'04 outer CV - replacement too big?

Today I went to replace a noisy outer CV (boot split for a few years which I've ignored...) and found my Meyle 1J0 498 099E replacement kit (new CV & boot) doesn't fit! Splines from CV to axle are too large, and the outer diameter of the CV is also larger.
So either the parts listing is wrong, or someone has swapped the entire axle to use one with a smaller CV, possibly from an A3 or even A2?

Has anyone seen this before? I guess I'll be cleaning and re-packing the old joint after all. But I still need to find the right sized boot, presumably from an A3 or A2.

Mine is an '04 5 speed Jetta TDI (BEW).

tdwesty said:

Today I went to replace a noisy outer CV (boot split for a few years which I've ignored...) and found my Meyle 1J0 498 099E replacement kit (new CV & boot) doesn't fit! Splines from CV to axle are too large, and the outer diameter of the CV is also larger.

So either the parts listing is wrong, or someone has swapped the entire axle to use one with a smaller CV, possibly from an A3 or even A2?



Has anyone seen this before? I guess I'll be cleaning and re-packing the old joint after all. But I still need to find the right sized boot, presumably from an A3 or A2.



Mine is an '04 5 speed Jetta TDI (BEW).

Click to expand...

Maybe you got one for a gasoline 6 speed transmission?


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super1 said:

Maybe you got one for a gasoline 6 speed transmission?


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Click to expand...

You are right... I see now that it only fits the '04 TDI with 5 speed auto trans.

Annoying, as the cost of a separate boot kit plus what I paid for this CV kit will be about the same as an aftermarket rebuilt axle. But I bought the CV kit two years ago, so I can't return it. Anyone need one?

I guess I will start cleaning up the CV and see if a part # emerges on it or the old boot.

idparts as well as a few other vendors carry them. I'd not look at aftermarket axles, unless you get a genuine OEM axle that has been refurbished. They tend to have less than stellar reviews, to put it delicately.

Cheers,

PH

I remember having to stretch it over the axle, was a pain but no clamp is needed.

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There's a bit more pitting on the outer ball races than I'd like, so it looks like I need to get a full CV joint kit, or a rebuilt axle shaft. I got the incorrect CV joint kit from Autopartsway.ca for $54 CAD, but they only list the more expensive GKN brand (old Lobro?) for the manual transmission that I need, and it's $147! I can get a rebuilt axle for about $85 CAD, so I'm going to go that route, since the inner may be worn also at >300k kms. Since I barely drive this car (only 120k kms in 10 years), the cheapo axle should last long enough, I hope.
I guess I'll try to sell the other kit on craigslist...
Thanks for the help all.

On the '04 there were 2 different trans that could be called automatics. There was a real 6 speed automatic slush box and then there was a 6 speed DSG. The DSG has a silver ring on the shifter and takes different axles than the automatic. The cheap shafts are a crap shoot. I have an '04 Beetle with a DSG that I have replaced both axles 3 times in 60k. One only lasted 3 weeks. The ones I have in now are a year old and the drivers side has been clicking for the last 3 months but have has more pressing things to do than to replace it. I kept my OEM ones that need boots on them but can't find the correct ones to replace them with. The ones from Amazon were universal and I couldn't get them to work to my satisfaction.