Dreaded pinch bolt removal

glenandem

glenandem

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Tried to tackle it briefly today but found it very siezed as expected, I don’t have a replacement yet so left it alone but but done off and going to drive it about a few days see if that helps!
I replaced my lower arms ok but just wondered what your best techniques are on the b8’s?
 
Having done this more times than I car to remember, then heat is your friend. Torch the top arms, forget trying to save the boots, you'll be replacing them. I used to use a large punch and lump hammer on the nut end, but I'm more inclined to take the angle grinder to the bolt head and remove it. Liberally soak in PlusGas. With the head off, undo the nut, add washers, then add the nut back on. With a ratchet on the nut end, use a needle or chisel gun or similar on the exposed bolt head. It's going to take time, but will eventually shift.
 
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Hi pal thanks replying, the last two days I’ve left the nut loose and leathered it with that gas release stuff then covered it again today but still not budging!
I’ve gone and bought the replacement bolts today and consigned myself to thinking I’m gonna have to chop it like you say and gonna try the washer technique but could it snap the ally upright where the notch is as I tighten?
I’m thinking of using a little light heat on it too
 
glenandem said:
Hi pal thanks replying, the last two days I’ve left the nut loose and leathered it with that gas release stuff then covered it again today but still not budging!
I’ve gone and bought the replacement bolts today and consigned myself to thinking I’m gonna have to chop it like you say and gonna try the washer technique but could it snap the ally upright where the notch is as I tighten?
I’m thinking of using a little light heat on it too
Click to expand...

There's a specialist tool for removing the pinch bolt, but unless you were doing it for a living, what choice do you have. For reference the tool is made by Klann KL-0250-40 and retails for £400. You'd probably save that in nitrile gloves, blowtorch gas canisters and carbide metal drill bits in a year!


This is quite an interesting take on it. It's concerted pressure on the bolt, just enough to free the thread, repeat, spray with PlusGas, etc.
 
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Recently done this on my mates B7, I believe it's very similar.
I ended up dropping the whole suspension arm after snapping the bolt head, I then used the technique of adding washers to the threaded end and kept doing it up to draw it out. Was a bit if a nasty job, knock a penny washer into the splits in the ally arm to stop it deforming
 
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As above, you need to ram some washers into the "slot" to stop it locking on the bolt.
When the nut end is also toast, you have to start drilling it out.
 
Just be careful with the drilling out. Obviously the bolt is harder than the leg, the drill bit easily wanders off.
I had that problem with a spare leg I had drilling it out in a bench vice, not even on the car.
 
Cheers for replies lads, I’ve read so many different methods, I’ve left the nut undone slightly last few days and carried on driving it about to see if that helps and keep dousing it in wd40 and that gas oil stuff.
Gonna try and work it free a tad with a strong arm and socket at weekend but if its not gonna go I’m gonna grind the bolt head off and try the washer method, I have an electric hammer drill too so I might try and put it on the head of the bolt to shock it abit!
I did think about heating the upright a tad from quite a few posts I’ve read people doing it but concerned about the ally upright!
 
Sorted both sides today lads, actually a lot easier than I thought!
Both sides siezed as expected so I snapped the bolt head off with a strong arm and socket after trying to move it then just used the washer technique until they came out.
New one in and greased up and all sorted!
 
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glenandem said:
Sorted both sides today lads, actually a lot easier than I thought!
Both sides siezed as expected so I snapped the bolt head off with a strong arm and socket after trying to move it then just used the washer technique until they came out.
New one in and greased up and all sorted!
Click to expand...

The method worked for me on the drivers side spare leg that I had, came out pretty easily. The passenger side was a different story. The bolt head sheared off, so I tackled the nut which also sheared. Decided to drill it out, but eventually the drill wandered off and after much hammering I abandoned the leg. Glad it was just a spare.
Apparently the near side gets more corrosion due to road salt from the gutters.
 
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spartacus68 said:
There's a specialist tool for removing the pinch bolt, but unless you were doing it for a living, what choice do you have. For reference the tool is made by Klann KL-0250-40 and retails for £400. You'd probably save that in nitrile gloves, blowtorch gas canisters and carbide metal drill bits in a year!


This is quite an interesting take on it. It's concerted pressure on the bolt, just enough to free the thread, repeat, spray with PlusGas, etc.
Click to expand...



This pinch bolt removal tool is ONLY for the Audi A4 B5 models... NOT the B6/7/8 models.. trust me, I've bought it once for my B7, but had to return it because it didn't fit and work.. when I looked for the specific B6/7 tool, I found the Klann version was available, but at a whopping 1500 euros it was waaaayy too much for using it once or twice
 
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