Replacing Power steering rack on A4 Avant B5 - DIY?

**Mikeybs** · 14-10-2012,10:20 PM

Ok so having just wasted 5 hours stripping then putting my car back together, has anyone HONESTLY replaced the steering rack on a right hand drive A4 B5? The notorious 3rd bolt (allegedly accessible from underneath) is impossible to find.

Even removing the downpipe and heat shield would not appear to give enough room. The bolt is hidden by the cat (I presume) and the drive shaft. My steering is making a horrible noise when turning the wheel at slow speed. it has been fully bled with proper Audi ps fluid with the engine switched off but still no joy. I assume it is my rack but cannot get it off.

Does anyone have the secret? There are many articles on the web but they are all for LHD cars which seem to have better access on the left side.

Any tips would be gratefully received.

**Doctle Odd** · 15-10-2012,12:28 AM

I might have a haynes manual I'll look tomorrow, from memory on a passat it's a pig of a job

**Mikeybs** · 15-10-2012,10:51 AM

Originally Posted by paulkennedy

I might have a haynes manual I'll look tomorrow, from memory on a passat it's a pig of a job

Hi Paul, thanks for the reply. I have a haynes and a printout from the audi workshop manual . . both say words to the effect 'undo the 3 bolts, 2 accessible from on top and one from underneath' . . no mention that you need 3 mirrors, 4 elbows and a four post lift to get at the underneath bolt! I was hoping that someone who had actually managed it on an RHD car could confirm it is possible . . and as we all know, even if it may just be possible to get it out, am I ever going to get it back in again?

It looks like one of the few jobs that Audi did not think would need doing in the lifetime of the car as normally I am impressed by the maintenance forethought that has gone into the way they are built.

**Doctle Odd** · 15-10-2012,12:26 PM

I did this job on a b5 passat a few years ago, i had an octopus to help me it was still a pig of a job

**olds_kool** · 15-10-2012,09:52 PM

what engine? i did one on a 1.8t a few years ago on my drive, i did need a few extension bars and a knuckle joint to reach but it was possible

also it was a pig to bleed, im sure i did it with engine running wheels of the ground ragging wheel from lock to lock

**Doctle Odd** · 15-10-2012,11:29 PM

I think you have to get one bolt through the plenum chamber or under the battery, it's not a job for the rounded gentleman like myself

**adamss24** · 16-10-2012,10:22 AM

I have done it to a few cars before, the most difficult was on a pd 115 passat tdi w reg and on a v6 tdi. When that's the case i prefer to take the engine out- much easier to work that way !

**Mikeybs** · 20-10-2012,11:31 PM

Thanks for the replies gents . . . there is a bolt under the battery box - no problem and another by the servo again np. These are both accessed from on top. The third is bolted from underneath and is tucked up under the scuttle hidden by a heat shield and obscured by the exhaust and driveshaft. Even if they were all removed, you cannot see the bolt. I could not even reach my hand around to reach the bolt from by the inlet manifold. It is an A4 avant 1.9 tdi rhd

**Doctle Odd** · 21-10-2012,12:35 AM

You must endeavor to persevere!

**Mikeybs** · 23-10-2012,06:17 PM

Originally Posted by paulkennedy

You must endeavor to persevere!

Very astute Paul, but bugger all use in this case. I will endeavour to buy myself a 4 post lift, grow two more elbows and develop x ray vision in an atttempt to persevere but I suspect I will be more successful if I rely on good old 'advice from those in the know'