A6 Torque Tube Install
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 108
Likes: 9
From: Houston TX
A6 Torque Tube Install
I am doing a rebuild of my TT on my 2012 A6 and was able to remove the rear cradle, transmission, and differential from the rear of the car.
I saw a video on YouTube on how to remove the shaft from the torque tube without dropping the TT, so I tried that to save some time. It fought me to pull it out, so I pulled it out using a slide hammer. Now that it is out, I have difficulty installing the shaft back into the TT. My thought was that since they were connected, they would slip right back into the car. Now I am wondering if the angle between the TT and the engine may not be correct and that was why it fought me on pulling it out and now will not go back into the TT.
I've read some threads that people have had to try and find the correct angle and it would go right in without much force, but I'm not sure how to find the correct angle. With the transmission and differential removed from the TT, I would assume that the TT and engine would tilt up toward the top of the car so pulling down on them would cause them to come back into alignment but that doesn't seem to work.
Any ideas on how to figure out the correct angle for the shaft end to slide into the engine? Am I looking at dropping the TT anyway?
Thanks in advance.
I saw a video on YouTube on how to remove the shaft from the torque tube without dropping the TT, so I tried that to save some time. It fought me to pull it out, so I pulled it out using a slide hammer. Now that it is out, I have difficulty installing the shaft back into the TT. My thought was that since they were connected, they would slip right back into the car. Now I am wondering if the angle between the TT and the engine may not be correct and that was why it fought me on pulling it out and now will not go back into the TT.
I've read some threads that people have had to try and find the correct angle and it would go right in without much force, but I'm not sure how to find the correct angle. With the transmission and differential removed from the TT, I would assume that the TT and engine would tilt up toward the top of the car so pulling down on them would cause them to come back into alignment but that doesn't seem to work.
Any ideas on how to figure out the correct angle for the shaft end to slide into the engine? Am I looking at dropping the TT anyway?
Thanks in advance.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 108
Likes: 9
From: Houston TX
The housing for the rear bearing will move (spin) in the bell housing and doesn't bind. It moves in most of the way, but not far enough to allow me to put in the big snap ring. The pinch nut is pretty lose and freely spins around the front part of the shaft/collar.
As I said, the shaft had a difficult time coming out, so I used that slide hammer to pull it out. After seeing all the carnage in other posts, I figured there was a bunch of flex coupler debris inside. It appears that the only issue is with the rear bearing. Given that I had to use so much force to remove it, it makes me wonder if the angle and the way it was installed caused the bearing to fail.
I'm not sure how much the engine dropped when I pulled it out but I can see that the bottom of the TT is sitting on the TT cover.
I'm thinking that I need to maybe lift at the front of the car (engine/TT junction) and pull down on the back of the TT to similate the weight of the transmission and differential. I'm just not sure how much pressure to use and easy the shaft will seat into the back of the engine. I have read that it will go in like butter but so far it's been peanut butter. Chunky at that. Haha.
As I said, the shaft had a difficult time coming out, so I used that slide hammer to pull it out. After seeing all the carnage in other posts, I figured there was a bunch of flex coupler debris inside. It appears that the only issue is with the rear bearing. Given that I had to use so much force to remove it, it makes me wonder if the angle and the way it was installed caused the bearing to fail.
I'm not sure how much the engine dropped when I pulled it out but I can see that the bottom of the TT is sitting on the TT cover.
I'm thinking that I need to maybe lift at the front of the car (engine/TT junction) and pull down on the back of the TT to similate the weight of the transmission and differential. I'm just not sure how much pressure to use and easy the shaft will seat into the back of the engine. I have read that it will go in like butter but so far it's been peanut butter. Chunky at that. Haha.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 128
Likes: 21
From: Meridian ID
The o-ring on the front bearing support is likely hanging up on the inside bore of the driveline support housing. Put some grease on that o-ring and it will let you slide it in the rest of the way.
Also, you will need to thermal cycle the engine and TT with the pinch bolt LOOSE. Otherwise you may have fun with a wiped out thrust bearing ...
Also, you will need to thermal cycle the engine and TT with the pinch bolt LOOSE. Otherwise you may have fun with a wiped out thrust bearing ...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 108
Likes: 9
From: Houston TX
The o-ring on the front bearing support is likely hanging up on the inside bore of the driveline support housing. Put some grease on that o-ring and it will let you slide it in the rest of the way.
Also, you will need to thermal cycle the engine and TT with the pinch bolt LOOSE. Otherwise you may have fun with a wiped out thrust bearing ...
Also, you will need to thermal cycle the engine and TT with the pinch bolt LOOSE. Otherwise you may have fun with a wiped out thrust bearing ...
I did read that doing the thermal cycle was the LAST step. I read that it just needs to be hand-tight. I guess that means that it is tight enough not to flop around.
