engineerjet

I need to replace the front axle boot soon but I cant find a procedure anywhere for our glks. I'm not afraid of getting dirty and learning on the fly if i must but anything to make it easier would help. Something with torque specs would also help.

GLK350-2011

I have not changed any boot or axle on the GLK350 yet, but have done many on audi's. In every case, that center "nut" you are looking at is a "stretch bolt" and when tightened to a very high torque, it deforms and by doing so makes it unlikely to come loose. The bolt, once tightened to full torque specs is not reusable. I don't know why many OEMs started using this one time use strategy in place of the reusable bolts and lockwashers...but they have, and rather than try and second guess them, I have gone with the flow.

For all my Audi's, the torque spec was pretty much a tighten to xxx lb-ft.....say around 150 to 180, and then tighten through an additional 90 degrees. . It is the last 90 degrees that stretches/deforms the bolt.

Look for European aftermarket parts vendors for a new bolt (or even the dealer) ..many times they come as part of the wheel bearing kits, or CV boot kits..

Once again......this advice comes from performing the same repairs on similar vehicles, but not the GLK !!! as the saying goes, , "your mileage may vary"

(And in my experience, those bolts are usually a lot of fun getting out. Make sure you have a very good fitting high quality socket, and a 24 inch breaker bar with a three or four foot steel pipe to add leverage)

bop11

Replacing these boots is not the same as in the old days. You need to pack the inner joint with 120 grams of BB00.40-P-0266-02A and the outer joint with 140 grams which is about 1/2 full. The inner joint boot is removed by sawing part of it off. Since the shaft and joint are balanced, make sure you mark the proper location of shaft and housing. For both you need to remove the axle. The bolt is torqued to 160 NM (118 ft lbs) then loosened then re tightened to 120 NM (88 ft-lbs) then as GLK350-2011 says turned an extra 90° . This is a 3 hour job for each side at a dealer with a lift and the proper tools.

bop11

I would recommend to spend the $29.95 for a year subscription to ALLDATA diy . It has the procedures and the torque numbers for replacing the boots and axles. You do have to remove the axle. I remember in the past there use to be aftermarket boots that were split so you could just cut the old one off and install the new one but I have not looked for these for a GLK.

B737

speaking of axles, anyone removed front axles? I havent searched yet but was discussing this with friends recently.

to remove the axle from the front differential simply using a pry bar will pop it out? Cir-Clip gets replaced, then for installation its simply pressed back into the diff?

bop11

You need a tool and slide hammer to pull out the CV joint inner housing from the dif.

engineerjet

is there any other way to get it out without special tools?