VR6 axle swap 'How To'

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Yourbuddysatin

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Oct 28, 2016
Location
Pennsylvania
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2013 Jetta tdi
Hey everyone

12v vr6 and 1.8t 5 speed o2j axel flanges are all the same. Same thing goes for axels. I use to put 1.8t gear stacks in vr6 tranny cases. I used to blow my old vr6 trans apart all the time. As for knuckles you don't have to up grade to vr6 or 1.8t unles you want to have unboltable claliper brackets. Now I know there are a ton of Audi TT first gen parts that interchange all over the mk4. I currently have axels out of a vr6 and flanges I believe from a 1.8t. Local euro salvage yard let me take parts of core trannys.

Reguards
Brayden
 
rocketeer928

rocketeer928

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2003 Jetta GLS TDI 5-speed
Wingnut said:
Once the flange is in, you can install the axle. Instalation is the opposite of removal. The new bolts are bigger, so you will need a 12mm 12 point bit to tighten them down. When torquing down the new flange bolts, tighten them down to 30 ft/lbs according to the Bentley. Again, get someone to step on the brake for this one.
Click to expand...
Perhaps this was covered elsewhere within this thread, but my Bentley manual on Page 39-20 indicates that the M10 bolts, which uses the 12mm 12-point bit is tightened diagonally to 70 Nm (52 ft-lb), which is what I've done. Considering how long ago this How-To was originally written, it's concerning to think how many folks may have under-torqued their CV to VR6 flanges.
 
K

killawhale

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03 Jetta Tdi Southbend Stg2 daily Diesel Geek skid plate. rolling on exors
Yourbuddysatin So i can pull 1.8 flanges to use my vr6 axles for my swap?
 
TDIJetta99

TDIJetta99

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03... Faster than yours =]
I'd blow up 1.8T/VR6 axles pretty quickly too. I ended up putting my stock TDI axles and flanges back in and for the life of me I can't break them.. 270k on the factory axles (I put new boots and grease about 70k ago).. 255/405 to the wheels and I'm not nice to the car..
 
PakProtector

PakProtector

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Mk.4's and the Cummins
Been looking at this a bit. It seems that the stock TDI comes with a #13 inner CV, plunging style. The VR6/1.8T flanges look to allow a #15 inner CV. The 13 has 25 splines, and the 15 has 28.

I would rather run the 6-ball CV vs the VR6 trunion style. I guess I should call RAXLES, and see what they could put together. Would need longer, OE-style M10 bolts for the #15 inners.

Here is the source of the data:
http://www.rowlandcompany.com/pdf/gkn-driveline-constant-velocity-driveshafts.pdf

Note the rated torque difference between the OE, TDI-sized #13 at 2900 N-m, and the 3700 N-m rating of the #15 which will fit the VR6/1.8T flanges...:) That is an upgrade for sure.
cheers,
Douglas
 
PakProtector

PakProtector

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Mk.4's and the Cummins
Per a discussion wid the fine folks at RAxles, the 108mm, 6-ball CV joints are able to be built into a solid VR6-style set up. The CV in 108 type is a 2500 N-m device, and the smaller 100mm one is 1300 N-m. Have not found tripod torque specs as of yet. Still hoping to find some VR6 transmission flanges...:)

Then I can get nozzles, a turbo and a clutch for the Jetta...
cheers,
Douglas
 
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Yourbuddysatin

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2013 Jetta tdi
PakProtector said:
Per a discussion wid the fine folks at RAxles, the 108mm, 6-ball CV joints are able to be built into a solid VR6-style set up. The CV in 108 type is a 2500 N-m device, and the smaller 100mm one is 1300 N-m. Have not found tripod torque specs as of yet. Still hoping to find some VR6 transmission flanges...:)

Then I can get nozzles, a turbo and a clutch for the Jetta...
cheers,
Douglas
Click to expand...
Do you have a local salvage yard that has core 02j transmissions? You can snag a set easier that way. 1.8t will work also. I’ve used both.
 
4

[486]

Top Post Dawg
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02 golf ALH
well the joint itself is about 80mm diameter just looking at them, not measuring anything
people see 108mm and think that they're the porche 108mm CV joints but they're not, they've just got a 108mm flange on a little tiny baby joint.
the 100mm CVs that tdi/2.0 came with are well... 100mm OD and plenty strong enough
 
PakProtector

PakProtector

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Mk.4's and the Cummins
[486] said:
well the joint itself is about 80mm diameter just looking at them, not measuring anything
people see 108mm and think that they're the porche 108mm CV joints but they're not, they've just got a 108mm flange on a little tiny baby joint.
the 100mm CVs that tdi/2.0 came with are well... 100mm OD and plenty strong enough
Click to expand...
The point being that the 108mm Porsche 930 joints fit the 1.8T/VR6 flanges, *AND* RAxles will build half-shafts with them. I used the 930 joints for a lab project, and found a few aftermarket suppliers of some very fine joints. Not exactly inexpensive, but very nice. For my next wrenching upgrade session I think I will be fine with just off-the-rack GKN 108's...:)

I have found knuckles and brakes, so I am haff way there in the parts collection.
cheers,
Douglas
 
4

[486]

Top Post Dawg
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MN
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02 golf ALH
PakProtector said:
The point being that the 108mm Porsche 930 joints fit the 1.8T/VR6 flanges, *AND* RAxles will build half-shafts with them. I used the 930 joints for a lab project, and found a few aftermarket suppliers of some very fine joints. Not exactly inexpensive, but very nice. For my next wrenching upgrade session I think I will be fine with just off-the-rack GKN 108's...:)
I have found knuckles and brakes, so I am haff way there in the parts collection.
cheers,
Douglas
Click to expand...
are the holes big enough? I was looking into it just recently and the 930 108mm joints all list 3/8" bolt holes, where these flanges are 10mm
could ream the holes out with a carbide tipped reamer, but that's getting past a lot of people's abilities

just seems like a lot of money spent for nothing when the trans itself is the weak link compared to the 100mm joints
 
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Yourbuddysatin

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All you need to put these larger axels in with are....vr6/1.8t manual axels, axel bolts from these axels and the axels flanges from a manual vr6/1.8t.

When I had the stock tdi/2.0 axels I blew 2 long shafts. Which is why I switched.
 
PakProtector

PakProtector

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[486] said:
are the holes big enough? I was looking into it just recently and the 930 108mm joints all list 3/8" bolt holes, where these flanges are 10mm
could ream the holes out with a carbide tipped reamer, but that's getting past a lot of people's abilities

just seems like a lot of money spent for nothing when the trans itself is the weak link compared to the 100mm joints
Click to expand...
Well, 3/8" is 9.52mm, and the GKN data on the #15, 108mm OD, plunging CV says 10mm. For sure the VR6 stuff is 10mm but it is much shorter, so a source of bolts just the right length would be required. I hope triple-square bolts are out there, and if not that then a huge Torx would do.
https://www.rcvperformance.com/ultimate-plunging-930-cv-joint-300m-cage-300m-race-and-28-spline.html

Now, I had to look up whatthehell '300M' is. It is arc melted under vacuum 4340 with more Silicon so the anneal takes place at higher temperature. Yield as used is OTO 240,000 psi. This for the inner race or star.

Now what about the VR6 outer joints?
cheers,
Douglas
 
4

[486]

Top Post Dawg
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Location
MN
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02 golf ALH
PakProtector said:
Now what about the VR6 outer joints?
cheers,
Douglas
Click to expand...
What I used on the 0a6 swap was outers from all manner of later (07-12ish?) VWs (passat, tiguan, cc, golf, jetta) they're the ones with the m14 bolt through the hub
they fit the stock mk4 golf outer flanges, only had to grind some rust out of the knuckles to clear the boots.
the axleshaft spline is about 1.06" or so on the minor, so they are a lot larger than the stock shafts

Ran out in the f--ing cold and grabbed one from my bucket of spare CV parts and the number is 1K0 407 311 J, though that's just on the one random one I grabbed that looks the spitting image of the ones I used.

Only problem, the bolt is too long when you use the stock mk4 wheel flanges, it protrudes into the joint and gets mashed up which then destroys the threads when you go to remove the bolt later. Bolt it up tight to get the CV pulled into the flange, then take the bolt out and see where the threads just catch. You want no more than 3/4" or so of thread engagement. Trim the bolt back, or use washers. On my own junk I use reused bolts that I cut down.
 
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icanreachit

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Arlington, VA
TDI
VW Golf TDI
For anyone that has difficulty with seating the new seals like I did: get the seal install tool from a tool rental place (or a piece of round stock) and an M8 screw and you can press it in:

 
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