New Front Axle Nut

I replaced my right side front axle. From reading the howtos, I am not sure on this -- do I need to replace the axle nut or any other bolts? I am thinking I would not need to replace the nut as it does not stretch and is not stripped. Is this correct?

Thanks,

h.ubk

Technically you are supposed to replace the nut, however, it can be thread locked.

If you removed the ball joint bolts, those definitely need replacing!

I have stripped those every time I tried to reuse them.


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I've got an axle nut and ball joint bolts that I didn't end up using, believe they fit A3 cars although I have an A4 Jetta.

Ball joint bolt set N10127707
Axle nut is 30mm

Pm me if you'd like the parts!

It is supposed to be one time use (the axle nut), but I have always re-used it.

That should work just fine for the mkiii

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yes, works on both cars, You can reuse the nut, add some red locktight to the threads if you do.
Fair warning, a few years ago there was a massive recall on these nuts as they were defective and backed out constantly.
Ever since this happend to me, i always add blue locktight to my threads. Red works better but you need to heat up the nut with a torch to soften the red.

Even if you get a new nut, add some locktight.
half the time they end up stripping out anyways. Best way to take them off is to weld on a bolt to the nut so you can use a pickle fork to pull against it as you spin it with a impact drill.

I tried to buy one of these nuts from my local VW dealer.

They didn't stock them....

What does that tell you? Dealers don't even replace them, I guess.

Thanks for the replies. I'm just going to torque the one I have properly now that I know the procedure. Doesn't surprise me about the dealer. They all seem very dysfunctional.

h.ubk

Always re used it axle nut, with the right torque, never had any problem.
The 3 bolts of the ball joint will hold the torque a few times, but they easily get stripped, even with the right torque.

Mike_04GolfTDI said:

I tried to buy one of these nuts from my local VW dealer.

They didn't stock them....

What does that tell you? Dealers don't even replace them, I guess.

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thats because no one makes them anymore, and the ones that were around got recalled. check with autozone and what not type of stores and its kinda the same story.

Just go get one from the junk yard and clean the threads good, some blue locktight and a PROPER torque wrench and your good

I've changed-out several axles, both sides, and never removed the ball joint (the three bolts). 19mm open wrench will remove the nut off the BJ stud. As it pushes up against the axle stub you can put a lot of force on the joint bolt . Then, with a big punch and hammer, whack the side of the A-arm near the bolt joint a few times. It will break loose. Then, knock the end of the axle to push it out of the bearing. Then, you can finish removing the 19mm nut off the BJ stud. Then, pry up on the axle to push the ball joint stud out of the A-arm end. ........ axle can be worked out from there. No need to remove the caliper. I did remove the sway bar end.

I did an axle change-out this past Monday evening in about an hour and half.

Good info about the axle nut. Although I had a pair, I reused the old one with lock-tite.

Before I reinstall the nut I give it a shot with a hammer to flatten one side to help them stay tight.

Metal Man said:

Before I reinstall the nut I give it a shot with a hammer to flatten one side to help them stay tight.

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dont do that. your work hardening the metal and make more of a chance of breaking off threads once torqued. blue locktight or red is MORE than you need. You could always use a metal glue like green locktight on the last few threads.

Red and it will never back out unless you hit it with a heat or flame.

Mongler98 said:

dont do that...

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You obviously don't know who you're telling to not do something... He's probably forgotten more about these cars than most of us know.

I've reused the axle nuts several times. One time I even forgot to back the nut off 180 after the initial torque and proceeded to put 60 more degrees on it. Never hurt the nut or the axle (the wheel bearing was NOT happy about it though). Never needed to loctite, the plastic "nylok" seems to do just fine, even after reusing several times.

I've tried to remove the ball joint nut, but every time the stud ends up spinning on me because you can't get the nut all the way off with the axle in place. So you unthread it as far as you can, then have to pop the stud loose from the spindle, then with all the salt/corrosion on the threads, you can't get the nut off the rest of the way, and you can't re-tighten it either!

1854sailor said:

You obviously don't know who you're telling to not do something... He's probably forgotten more about these cars than most of us know.

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That's OK I know what I suggested isn't the right way, but in a pinch I think it's acceptable.

Metal Man said:

That's OK I know what I suggested isn't the right way, but in a pinch I think it's acceptable.

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I'm a fan of the good ol'boy methods myself.
The axle nuts are not going to strip and the only concern is them backing off.
A tap with a bfh, or a dab of blue and nothing is going to go wrong either way.

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Metal Man said:

That's OK I know what I suggested isn't the right way, but in a pinch I think it's acceptable.

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I was imagining you putting the nut in a vice and deforming it, now that i use my thinker, my old honda accord had you do this to the nut, there was a depression on the threaded area and once you have it on and torqued you deform the tip of the nut into the depression on the axle. I suppose you could do the same type of thing, get the nut on the axle 95% on so that only the tailing edge is let to cover the axle. you could deform that. this way it does not deform the entire nut, just the last bit.

Idunno why the bearing would care that Fix left it overtorqued. The two inner races touch when you torque the nut so the load on the rollers isn't going to get any higher. Not like the rears.

I figger the overtorque and back off is to make sure the races are properly seated in the hub.

I've reused the nut. No thread locker goo. Wheels haven't fallen off yet.

Like i said, older nuts are great but if you get a reman axle with a new nut, it will back out on you. i have had 6 so far do this to me. locktight on new nuts is a must and old is a safe guard.

For the record what’s the tightening sequence I’ve seen a couple?

There are a couple.

flan said:

For the record what’s the tightening sequence I’ve seen a couple?

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Rears, you filger tighten untill its gets just starts to stop, put wrench on the nut and turn the drumb backwards with your fist on top of the wrench and thge weight of your arm only, as in no pressure other than gravity, pulling your arm down, do this a few times after losening it back up untill your happy. put castle cover on and cotter pin in.

Fronts, 205-215 FtLbs of torque with the car on the ground.

Mongler98 said:

Rears, you filger tighten untill its gets just starts to stop, put wrench on the nut and turn the drumb backwards with your fist on top of the wrench and thge weight of your arm only, as in no pressure other than gravity, pulling your arm down, do this a few times after losening it back up untill your happy. put castle cover on and cotter pin in.
Fronts, 205-215 FtLbs of torque with the car on the ground.

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I wouldn't put all the weight of the car without pre-tight it, it's not that wealthy to the wheel bearing.

I wasn't trying to be funny with my response. There are several procedures in the Bentley.

Since there was incorrect information given above I'll copy it out.


A3 with base suspension:

"Tighten the axle shaft nut as much as possible (to seat CV joint in wheel hub) with the car raised. Make the final torque only with the weight of the car on the ground." 195 ft-lb.


A3 with plus suspension with locking fluid on splines:

Says at beginning of removal: "...axle must be reinstalled into the original hub using the specified locking compound".

Installation later says "use special locking sealant if reinstalling drive axle into the same wheel hub." ??? {Seems to imply you don't use it on a new hub but I don't think that's the intent.}

Stage 1 ... 66 ft-lb
Stage 2 ... additional 1/8 turn


A3 with modified wheel hub. (no locking fluid on splines):

"lubricate contact surfaces of nut with oil when installing., tighten axle shaft nut with the car lowered but wheel not touching the ground, and the brakes applied (requires helper).

Stage 1 ... 148 ft-lb
Stage 2 ... loosen one turn
Stage 3 ... tighten 1/12 turn


A4:

-Weight of vehicle must be on its wheels.
-Tighten new 12-point nut to 148 ft-lb and immediately loosen 1/2 turn
-Turn wheel 1/2 turn (roll vehicle), then tighten to 37 ft-lb plus 1/6 turn


A4 (alternate procedure)

-Weight of vehicle must be on its wheels.
-Tighten new 12-point nut to 148 ft-lb and immediately loosen 1/2 turn
-Turn wheel 1/2 turn (roll vehicle)
-Mark nut
-Mark hub two nut points away from above nut
-Tighten until marks line up. {This procedure tightens it less than the above}


A4 (6-point hex bolt)

-Weight of vehicle must be on its wheels.
-Tighten new bolt to 184 ft-lb plus 1/4 turn and immediately loosen 1/2 turn
-Turn wheel 1/2 turn (roll vehicle), then tighten to 184 ft-lb plus 1/4 turn.

IIRC, I torqued to 150 foot pounds, then backed it off 1/2 turn and then added 40 degrees. That was what my Bentley said and I've survived about 2000 miles of cross country driving since.

h.ubk

Thank you

Ball joint spindle nut.

I've tried to remove the ball joint nut, but every time the stud ends up spinning on me because you can't get the nut all the way off with the axle in place. So you unthread it as far as you can, then have to pop the stud loose from the spindle, then with all the salt/corrosion on the threads, you can't get the nut off the rest of the way, and you can't re-tighten it either![/QUOTE]

I encountered this issue while replacing a wheel bearing this week. I was able to use a channel lock pliers to squeeze the bearing housing and the end of the A-arm together, creating enough friction on the spindle to tighten the nut back up. I then proceeded to remove the three bolts .

IWUScott said:

I've tried to remove the ball joint nut, but every time the stud ends up spinning on me because you can't get the nut all the way off with the axle in place. So you unthread it as far as you can, then have to pop the stud loose from the spindle, then with all the salt/corrosion on the threads, you can't get the nut off the rest of the way, and you can't re-tighten it either!

Click to expand...

I encountered this issue while replacing a wheel bearing this week. I was able to use a channel lock pliers to squeeze the bearing housing and the end of the A-arm together, creating enough friction on the spindle to tighten the nut back up. I then proceeded to remove the three bolts .[/QUOTE]

Move your jack under the control arm to tighten the ball joint nut. I used to remove the ball joint nut often as described above. Once it was popped loose I would work a small vice grip under the knuckle and grip the ball joint stud. That method hasn't been working as well for me lately.