Audi Q3: Outer CV Joint, Checking

It is necessary to disassemble the joint whenever replacing the grease or if the ball surfaces show wear or damage.

Removing

- Before disassembling mark ball hub position in relation to the ball cage and housing with an electric scriber or oil stone -arrow-.

- Tilt ball hub and ball cage and remove balls one after another.

- Turn cage until two cage windows -arrow- rest on joint body.

- Lift out cage with hub.

- Swing a hub segment in a cage window.

- Fold hub out from cage.

  Note

• The balls of each joint belong to one tolerance group. Check stub axle, hub, cage and balls for small depressions (pitting build-up) and chafing.
• Excessive circumferential backlash in joint makes itself noticed via tip-in shock, in such cases joint should be replaced.
• Flattening and running marks of balls are no reason to replace joint.

Installing

Installation is reverse of removal, noting the following:

- Insert cage with hub into joint body.

  Note

Cage must be installed laterally correct.

- Press in opposing balls in sequence, during this, previous position of ball hub to ball cage and to joint body must be established again.

- Install new circlip in shaft.

Inner CV Joint, Checking

It is necessary to disassemble the joint whenever replacing the grease or if the ball surfaces show wear or damage.

  Note

Ball hub and joint piece are paired. Before removing, mark in relation to each other using a waterproof felt-tip pen.

Removing

- Swivel the ball hub and ball cage.

- Remove the joint in the direction of the arrow.

- Remove the balls from the cage.

- Flip out ball hub from ball cage via running path of ball -arrows-.

- Check joint piece, ball hub, ball cage and balls for small broken off depressions (pitting build-up) and chafing.

  Note

Excessive backlash in joint will be noticed as a knock during load changes. Joint must be replaced in such cases. Flattening and running marks of balls are no reason to replace joint.

Installing

Installation is reverse of removal, noting the following:

- Insert ball hub into ball cage via two chamfers. The installation position is at random. Press balls into cage.

- Insert hub with cage and balls upright into joint piece.

  Note

• When inserting, make sure that in each case the wide gap -a- at joint piece contacts narrow gap -b- at hub after swinging in.
• Chamfer on inner diameter of ball hub (splines) must face large diameter of joint piece.
• Use the felt-tip pen markings made during removal to help with installation.

- Swing in ball hub, to do so swing out hub far enough from cage -arrows- so that the balls have the distance of the running paths.

- Swing in hub with balls by pressing forcefully onto cage -arrow-.

CV joint, checking for function:

CV joint is properly assembled, if ball hub can be slid back and forth by hand over whole compensation length.

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