Just fitting 2 new drive shaft to hub bolts
, 200nm plus 180 , I’ll need my very long extension bar
, 200nm plus 180 , I’ll need my very long extension bar
What have you done to your Audi A4 B7 today?
- Thread starter Dani_B19
- Start date
Pulled my headlight protectors out of retirement this morning. The previous owner always had them on apparently, but took them off when he part exchanged the car in at where I work 20 months ago and left them in the boot - along with an unused front set of genuine Audi carpet mats. The car also came with a genuine Audi boot tray (saloon) which is about 2 inches deep I'd say.
What do you think of the headlight covers, yay or nay?
I can replace the clear rubber dots as they look brown / tired now (and one is actually missing on the offside)
I cleaned them up and waxed them both sides on the outer and inner faces.
Even maybe for summer use to keep bug guts off the headlights.
Easily stolen even with the bonnet closed though, just lift up from the bottom, pivot upwards and pull off.
They look genuine Audi to me, and are a perfect fit.
Not the best photo, but I'm on a Galaxy S7 and it's sunny!
What do you think of the headlight covers, yay or nay?
I can replace the clear rubber dots as they look brown / tired now (and one is actually missing on the offside)
I cleaned them up and waxed them both sides on the outer and inner faces.
Even maybe for summer use to keep bug guts off the headlights.
Easily stolen even with the bonnet closed though, just lift up from the bottom, pivot upwards and pull off.
They look genuine Audi to me, and are a perfect fit.
Not the best photo, but I'm on a Galaxy S7 and it's sunny!
Hi Matt, the covers are a good product and work well but spoil the front end profile in my opinion.
Very functional items and save the headlamp covers without doubt, but look a bit bulbous for a better description, but hey, everyone's different.
The car looks very smart.
Very functional items and save the headlamp covers without doubt, but look a bit bulbous for a better description, but hey, everyone's different.
The car looks very smart.
I agree with the above, looks a bit out of place but it protects the headlight lens and with the state mine are in now I was wondering if they had headlight protectors... but i dislike how they stick out... on my mk4 golf i had them and on those you hardly noticed them unless you walked straight up to the car. But they kept the lights from stonechips and UV damage. So, yes they'll keep those headlights in very good condition. If i had hem with my car already i would leave them on, but they weren't so won't get them.
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Gordon Bennett! Reminds me of the note you used to see in the manuals - “do not slacken or tighten this bolt unless the car is sitting with all four road wheels on the ground”.Just fitting 2 new drive shaft to hub bolts
, 200nm plus 180 , I’ll need my very long extension bar
It's not the getting it 200nm , that's fine, its the extra half a turn that needs some welly , a very long extension is needed with all wheels planted on terra firma and the wife holding the foot brake.
Luckily, I have a 4ft long steel tube that fits snugly over my breaker bar, it's all in the leverage sometimes
Just an idea, as we have recently had a Q5 with a judder under load - felt like driving over rumble strips - that the local Audi dealer identified as a transfer box issue.
It appeared under hard acceleration, and also on slow speed cornering, where the rear axel is being given drive / torque.
Potentially solved with oil flush I was told.
It appeared under hard acceleration, and also on slow speed cornering, where the rear axel is being given drive / torque.
Potentially solved with oil flush I was told.
That does sound very similar chap, The gearbox did have a full oil change back in January, will investigate further.
Finally got the part of legislation regarding bi-led projectors explained right:
However, it is legal to use complete LED lamp units that have been tested and carry a Type Approval Mark from an approved manufacturer.
Additionally, LED conversion bulbs can be used in halogen exterior lamps on vehicles used on or before April 1, 1986, for classic cars.5
Retrofitting LED bulbs into halogen headlamp units is not permitted and will result in an MOT fail because the halogen lamp optics are not designed to work with LED bulbs, which can cause uneven lighting and dazzle other road user
So basically if you remove the reflector and lightbulb to replace it with either a bi-xenon or Bi-led unit it is completely legal... good now i'll go and get the bi-led laser projectors i've been eye-balling and convert my halogen units to full on bi-led ones, I'll also get new headlight lenses and will add a flowing switch back DRL in the mix just to give the front a bit more of an updated look without making it standout to much.
Halogen to LED Legal
Switching a halogen lamp unit for an LED lamp unit is not legal for MOT purposes in the UK. According to the latest MOT inspection manual, existing halogen headlamp units on vehicles first used on or after April 1, 1986, must not be converted to be used with high-intensity discharge (HID) or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, the headlamp will fail the MOT test for being incompatible.However, it is legal to use complete LED lamp units that have been tested and carry a Type Approval Mark from an approved manufacturer.
Additionally, LED conversion bulbs can be used in halogen exterior lamps on vehicles used on or before April 1, 1986, for classic cars.5
Retrofitting LED bulbs into halogen headlamp units is not permitted and will result in an MOT fail because the halogen lamp optics are not designed to work with LED bulbs, which can cause uneven lighting and dazzle other road user
So basically if you remove the reflector and lightbulb to replace it with either a bi-xenon or Bi-led unit it is completely legal... good now i'll go and get the bi-led laser projectors i've been eye-balling and convert my halogen units to full on bi-led ones, I'll also get new headlight lenses and will add a flowing switch back DRL in the mix just to give the front a bit more of an updated look without making it standout to much.
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Replaced my wheel changing tools holder today with one off ebay. Was up for £12.50 + postage....I offered £10 plus postage but my offer got sensationally rejected within moments lol. To be fair it was by far the best condition one on ebay.
So anyway, about £15 delivered and in much better condition than my original one.
Mine had a broken clip one side with glue from a repair and a rubber pimple missing from the bottom etc....can't have that!
Cleaned up the ebay one a little bit and swapped the tools over.
He left in the holder the plastic thing you screw into the top wheel nut hole to help you locate the wheel onto the hub, plus the holder is a whole 7 months newer than my original one...so...overall a result.
So anyway, about £15 delivered and in much better condition than my original one.
Mine had a broken clip one side with glue from a repair and a rubber pimple missing from the bottom etc....can't have that!
Cleaned up the ebay one a little bit and swapped the tools over.
He left in the holder the plastic thing you screw into the top wheel nut hole to help you locate the wheel onto the hub, plus the holder is a whole 7 months newer than my original one...so...overall a result.
Update - radio was advertised to support CarPlay and doesn’t. Bought a very similar aftermarket radio from another company on Amazon and it has built in wireless CarPlay! Works great so far and looks OEM. Awesome $150 purchase.
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just washed the car and very glad i did it today instead of yesterday... the wipers were stuck to the windscreen and the same goes for the rear wiper on the rear window. It was treesap that caused it and the car was covered in it... I used my big shammyleather and seriously hot water after i rinsed the dust off to get rid of it all. bodywork and windows now all free of the treesap, next time I'll nee to do detail the wheels but since tomorrow i'll be on the road most of the day I skipped the wheels. they didn't look that dirty yet ( i know they are but i've seen them worse)
Well done buddy; makes such a difference to these cars
Talking of another big difference to me; the door mirror covers looked a bit tatty, to me; so I bought new (only about twenty quid) and it's a 15 minute job to fit both. Tilt mirrors, carefully prise out; remove heater element wiring; undo two screws on sperate plastic bit below (no screws on cover itself); click it bottom out; prise the cover up and out; new ones are obviously just a reverse of this method.
The instructions I found here: http://www.a4mods.com/index.php?page=webcontent/pages/mirrors.html&category=3 They are for a B6 but it's the same for the B7.
After seeing Matt's beautiful lights and car, I wasn't happy with mine; but another round of polish has made a big difference and with the new wing mirror covers, she's getting there:
I'm still on the fence about buying new ones though, Lol. A bit of good fortune and dough, that came my way, really made me consider getting something newer; but I'm too attached to the old gal; and even though I've spent quite a bit recently, that's nothing compared to another; and I'd have to spend a lot more for same condition now.
I should add, I've replaced the rear wiper arm and jet - it was floppy (The motor was new a while back and sealed with silicone, never a problem since). Got new wiper arms for the front coming; this is more cosmetic than anything. I've replaced the rear hatch and bonnet gas struts too, after my mechanic said they were shot - I never noticed, but they shoot up now, so as you have hold on! I've ordered the springs for the rear to make it automatic opening; not sure if I'll fit them though
Oh and next week, or thereabouts, we'll hit 270,000 miles together
After seeing Matt's beautiful lights and car, I wasn't happy with mine; but another round of polish has made a big difference and with the new wing mirror covers, she's getting there:
I'm still on the fence about buying new ones though, Lol. A bit of good fortune and dough, that came my way, really made me consider getting something newer; but I'm too attached to the old gal; and even though I've spent quite a bit recently, that's nothing compared to another; and I'd have to spend a lot more for same condition now.
I should add, I've replaced the rear wiper arm and jet - it was floppy (The motor was new a while back and sealed with silicone, never a problem since). Got new wiper arms for the front coming; this is more cosmetic than anything. I've replaced the rear hatch and bonnet gas struts too, after my mechanic said they were shot - I never noticed, but they shoot up now, so as you have hold on! I've ordered the springs for the rear to make it automatic opening; not sure if I'll fit them though
Oh and next week, or thereabouts, we'll hit 270,000 miles together
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Ah B7 thank you, that's really nice of you to say that, I do work hard on it...still only a baby on 81k miles lol
Wow, your car has done over a 1/4 million miles?...that's insane. The moon is 238,855 miles from earth - just saying!
Credit to you, you have a very tidy car, and it no way shows that kind of mileage
Wow, your car has done over a 1/4 million miles?...that's insane. The moon is 238,855 miles from earth - just saying!
Credit to you, you have a very tidy car, and it no way shows that kind of mileage
Rear brake light went out on the bus yesterday…changed both rears in about 5min! Every bolt and connector on this thing either strips or breaks, but they didn’t have a problem making the simplest brake light assembly ever. Finally a win!
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Few more updates:
- Had a door blade come halfway off today. Tried to replace the screw, but turns out it separated from its housing and the screw isn’t the issue. JB weld it is!
- A/C has been struggling in the 100 degree weather in Texas. Climate control goes into “Econ” automatically and stops blowing cold air. Ouch!! Bought an A/C recharge kit, hopefully that solves it.
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- Had a door blade come halfway off today. Tried to replace the screw, but turns out it separated from its housing and the screw isn’t the issue. JB weld it is!
- A/C has been struggling in the 100 degree weather in Texas. Climate control goes into “Econ” automatically and stops blowing cold air. Ouch!! Bought an A/C recharge kit, hopefully that solves it.
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Do you have a link to that exact same unit? I want to check the specifications of it out... what OS it' running, the connectors, options and what else it's capable of.
If any of y’all are on the fence about upgrading to CarPlay…well worth my money!!!
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I might just go for it.
Here you are!
I must confess, it is far from perfect. I probably have to reset it once every few drives (just push reset button) because the cheap software gets confused. CarPlay works 90% properly, but can freeze up (may be due to my old phone). I really don’t mind that stuff too much, considering the price and exact fit/ease!! No need for any additional connectors, it should come with all you need.
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It has built in wired and wireless CarPlay. Wired is probably your most reliable bet, it’s worked every time for me and charges your phone! I’m gonna snake my wire down through a crack in the pass footwell.
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Finally got her presentable for y’all!! Just bought the used roof box and rails today. I think the silver box goes great with the trim and wheels. Don’t look too closely for the hail dents….we’re working on those
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uhm i've seen this unit on aliexpress for a lot less than that.... apart from that the reviews i read there kinda resonate with the ones on amazon... lasts a while than all of a suden it starts acting up to the point where the screen just dies in 8 to 9 months... these are the 1 star reviews that are consistent across both aliexpress and amazon. I won't be going for it.
I didn’t look on aliexpress, but that makes sense because it’s definitely lower quality than your name brands. Maybe I made a mistake by going for it - I just didn’t want to shell out $400 for a conversion kit when this was an option. I guess we’ll find out over time!
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Going cheap doesn't always pay off, and quality can be a factor.
Thanks Bud
Yeah it's not lost on me - we're on our way back 
Some engines are legendary for size power, finesse, etc. but what about the unit that goes on and on? Not spectacular in performance, but smooth, effortless and trouble free. The only weakness with this engine, I believe was the oil pump; and now it's become a thing to see how far she goes. I'll vouch, everything else is original: turbo, unmolested egr and intake; etc etc. and the oil pump hex wasn't entirely done at6 220K neither - that was preventative. Just 6K oi8l/filter changes in my hands, that's all. And I know it's a cliché, but she runs like new, let's see what I get out of herAliexpress is a lotto; Amazon is easy to return; at this price the saving is negligible, or at least not that important. I paid 300 quid for mine, almost 8 years ago; an Xrtrons; it's still rock solid and powerful enough to run Carplay or Auto Android without any issues; with better sound than the Symphony it replaced. 150 dollars is nothing; even if it lasted a year; but they don't tend to conk out like that: the branded ones are no more of a guarantee really; have very poor antiquated screens and absolutely no internal sat nav, for fall back, neither.
Very smart indeed; great colour; great wheelsFinally got her presentable for y’all!! Just bought the used roof box and rails today. I think the silver box goes great with the trim and wheels. Don’t look too closely for the hail dents….we’re working on those
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It might be worth using the dongle I have and mentioned. The software/hardware in some of the cheaper units is flaky. The dongle obviates that. Now I've got the right combo of firmware/software with it, it is 100% reliable boot up on ignition (15 seconds to Carplay). The Head unit very very occasionally needs a reboot, but that always sorts any issue. Apple Carplay and Android Auto don't need powerful processors in the HUs; that's done on the phone - upgrade your phone and you've upgraded your Head unit.
Getting the steering wheel controls all working (particularly for Siri/GA) can be tricky; but well worth it too. I'm obsessive about this stuff; but it's been marvelled at Lol
Yeah i'm still on the fence but i do like the oem RNSE look better, I don't want to spend 300 on it though. I have been comparing them ever since i've bought the car, and I still haven't pulled the trigger on any of them. I'm more inclined towards the Xtrons unit, but i've noticed a few upgrades on Aliexpress that the Xtron doesn't offer, same unit, same specs, but better software and price but way harder to get support if something is wrong. I could just get one of those than get the optional extra options from Xtron... will see what way i go, probably price will dictate my final decision over anything else.
Good news! I think most of my CarPlay connection problems on the aftermarket head unit are due to my phone being 8yrs old. Tried everything and problems were only fixed when I restarted my phone. Might work a lot better for y’all with newer phones!
Also on my update list:
- JB Welded my center console (for the second time in 2 months…)
- JB Welded my driver door blade, which was coming apart internally. Hope that holds!
- Ran a wired CarPlay cord under my trim near my seat - I think I might use it more since I can also charge my phone!
- Dealing with a pesky wiring problem on my rear driver taillight. Ground wire is burning up and failing to contact the car-side wiring harness. Thought replacing the bulb was all I needed, but likely need to buy a new connector.
- Roof box is AWESOME!!! Seems to double my storage, which is huge since I’m moving!
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Also on my update list:
- JB Welded my center console (for the second time in 2 months…)
- JB Welded my driver door blade, which was coming apart internally. Hope that holds!
- Ran a wired CarPlay cord under my trim near my seat - I think I might use it more since I can also charge my phone!
- Dealing with a pesky wiring problem on my rear driver taillight. Ground wire is burning up and failing to contact the car-side wiring harness. Thought replacing the bulb was all I needed, but likely need to buy a new connector.
- Roof box is AWESOME!!! Seems to double my storage, which is huge since I’m moving!
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yes roofboxes do give extra loading space... but they do ruin the low drag the b7 came with, aka economy will take a hit for the worse, but still within reason when carrying loads... take it off if you don't need it on unless you don't care about the amount of miles per tank and the fact that the car's handling is compromised. Mostly felt when driving on motorways when getting sidewinds or going past lorries and other large vehicles.
I imagine, though I could be wrong, it's your 'near side', which would be our off-side; or the right side, in any case. It's the first to go usually; corrosion in the earth pin, set off by crud coming up, from the kerb, inside over time. If it's/they are not completely gone you can file the ground pins down; sometimes you can insert a staple or clip in the plug too. The fool proof solution is new bulb holders, that run to about 40 quid here on eBay - I've done that on my 'near-side'; the offside I managed to salvage with file down technique, aforementioned.
Ahh that’s interesting - yes it’s the left side of my car (driver side)! Love the staple in the plug trick for a quick fix, that’s right up my alley. Will probably end up getting a new bulb holder for $40 or so here. The ground pin is about half its normal size.
Put 300 miles on the bus today on the first leg of my road trip! Held up pretty great and actually got slightly better gas mileage with the stage 1 APR tune on. I experimented with a few different options. The roof box seems to have knocked it down 1-2 mpg.
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if that happens to mine I'll be replacing the rear lights with the LED versions because they just update the look of the car, yet still look oem to a non B7 owner.
I've seen a few styles and on this page the cheapest ones actully almost resemble the B8.5 rear light clusters and if bought in red look almost OEM.
I've seen a few styles and on this page the cheapest ones actully almost resemble the B8.5 rear light clusters and if bought in red look almost OEM.
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ahh yes I’ve been looking at those too! I wish the Spyder brand/style was sold for the avant, I like those slightly better than the Spec D ones. Might have to pull the trigger if I’m spending money on taillights anyway!
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yeah the Spyder are the ones that look most like the oem units and have a reflector in them and the red/chrome when the lights are off, most people wouldn't even notice the difference. But I dislike the asking price as it doesn't mean they are manufactured to a higher standard. The Spec D ones are almost half the price but lack the reflectors inside the units, but have the led bar style that resemble the b8.5 rear light clusters and actually add that updated look. I've been looking at these rear light clusters since i bought the car and went through almost every brand offering and compared them Spec D comes trumps most regarding looks, price and quality.
I've made the difficult decision to part ways with the old bus, not just yet, most likely November time.
It wasn't something that I had planned but a change in plans has now played a part in making this decision.
It wasn't something that I had planned but a change in plans has now played a part in making this decision.
Ahh sad to hear it, sounds like it’s been a really cool journey though!!! Hope we still get to hear from you.
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You'll have a few people gunning for the car and some will hope you break it... that all said, sometimes it's time to move on to the next project.
At this point, I'm undecided whether to sell it as is, put it back to stock and sell the parts, or just break it up.
I'll only ever get the current market value for it based on its original OEM spec so logically it will be more viable to just break it up , I'm not buying bits just to put it back to stock.
I shall see how things go between now and November.
I'll only ever get the current market value for it based on its original OEM spec so logically it will be more viable to just break it up , I'm not buying bits just to put it back to stock.
I shall see how things go between now and November.