smos1
Veteran Member
-'96 B4V, 160k.
So I'm cruising on I-5 Northbound yesterday (Seattle area), and I hear what I think is a rock bouncing around underneath, than another....than a bad noise and vibration. So I pull over and decide it's a good time to call a tow truck, AAA just paid for itself.... again.
First thoughts were my transmission exploded, or some other catastrophic failure. But no, just the bolts holding the axle to the transmission on the passenger side had come loose, and 2 of them were the "rocks" I heard bouncing around underneath.
Over a year ago I rebuilt this axle, with a kit from one of the trusted vendors on here...new boots, grease, bolts. And I know I torqued them to the correct specs, unless something is wrong with the torque wrench?
Couple questions...why would all the bolts have come loose. None of them were attached when I finally looked under the car.
And nothing looks damaged, or stripped, or broken...a couple dents in the metal ring is about all I can see (see photo).
Is there something I should look for specifically that could have been damaged? Can I just get new bolts and grease and put it back together?
Suggestions?
thanks in advance.
a link to photos of the axle:
http://smos.smugmug.com/Cars/Passat-TDI/30406568_w2dCbc#!i=2620088969&k=rZC9ZPM
So I'm cruising on I-5 Northbound yesterday (Seattle area), and I hear what I think is a rock bouncing around underneath, than another....than a bad noise and vibration. So I pull over and decide it's a good time to call a tow truck, AAA just paid for itself.... again.
First thoughts were my transmission exploded, or some other catastrophic failure. But no, just the bolts holding the axle to the transmission on the passenger side had come loose, and 2 of them were the "rocks" I heard bouncing around underneath.
Over a year ago I rebuilt this axle, with a kit from one of the trusted vendors on here...new boots, grease, bolts. And I know I torqued them to the correct specs, unless something is wrong with the torque wrench?
Couple questions...why would all the bolts have come loose. None of them were attached when I finally looked under the car.
And nothing looks damaged, or stripped, or broken...a couple dents in the metal ring is about all I can see (see photo).
Is there something I should look for specifically that could have been damaged? Can I just get new bolts and grease and put it back together?
Suggestions?
thanks in advance.
a link to photos of the axle:
http://smos.smugmug.com/Cars/Passat-TDI/30406568_w2dCbc#!i=2620088969&k=rZC9ZPM