Removing and installing drive shaft with constant velocity joint — VW

🧭 Before you start

Fits: platform codes A32, A33

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• When removing and installing drive shafts, do not allow them to hang free and stop against joints due to excessive bending. — Remove bolt for drive shaft .
• At the end of the procedure or for pressing out drive shaft further the spindle must be moved to its original position in order to deploy the hydraulic force!
• Tighten nuts (arrows) in unladen state .Ensure that bellows are not damaged or twisted.
• During this step, vehicle must not be standing on its wheels or wheel bearing will be damaged.

🔧 Engine codes this applies to

🔩 Torque settings

Values can differ between engine variants — check the code stamped on your block.

ℹ️ Always cross-check the exact figure against your vehicle's factory manual before final tightening — a wrong torque can damage the engine. These values are extracted from workshop data and may not cover every variant or revision.

📋 Procedure

1. ⚠ When removing and installing drive shafts, do not allow them to hang free and stop against joints due to excessive bending. — Remove bolt for drive shaft .
2. ⚠ Wheel bearings must not be subjected to load after bolt securing drive shaft to wheel hub has been loosened.If wheel bearings are loaded with weight of vehicle, bearing will be damaged. This reduces the service life of the wheel bearing.It is not permissible to loosen drive shaft bolt more than 90° if vehicle is standing on its wheels.Do not attempt to move the vehicle without the drive shafts fitted as this would damage the wheel bearing. If it is necessary for a vehicle to be moved, please comply with the following instructions:Install an outer joint instead of the drive shaft.Tighten outer joint to 120 Nm. — Remove lower noise insulation General body repairs, exterior66Noise insulation; Assembly overview - noise insulation. — 120 Nm (89 lb-ft)
3. Loosen wheel bolts.
4. Raise vehicle.
5. Remove wheel.

6. Unbolt drive shaft from gearbox flange shaft.
7. Remove nuts (arrows).
8. Pull wheel bearing housing with swivel joint out of suspension link.
9. Pull drive shaft out of wheel hub.
10. To be able to press out drive shaft (3), secure remover T10520(1) to wheel hub using 3 wheel bolts (2).
11. It is essential to follow specified sequence. [Note: At the end of the procedure or for pressing out drive shaft further the spindle must be moved to its original position in order to deploy the hydraulic force!]
12. Insert drive shaft.
13. Guide outer joint into wheel hub splines as far as possible.
14. Bolt swivel joint to suspension link (arrows). [Note: Tighten nuts (arrows) in unladen state .Ensure that bellows are not damaged or twisted.]
15. Place inner joint of drive shaft in position and tighten bolts diagonally to 10 Nm. — 10 Nm (7.4 lb-ft)
16. Tighten multi-point socket-head bolts diagonally to the specified torque.
17. Install lower noise insulation General body repairs, exterior66Noise insulation; Assembly overview - noise insulation.
18. Tighten drive shaft bolt at wheel hub . [Note: During this step, vehicle must not be standing on its wheels or wheel bearing will be damaged.]
19. Install wheel and tighten.

🎬 Related video tutorial

Independent AUTODOC tutorial for the same job, filmed on a different model (CADDY 3 Van) — the technique carries over, the fasteners and figures on this page are the ones for your car.

How to change cv joint on VW CADDY 3 Van

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