How the Hell ? Grab Handle Bolt ...

sukrw

sukrw

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HI all,

Not sure if anyone has come across this before. I have removed the allen bolt from the grab handle so I could swap the ash-tray for the non-smokers try - this is all in and done.

But, the left grab handle, the allen bolt has dropped down and is poking out the bottom of the grab handle. For the life of me and much time spent trying I can't get the bolt to poke back up through the hole in the top of the grab handle to screw it back in.

I have even tried pulling the grab handle sideways so I can see the hole in the top of the handle so I can try and align the bolt with the hole - sometimes I can just about see the end of the bolt about 4mm below the surface but it won't push up through the hole.

Has anyone else come across this and can advise how to sort it ?

grab1yx2.gif



Hope you can help

........
 
I had mine out last week. it should just push back in.

By the way, the rubber at the top of the tray should tuck in under the bottom of the grab handle. I see from the driver's side grab handle that it is a but puckered. You should sort this before bolting the grab handles back on. There should be a small lip at the top of the console trim to hold it in place.
 
I did this Mod this weekend to, I found that the bolt in the left grab handle would undo but not drop down!...anyway i realised there was no need to take the grab handles off and the rubber tray slides in..all be in with a little manipulation

Easy mod and well work the £13 for the tray
 
yup it should just push up and in but for some strange reason it won't push up enough - sticks out about 10mm then when you let go it drops out fully as shown in the photo ...

hey ho - looks like Audi will have to sort it out when it goes in for a service in a month or so ...
 
I am expecting a charge from Audi to fix the bolt but doubt they will mention break of warranty for this ...
 
Use something long and thin to align the holes and then put the screw in once you have it in position. Why did you undo it anyway? You don't need to take off the handles to swap the trays.
 
unable to align the bolt with the hole - it is very strange - when looking directly down from the top I can sometimes align the bolt top with the hole but it is about 4mm from the actual hole i.e. it is below the hole, no amount of pushing will allow the bolt to move up any further - it is stuck against something. This is why I think something has "moved" inside the grab handle, no reason why it should tho as all I did was unscrew it and then it dropped out.

The reason I undid them was all the searching I did on this (and other) site suggested that the grab handles had to be released to release the ash-tray.

Tempted to go to a scrap yard, find another grab handle and cut it open so I can see the inside layout of the bolt/hole etc or if the handle is in good condition swap it over ... or simply let Audi do it :)
 
In that case I would remove the whole handle and try and sort it out before trying to refit it.
 
yes I wanted to remove the entire grab handle, but was worried I will never be able to get the bolt back in the holds the rear of the handle (the one under the climate control) - I have the double hight DIN stereo and there is not much room under there to get a tool to undo the bolt let alone try and fit the bolt back in - any advice ?

Many thanks
 
The exact same thing has happened to me after doing the double din conversion. Did you ever manage to get it back in??? Driving me mad!
 
I would assume after 15 months that he has. I was wrong above and found that I needed to remove the grab handles to fit the non smoking tray. Went back on with ease though.
 
Sorry to go a bit O/T but is there a guide somewhere with more info on this mod? I'd like to do this to my car.
 
There are several good guides on here. Just search double din conversion or RNS-E conversion.

I'm sure they are nice, but cheap I think not! Any idea how much they would be?
 
Which mod though? The double DIN or the non smoking pack tray?
 
cameronm said:
There are several good guides on here. Just search double din conversion or RNS-E conversion.

I'm sure they are nice, but cheap I think not! Any idea how much they would be?
Click to expand...


No they are NOT! I rememeber watching them on German ebay going for hundreds of Euros 2nd hand.
 
I thought as much!

Anyone any idea what is going on with this bolt though?! Had another go at it last night but no amount if wiggling will get it back through!:sos:
 
Although it might sound obvious I find the best way to deal with bolts like that is to have the socket/bit needed in my fingers and align it by hand until the first few threads are on. It allows you to feel the right angle.

You need to make sure it's seated 100% flush then do that screw before tightening the other bolts up.
 
Fixed this a while ago but haven’t managed to get back and let you know what I had to do so here goes...

On the short side of the grab handle I removed the rubber exterior (which clips back in) and drilled some holes in the top so I could see what's going on... The bolt is a cylinder of about 8mm in diameter with a screw on the top of it, however at the screw end of the cylinder the cylinder enlarges couple of mm. On the inside, middle of the grab handle there is a plastic hole that the bolt goes through...the enlarged section of the bolt had managed to slip below this. I enlarged the hole with a drill so it fitted back through, re-attached the rubber lining and Bob's yer uncle. Bolt goes all the way through and you can't see any holes.

It’s difficult to know what’s going on as you can’t see what’s inside the grab handle and what the middle of the bolt looks like!

Hope this makes sense...if not and you have the same problem PM me!
 
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