by normal use with bad grease. Why did they make them this way, quality grease is not that expensive? Here is one of the OEM axles with the grease draining out like oil, that is just wrong.
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I had already ordered on line new axles from Raxles. This was based on the ridiculously high cost of OEM, and strong on line recommendations of a quality product, many said better than OEM, and I am now a believer that they just might be. I also like that they only use OEM parts, and change out the actual CV joints with OEM parts from GK, who supplies the OEM axles to Audi. No regrinding like local Chinese junk axles from the local parts store. There are many reasons to avoid the regrinds. Raxles then packs them with AmsOil grease, which I'm sure will make a huge difference given the failure of the OEM grease and units. I figured if the OEMs went bad at only 55K, then the RAXLES couldn't be worse, I'm hoping they can go another 60-80K, and that would take me to the end of the useful life of this car for me.
New Raxles, IMG_1910.JPG
These guys look real good, Nice durable black paint on the CV ends, the boots are of a slightly different design than the OEM boots, but they also seem to be more durable. Time will tell.
Comparison of original OEM with the RAXLES. You can see the rust starting on the inner CV vrs the painted RAXLES. Otherwise the markings and part numbers were exactly the same, both GK units. IMG_1901.JPG
In this picture you can see the OEM markings, and the RAXLES markings, they are the same.
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I also decided to do the wheel bearings while I was in there, as I have heard they can let go starting around 75-80K on these cars, so I figured why not, 80% there already. I had to pull the brake calliper, its only two bolts, but they are tight at 140 Ft lbs so you need a breaker bar. Then pull the brake disk, easy, brake dust shield, easy, and then the wheel bearing hub, not so easy. Its only 4 bolts, but they are in an awkward location, and are very tight. Once the hub is out, take it to a machine shop to press out the original wheel hub, and press it into the new bearing. This is easy for any shop that does this routinely. These are the two wheel hubs with the new bearings pressed in.
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Next reverse the disassembly process and put it together. I installed the new bearing hubs, torqued them down, plus 90 degrees more. Brakes back together, easy peasy and then the axles. My biggest issue going together was wrestling the new axles into position. I just could not compress them enough to get the clearance needed to clear the lower assembly and slide into the bearing hub. I fought for an hour and came up empty. Finally I decided to pull the upper pinch bolt and loosen the upper control arms. At first I was fearful of doing this as I had read many horror stories of frozen bolts etc. On my car it was really really easy. In less than 5 minutes the bolt was out, and a couple taps with a rubber mallet, the upper arms were free.
I took this picture before I took them out for reference on how to put them back in, but in retrospect did not need it as the whole assembly is very easy. Don't fear the upper control arm and pinch bolt unless your car is much older and has corrosion issues, on my car it was no big deal.
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Taking the upper arms loose, provided tons of room to manipulate the drive axle into position, should have done this when taking them out also, it really helps allot. A hour later the axle was all bolted in and the upper triple square bolts torqued to spec, and the upper arms and the pinch bolt back in no issues. The other side was done in an hour, same process.
The 19mm center axle bolt requires some hefty torque. I tightened it about half tight before lowering the car back to the ground, then finished the tightening with my largest cheater bar, and the bar from the floor jack, serious torque. The spec is 140 Ft-lbs plus another 180 degrees of stretch. I just could not get it to go more then 120 degrees. I was literally putting all my weight on the end of the cheater bars, and bouncing them up and down and that was as far as I could get it. It will have to be good enough.
Now the best part. All the noises are gone, I expected that; also gone is the drive line clunking when shifting from 1-2, or on and off the gas. I don't mean the clunk is reduced, its gone. My car has had the clunking since new, and the dealer once told me that this is normal for Quattro cars, and I accepted it as fact given all the mechanical stuff to make the car a Quattro. Now I know its not normal and the OEM axles were causing the clunking from day one. The drive line now feels better than new, how about that, no pun intended, its better than new. Very happy I did this job, it was nearly at my mechanical skill level maximum, but I gotter done. A big shout out to the RAXLES product, so far anyway, they have exceeded my expectations.
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