Hi Guys, Just replaced the outer LHS CV joint gaiter on my MY 2003 A6 Avant and thought I would share my experiances. Firstly this link is excellent http://www.audiworld.com/tech/wheel37.shtml I just did a couple of variations. I took the nut off my lower rear suspension arm outer joint 18mm but couldn't get the ball joint out of the taper as I didn't have a tool to fit. Similarly I undid the infamous top joint but couldn't get the bolt out. So with a bit of lateral thinking I undid the inner bolt on the rearmost lower control arm, the bolt is rather long 19mm on the head end and 18mm on the nut side but with a bit of levering with a big screw driver and turning with a small 3/8 drive socket it comes out OK a jack under the stub axle helps a bit. I didn't use a puller on the CV joint either just simply put the big stub axle bolt back in and tightened it right up you need to hold the shaft to stop it turning I used a big stilson wrench on the splines (careful not to damage them). Then it is a piece of cake albieit rather mucky. Getting that bolt back into the lower rear suspensioin arm is a bit of a game. I used a sissor jack under the stub axle and a bit of a push with my sholder to get it started then when you come to getting the far blind end through the far hole you need to get a big screw driver wedged in and pushing down on the bolt head and then give another big push with your shoulder and it goes home. Probably not for the fient hearted and would recommend you get an 18mm ring and 18mm socket plus a 19mm 3/8 drive I managed with a 3/4 spanner but a bit of a loose fit. Took just under 2 hours all in and wasted 15 minutes on the other ball joints. cheers Ben.

Actually thinking about it I should have done the final tightening on that control arm once the car was sitting on it suspension else the rubber bush will be under torsional stress, a job for tommorrow I think.