B4 rear axle bush replacement
 

Hi all,

Just looking for any tips when doing the rear axle bushes on a B4 saloon, part numbers for bolts and torque values etc?

Cheers

I think that involves a special tool so unless you have it it's a pro job.

I did my B3 with a big vice on my bench combined with some big sockets.

The Haynes had the torque figures, my manual is for the B3 so yours might be different

1992 saw Major chassis revisions ie "B4" making it completely different at the rear and good enough to carry over for the entire A4 B5 production in fwd guise.

Item 11 is the big bush to change.


https://audi.7zap.com/ImgsWatermark/.../114500200.png

For part numbers type in 7zap and navigate the site.

Where are you to? ive got a refurbished axle you can have. Its not a easy job to do, removal of the axle makes it much easier but still not easy.

"completely different" in this case means "parts aren't interchangeable", but not that basic principles or shapes would be different, for example, changing audi rear axle bushes for golf rear axle bushes or something like that.

As for way how to change bushes - there are at least three ways how to do that, and two of them requires axle removal. Easiest way is with special clamp and adaptors - as the audi rear axle bush is round, with even shape, such tool would require just unbolting and pulling down axle ends where bushes are, and with pneumatic gun, would simultaneously push out old bush and get in new one. However, it's unlikely to get hands on one... :rolleyes:

Remaining two requires rear axle removal and use of common tools - the best one requires hydraulic press, if the axle could be placed in one - I think audi axle permitted that, but I'm not sure - axle of mk2 golf, for example, didn't allowed that, as there are some additional stuff welded to the axle that don't provide enough clearance. And so we got to the final option - old bushes could be burnt, or just cut out, shells cut with something [I used dremel], and new bushes pulled in with long M12 bolt and two nuts on it, but it required thick [approx 1 cm] metal plate with hole in it on the bush side, and something similar on the other side.

So do as i did, save yourself a load of heartache and pay someone to do the job with the correct as i said professional tool. I can't remember how much i paid bit it wasn't anymore than £150 plus the cost of bushes ten or so years ago. I think it's about a 2 hour job for someone with a lift and the correct tool. Your local garage might only charge you £50 an hour? If so you'll be laughing. ;) It really is the cheapest way to do this in money terms and time and non use of the swear box!! ;)

That’s top notch advice, it’s a pig of a job, I’d never even attempt it again :tup:

Perfect thanks :tup:

I have a spare axle coming so was going to rebush and offer it up, got the bushes already just need the bolts.

I have a press as well as the vice so with any luck I can get the axle positioned to make it possible to remove the old bushes without too much bother.

Thanks for the offer Shaun I'm up in Lanarkshire!