# Passenger Side CV Axle Length difference



## cdketrow (Dec 21, 2014)

Just put a new southbend clutch and single mass flywheel in the 225Q. On the way out my passenger side front CV axle's inner joint fell apart. I put it back together based on a write up on the forums here. It felt like it was moving smoothly after being repacked with grease, but once installed, and in gear the inner bearings are clicking. Instead of trying to take it apart and put it back together "properly" I am going to buy a new one. The problem I am running into is that there are two lengths showing up when I call parts stores and search online. The difference is about an inch. I'm getting measurements of 24 1/2" and 25 11/16". I replaced the passenger side axle before and put the shorter of the two in. I ordered from rock auto based on the picture, not based on length so I don't know which length was originally in the TT. Does it matter if I put the longer cv axle in versus the shorter. The shorter axle doesn't seem to be available anywhere. ECS tuning has pictures but no shaft length measurements. ( :laugh: )


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## lite1979 (Sep 9, 2005)

I would call Raxles to find out for sure. I know they're close, but I can't say for sure which is the longer if the two. I also don't know if the same inner CV is attached to both sizes...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

Can someone confirm the axles are different lenghts after the split in VINs?

ECS has the year splits but not the lengths...

Nut Style
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine...ured-front-axle-assembly-left/1j0407451hx~kt/
Bolt Style
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine...manufactured-axle-assembly-left/8n0407451xkt/

The reason I'm bringing this up is because I noticed my passenger side wheel sticks out an inch or so further than my drivers side. I looked at the axles and noticed all of the ones on the car are Nut style except for the passenger front (the one that sticks out). Could be that the previous owner lazily replaced the axle with the wrong one. 

However, through some researching I came across this thread:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?7665393-CV-Drive-axle-question&highlight=different+axles

Where Noah states that the hub designs also differ to accomodate for the different axles. If this is true, I would find it unlikely that the previous owner also changed out the hub, being that he wasn't smart enough to realize he was using the wrong axle, so how would he know to use the right hub for the wrong axle? 

"The bolt design is stronger. However the hubs have to be changed as well in order to run them. The hubs are different for the bolt style having a large boss to seat the head of the bolt."

Any clarification would be so helpful.


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

"2001 model year, Up to vin 46000, use a different wheel bearing, and the outer CV uses a nut on the end that goes thru the bearing.
The later axle uses a bolt that goes through the bearing."

Just found this post.

So could I just theoretically change out the outer CV Joint and wheel bearing and have everything the same length? Or is the axle shaft also a different length. One of the posts I read from 20vMaster said that it's just different CV Joints.


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## TheDeckMan (Sep 26, 2004)

The only difference between the early and late is the axle end and the hub. The bearing are the same for the later MK4 337/20th to the early ones but you need the bolts. There is no difference in length, just that the bolt style is much stronger. 

The bearing kit for the late style axle swap
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/front-wheel-hub-priced-each/8n0407613c/

The hub for the late style axle swap 
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/front-wheel-hub-priced-each/8n0407613c/

Been running these for the past two years in the track car after my big failure at Palmer Motorsports. Make sure to re-pack the wheel bearings with RedLine as the grease in the bearing kits all suck pond water.


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

Thanks Noah! 

Can confirm they are the same length, the CV joints are all the same, and the hubs can be used interchangably (not recommended) as it makes no difference. I had a bolt style cv joint on a nut style hub and it sat the exact same as the new nut style joint I swapped in sits now. 

I'm going to attribute the difference in passenger and driver side wheels to be caused by the crash early last year which bent my rear trailing arm in. I was hoping that was the extent of the damage, but now I'm convinced my driver's side front knuckle/spindle is bent in as well. :thumbdown:

At least we now know for certain the joints and axles are all the same dimension wise.


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## TheDeckMan (Sep 26, 2004)

Gonzalo1495 said:


> Thanks Noah!
> 
> Can confirm they are the same length, the CV joints are all the same, and the hubs can be used interchangably (not recommended) as it makes no difference. I had a bolt style cv joint on a nut style hub and it sat the exact same as the new nut style joint I swapped in sits now.
> 
> ...


I have both over in the garage, I can measure them again. Off the top of my head they are the same length from the shoulder to shoulder that meets the wheel bearing. The hubs are different being that one has the large boss pressed in for the bolt style 

Early style hub with nut is like this :









Late style hub bolt is like this :









The wheel bearings are the exact same parts as so are the spindles, however you will need the later style axles/outer CV's to run them as a bolt style. The 20th's and 337's went to the bolt in style axles as so are the R32's. The bolt in axles are much stronger than the nut style which with lots of lateral G loading are prone to break line mine did.


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## Gonzalo1495 (Feb 2, 2015)

TheDeckMan said:


> I have both over in the garage, I can measure them again. Off the top of my head they are the same length from the shoulder to shoulder that meets the wheel bearing. The hubs are different being that one has the large boss pressed in for the bolt style
> 
> Early style hub with nut is like this :
> 
> ...


Yeah I know they have different seats for each respective type. What I was trying to say was you can mix and match the hubs and joints and it will not affect the "length" like we were all wondering.


Here's the bolt style cv joint the P.O. put into the car with a nut style hub. The rest of the car is nut style. I replaced it yesterday with a nut style joint and it made no difference in length.


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## TheDeckMan (Sep 26, 2004)

Gonzalo1495 said:


> Yeah I know they have different seats for each respective type. What I was trying to say was you can mix and match the hubs and joints and it will not affect the "length" like we were all wondering.
> 
> 
> Here's the bolt style cv joint the P.O. put into the car with a nut style hub. The rest of the car is nut style. I replaced it yesterday with a nut style joint and it made no difference in length.


There will be a potential for a lower wheel bearing life from the bolt most likely not seating on the boss that is on the late style hubs. I would have to grab some more parts and measure, but the boss on the late style hubs if I recall is about 20mm to account for the bolt. This might cause issues with torquing the bolt to have the correct preload on the bearing. I will check over at the garage between both TT's later this week.


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