Things I've learnt this weekend about the B6

**BlackQuat** · 28th January 2012

The steering pump is very easy to change on the 2.5 TDI. Just abit time consuming.

Audi put steel bolts and parts into a ally upright and lets them corrode really hard together.

So next thing I need to learn is how the hell to get the track rod ends out of my uprights.

Edit: I also learnt that my car runs alot better with the maf actually connected to the car.

**Les 51** · 28th January 2012

Glad to hear you didn't have any problems!

**Turkster** · 28th January 2012

track rod ends need a good whack!

**BlackQuat** · 28th January 2012

Originally Posted by Turkster

track rod ends need a good whack!

The pinch bolts will not move in the slightest.
They are corroded solid. So going to pop to audi get fresh bolts, drill these out and put fresh ones in.
That's assuming you need the pinch bolt fully out in order to drop the track rod out?

**ScottB5** · 28th January 2012

Originally Posted by BlackQuat

The pinch bolts will not move in the slightest.
They are corroded solid. So going to pop to audi get fresh bolts, drill these out and put fresh ones in.
That's assuming you need the pinch bolt fully out in order to drop the track rod out?

If its any thing like the B5s then yeah, you do.
The pinch bolts are a right pain in the ass but like Turkster said.
A good whacking and loads of penetrating oil should see you right.

**BlackQuat** · 29th January 2012

Tried that yesterday

Got one hell of a copper hammer on it and it is stuck solid.
Going to get some fresh track rod ends, some fresh pin bolts and my uber set of drill bits and take it out. They are truely truely welded in there.
Ally and steel will corrode and pretty much weld tight.

**Woorlord** · 29th January 2012

Blowtorch - steel and aluminium expand at differently under heating and cooling.

**BlackQuat** · 29th January 2012

Originally Posted by Woorlord

Blowtorch - steel and aluminium expand at differently under heating and cooling.

I put some pretty intense heat on it, whilst trying not to destroy the track rods. I'll get them out eventually.

**Ekco163** · 29th January 2012

If the head of the bolt has or can be cut or snapped off you could use the nut to wind out the bolt, and then drive out completely with a punch.

**BlackQuat** · 29th January 2012

I might be able to get a grinder on the head of the bolt. But it's not a normal bolt i don't think.
Decent drill bit should get it out.

**swarcup** · 30th January 2012

the pinch bolt is only threaded right at the end so the nut will not move it far enough to remove it. I did mine last summer and even with drill bits they are not easy (never again). If you arn't past the point of no return i would pop down to a garage and get them to change the bolts with a windy hammer then go home and do the job yourself.

**Turkster** · 30th January 2012

any updates ?

**Turkster** · 30th January 2012

also, when i did mine, we used them monkey grips on the rod and another set on the track rod ends and plenty of heat and force, they gave in at the end, was not a job i enjoyed or wished to do again, so i got the most expensive track rods ends you can get for the replacements.