Joined the pita upper control arm bolt!

[VagCabby]

Well I set about changing my control arms yesterday as it was finally a sunny day. I've been putting this off due to the pinch bolt story's. I sprayed the.bolt twice a week with ed40 for 3 weeks to make sure.it would come out nicely. The nut undid fine but the bolt head sheered off imediately. Bashing with a hammer for half hour didn't work, then I put aload of washers onto the threaded end then tightened the nut back onto it which acted as a sort of puller, this got the bolt half way out before I had to cut the thread off. No matter how much hammering I did it just wouldn't come out, in the end I stuck a blow torch on it for 5 mins then wirh a punch and smacking with a hammer and praying not to hit my wing it came flying out! 2 and a half hours and a cut up hand one side is done! Passenger side to do on Thursday.......wish me luck. Ps I greased the new bolt up to try and prevent it sticking again.

 

[AlexGSi2000]

You did better than I did anyway!
I tried the washer trick, but the arm raises sligltly for the tie rod end so couldnt pull it any more (unlike the B5 chasis)
I gave up in the end and bought a new upright.

 

[Paul @ Unit 9 Remaps]

never had a problem with mine ever' ?

Just replaced for all new bolts as its off the road at the minute. at worst use a bit heat not much as you can damge the ally arm

 

[VagCabby]

Alex I was very close to doing the same but I thought screw it ill give it one last wack and it moved an inch then.gave it another wack and it came out!

Paul all I have every heard is horror stories reguarding the bolt! When I got mine out is was just covered in Brown rusty dust, I think mine was made harder to get out as the head snapped off the bolt which proberly bent the bolt slightly. Hoping the other side will be better, car is on 146k with the origional arms on it. Every other bolt was fine, just that ****** punch bolt.

 

[Paul @ Unit 9 Remaps]

The problem lies steal bolt against ally arm, they don't mix we'll and get corrosion like a white powder, a hammer and drift helps and heat makes it a lot easier

 

[B5NUT]

I've had some that have taken a blowtorch & almost 10tn to press them out. I now change the bolts every year and cover them with copper grease, 5 minutes to do and can save hours of hard graft.

 

[Paul @ Unit 9 Remaps]

Copper grease is also a risk, (copper) just like steal against allying you buy genuine ones you will get new nut and bolts

 

[B5NUT]

Works a treat for me, once the nut is removed I can just slide the bolt out, no bashing required.

 

[dualmono21]

not tried it myself , but a frind of mine used an sds drill on the hammer setting and it popped straight out !!

 

[crazy88]

We briefly tried the sds trick and not didn't work for us. In the end excessive heat was the way forward. Absolute nightmare of a job. I am pretty sure mine were originals too, and at 10 years old with 165k miles it was about time they were removed.