Remove Torque tube with A4 and Cradle?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 441
Likes: 3
From: Huntsville Alabama
Remove Torque tube with A4 and Cradle?
Quick question
I assume I can drop the Torque Tube along as a unit with the rear cradle, differential and A4 transmission?
ALSO, can I remove the 5 bolts and leave the Bell-housing on the engine?
I assume I can drop the Torque Tube along as a unit with the rear cradle, differential and A4 transmission?
ALSO, can I remove the 5 bolts and leave the Bell-housing on the engine?
Last edited by 1slowride; Jan 13, 2016 at 04:27 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,862
Likes: 595
From: Prescott, Arizona
Yes, but there are a number of things that need to be done in order not to endanger the engine thrust bearing when you put it back together.
Perhaps there is a better source, but the process is detailed in the Factory Service Manual. What looked to be important steps to me include the following and more:
-Before removal of the driveline, the propeller shaft front bearing needs to held in place by replacing the plug bolts with longer ones (55mm +) and torqueing them to 26 foot pounds.
-Only hand tools should be used on the cradle nuts or you risk breaking loose the bolt from it's holding tab. Do that and you drill a hole in the floor to get to them.
-Upon installation, the propeller shaft hub clamp is tightened finger tight. Once the driveline is bolted in, put the plug bolts back, 37 foot pounds on the plug bolts.
-After everything is back together, the engine is run until it reaches normal operating temperature, ten minutes or more, then shut down and allowed to cool to room temperature.
-Then the propeller shaft clamp bolt is torqued to 96 foot pounds.
-And a bunch of other stuff, too much to detail here.
Perhaps there is a better source, but the process is detailed in the Factory Service Manual. What looked to be important steps to me include the following and more:
-Before removal of the driveline, the propeller shaft front bearing needs to held in place by replacing the plug bolts with longer ones (55mm +) and torqueing them to 26 foot pounds.
-Only hand tools should be used on the cradle nuts or you risk breaking loose the bolt from it's holding tab. Do that and you drill a hole in the floor to get to them.
-Upon installation, the propeller shaft hub clamp is tightened finger tight. Once the driveline is bolted in, put the plug bolts back, 37 foot pounds on the plug bolts.
-After everything is back together, the engine is run until it reaches normal operating temperature, ten minutes or more, then shut down and allowed to cool to room temperature.
-Then the propeller shaft clamp bolt is torqued to 96 foot pounds.
-And a bunch of other stuff, too much to detail here.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,018
Likes: 508
From: Hilton NY
There's a wiring cable at the top of the torque tube that's hard to see and it's held there with several flat aluminum guides that are welded to the tube. The cable needs to be lifted from the torque tube guides and the connectors unplugged from the transmission, differential, etc, before you pull the torque tube from the bell housing. A tool can be made to ease lifting the cable from the guides and for reinstallation by bending a flat metal bar or rod.
