Removing axle question

RacerTodd

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2007
Location
Kirkland, WA
TDI
2001 Golf TDI
I'm doing the driver's side CV joints on my '01 Golf TDI this weekend. I'm unsure if I can get the axle out without popping off the ball joint. If not, I'll have to source the one-time-use bolts.

Once the CV joint bolts are removed can I just raise the joint up above the trans and pull it back far enough to get the axle out of the hub carrier? I shone a flashlight down there and it looks there is enough room but there's a lot of parts in that area as well.

I know the passenger side axle comes out over the trans no problem. I've only messed with the driver's side once, when I did the trans. And then I didn't remove it, just raised it up and tied it out of the way.

BTW, these are original joints and boots with 530K on them. Only replacing them because the outer boot is just starting to crack. With that many miles, time to replace 'em both.
 

sdeck

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Location
Northern Colorado Front Range
TDI
2003 Jetta, 253K, 01M, DLC520s, VNT-17(sold); 2014 Passat SE 6M, 61,000 miles (Feb 16 buyback date)
I did this on my '00 5sp Golf and '03 AT Jetta. I'm pretty sure I removed the ball joints from the control arms by taking out the 3 bolts. I didn't worry about replacing them with new.....

I seem to recall being able to finagle the CV axle out by a combination of levering the control arm and moving the steering wheel around. The tie-rod gets in the way on the driver's side. I may or may not have popped it off. I don't recall.
 

HogWrangler

Banned
Joined
Jan 30, 2014
Location
Middle Tennessee
TDI
2005 Jetta BEW 5 speed
Spray paint the ball joint on the bottom side so that you know exactly where it goes and can line it back up. I did my passenger side last year and just reused the bolts
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
Last time I worked on this, I just unbolted at the transaxle end and maneuvered that end up to provide as much room as possible. Then when you push the axle stub out of the hub, it has room to move. You should then be able to maneuver the axle out.

Cheers,

PH
 

Mike_04GolfTDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Richmond, BC, Canada
TDI
Mine: 2019 Golf R DSG, Wife's: 2015 Golf Comfortline TDI
If you disconnect the ball joint via the nut on top instead of the three bolts underneath, then you'll maintain your wheel alignment. At least it should, as it only goes back together one possible way.

You should replace the nylock nut when you do this, as well as the large axle nut. That's the proper thing to do, but if you don't want to replace them, at least use loctite.
 

RacerTodd

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2007
Location
Kirkland, WA
TDI
2001 Golf TDI
I"ll try to pull it without messing with the ball joint. If I have to, I'll pop the top nut off. Still a bit of a pain, but I'd rather not mess with the alignment. I have a trammel bar and can re-adjust the toe but I always try to minimize the amount of work to do.
 

CoolAirVw

Vendor
Joined
Nov 9, 2005
Location
Kansas City Missouri
TDI
Jetta
You can pull it without removing the ball joint. Just disconnect the inner first, remove the sway bar links from both sides, leave the steering unlocked and turn the steering wheel to make it easy.
 

runonbeer

Maintenance EnthusiastVendor
Joined
Apr 15, 2002
Location
Austin, TX/Chapel Hill, NC
TDI
'00 Golf 02M, '10 Golf 02E, '02 UTE 02M
Can't do it that way on early MKIV with that huge banjo style turbo oil return line. Pretty sure all 01 cars use the later style line though.

Probably gonna need a pretty strong air hammer to push that outer joint out of the hub after that many miles. That being said they generally come quite easily if the splines aren't damaged and if corrosion is minimal.
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
I use a big 8lb sledge hammer and put the socket on the nut while its loose and give the socket a wack. It usually pops them right out.
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
You can pull the cv out without messing with the ball joint but you might end up finding a spare ball bearing in the cv boot later like I did :D
 

RacerTodd

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2007
Location
Kirkland, WA
TDI
2001 Golf TDI
Probably gonna need a pretty strong air hammer to push that outer joint out of the hub after that many miles. That being said they generally come quite easily if the splines aren't damaged and if corrosion is minimal.
I ran into this problem when I did the wheel bearings at 300K. The right side popped out with a light wap from my baby 3lb sledge.
The left side wouldn't budge no matter how hard I hit it. Removed the caliper and rotor. Modified a bearing splitter to fit behind the hub. Then threaded in my 12" long pressing bolts into the splitter with a crossbar. In between the crossbar and the CV joint stub I put my 12 ton bottle jack. Pumped up the jack until there was an almighty "crack" and the joint popped loose.

I applied anti-sieze to the splines on reassembly. This time I used a hub puller (an OTC 7208a), looks like this. Worked well, turned the bolt with a wrench and it popped right off.
 

RacerTodd

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2007
Location
Kirkland, WA
TDI
2001 Golf TDI
Got the axle out pretty easy.

Popped the outer joint out of the hub first. Unbolted the swaybar, tied it up and out of the way. Turned the wheels all the way to the left, this helps get more clearance.

Raised the inner joint up and pulled the axle back. Only clearance issue is the power steering line right above the trans is a little bit in the way. Fortunately, it's the rubber part of the line that's in the way so it's easily pushed out of the way.
 

sisyphus

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Location
Appleton, Maine
TDI
99.5, '01 A4 Jetta sedans, 5 sp box, Hamman mod, Joey mod, Bilsteins, 2.00" lift
Great thread. I did this once before and found that spray-painting the ball joint underneath doesn't really work unless you can get your face under far enough to see where exactly they line up on reinstall. If you have short-arm disease like I do, don't forget your reading glasses. Also, I'd advise against using red paint. Use something hi-vis.
 

runonbeer

Maintenance EnthusiastVendor
Joined
Apr 15, 2002
Location
Austin, TX/Chapel Hill, NC
TDI
'00 Golf 02M, '10 Golf 02E, '02 UTE 02M
I use a big 8lb sledge hammer and put the socket on the nut while its loose and give the socket a wack. It usually pops them right out.
I have had to fight with a lot of wheels because of deformed hubs. I'd advise against any technique that may result in damage to the outside edge of the hub center.

Though I mainly see this problem on rears where the bearing has been changed. Apparently the $14 bearing installation tool is just too rich for most guys.
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
I don't touch the hub. Only thing I hit is my socket. I put the socket on the nut while its loose so all the force goes directly on the spindle.
 
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