It's official my pinch bolts are stuck

[jacobsen]

I wrapped on them with a 3 pound handheld sledgehammer. I soaked them in penetrating oil. I'm considering putting my steering Knuckles on the workbench and using a power drill on them. But I don't want to damage the steering knuckle. Oh what a world...

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[FNK]

It's a pain, but doable.

You have 2 solutions,

1. Low risk solution,
Use an air hammer (industrial grade not a cheap powerless one). Then hammer it out! (worked on my B5 and one side of the B6, aluminum stick to steel).

2. Medium risk
Drill the bolt out. Use a smaller diameter than the bolt, make sure it's straight so you don't hole sideway. It will take time, but it's doable in place. You'll have to sharpen the drill bit few times.

[AudiTechS4]

go to a parts yard and get one.

[Steve Bassen]

wrench on the head until it snaps, then draw it out the other side using the nut and a progressively larger stack of washers/spacers.

[gmudan]

Acetylene tank always did the trick for me.

[walky_talky20]

^This. You gotta use heat.

When they stick, my method of attack usually goes like this:

- Determine pinch bolt is pretty stuck
- Beat on the housing (not the bolt) in between the 2 pinch sections with a 3-5 lb hammer to loosen stuff up.
- Heat the housing (not the bolt) with an oxy/acetylene torch**.
- Shield the upper joint boots with an old license plate if you need/want to save them, otherwise they will roast.
- While it's hot, put a 6-point socket and breaker bar on the pinch bolt and turn it.
- Once you get it to turn, you are home free. Move it a bit with the breaker bar, lube, spin with impact, then tap it out.
- You can incorporate an air hammer. It really works well to push the bolt out. But make the bolt turn first, or you won't get too far.

If it's an aluminum housing, use an infrared thermometer to monitor the temperature of the aluminum. Probably don't heat it above 200-300 F.

[LINDW4LL]

I was in the same situation with my A6; get an air hammer. I tried everything, including a torch and hammering before getting it, and the bolt would not budge at all.

I had it out in less than 10 minutes once I set up the air hammer.

[jacobsen]

I used MAPP gas to get it hot and then I used a breaker bar to rotate the bolt. And a punch with my hand held Sledge to help push the bolt out. The second one did not go well at all. It was the exact same thing to begin with. I had to heat the shit out of the damn thing to get it to rotate with the breaker bar gently nudging it into motion back and forth. Then using the punch with someone else rotating the bolts back and forth to drive it out a little bit. But then it just got stuck. So I used a hacksaw to cut off the bolt head. Then I stacked washers and then the nut snapped off. So now it's sitting on the workbench with the bolt stuck in it. I'm considering trying to find one or both at a parts yard.

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[crazyquik22023]

^This. You gotta use heat.

When they stick, my method of attack usually goes like this:

- Determine pinch bolt is pretty stuck
- Beat on the housing (not the bolt) in between the 2 pinch sections with a 3-5 lb hammer to loosen stuff up.
- Heat the housing (not the bolt) with an oxy/acetylene torch**.
- Shield the upper joint boots with an old license plate if you need/want to save them, otherwise they will roast.
- While it's hot, put a 6-point socket and breaker bar on the pinch bolt and turn it.
- Once you get it to turn, you are home free. Move it a bit with the breaker bar, lube, spin with impact, then tap it out.
- You can incorporate an air hammer. It really works well to push the bolt out. But make the bolt turn first, or you won't get too far.

If it's an aluminum housing, use an infrared thermometer to monitor the temperature of the aluminum. Probably don't heat it above 200-300 F.

I have to disagree with this. Personally I think heating aluminum is never a good idea. The best method is by far the specialty tool, but I'm assuming most people are not going to spend the $300 on it. So the next best method that works every time is this.

- Wrench on the head of the pinch bolt, if it snaps thats fine, If it actually turns then you should have no problem getting it out from here
- Take a dremel or some type of saw and cut the pinch bolt in between the slots
- Get a few different length 8mm bolts and a vice grip with a socket end so you can turn it easily
- Take a small length 8mm bolt and push against the side the head broke off
- Turn vice with socket pushing against the 8mm bolts, keep adding longer bolts as needed
- Put a large socket on the other end of the bolt and keep turning until the bolt is out

You dont have to cut the bolt between the slots but if you dont it might cause the bolt to twist and bend

Other options work as well, I just don't think it is a good idea to heat the aluminum as it is easily deformed.

[jacobsen]

I have to disagree with this. Personally I think heating aluminum is never a good idea. The best method is by far the specialty tool, but I'm assuming most people are not going to spend the $300 on it. So the next best method that works every time is this.

- Wrench on the head of the pinch bolt, if it snaps thats fine, If it actually turns then you should have no problem getting it out from here
- Take a dremel or some type of saw and cut the pinch bolt in between the slots
- Get a few different length 8mm bolts and a vice grip with a socket end so you can turn it easily
- Take a small length 8mm bolt and push against the side the head broke off
- Turn vice with socket pushing against the 8mm bolts, keep adding longer bolts as needed
- Put a large socket on the other end of the bolt and keep turning until the bolt is out

You dont have to cut the bolt between the slots but if you dont it might cause the bolt to twist and bend

Other options work as well, I just don't think it is a good idea to heat the aluminum as it is easily deformed.

I didn't see any deformation or discoloration of the alloy. But I understand this is a good point. It took me two and a half hours to get the one bolt out and when it came out it was deformed, the threads were destroyed. There is no chance of turning either of the bolts without heat. They basically just turn in place, they don't screw in or out. If you tap them with a punch while you're turning them they kind of cut their own threads but eventually bind up and stop. I used the giant C-clamp with a socket and some small extensions to try to push the remaining old section out and it did not work. My bench vise is not big enough and I don't have a press. Which I believe is the next step here. It's going to have to be pressed out.

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[walky_talky20]

A little bit of heat goes a long way here. My brother's B6 had both pinch bolts stuck solid. We heated very minimally - maybe 200F - and then everything came apart pretty easily. Didn't even hurt the ball joint boots. I think a little heat is much preferable to beating the thing to death or otherwise breaking stuff. Certainly you can melt stuff down and do some damage, but you really just need to warm it up a little.

[Shortrun]

I wrapped on them with a 3 pound handheld sledgehammer. I soaked them in penetrating oil. I'm considering putting my steering Knuckles on the workbench and using a power drill on them. But I don't want to damage the steering knuckle. Oh what a world...

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Is this the first time the pinch bolts will be removed on your car? Just wondering if they have been out in the past, say to lower the car, if they will be easier to get out.

[jacobsen]

Is this the first time the pinch bolts will be removed on your car? Just wondering if they have been out in the past, say to lower the car, if they will be easier to get out.

This must be the second time they've been off or they were replaced previously. I know this because my control arm kit is the mayle HD. I will be installing the 034 Street density kit.

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[Shortrun]

This must be the second time they've been off or they were replaced previously. I know this because my control arm kit is the mayle HD. I will be installing the 034 Street density kit.

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Thanks. I am pretty sure I will have to remove mine soon and was hoping they will not be so hard to get out because they have been out before. I will just have to try and see what happens.

[Let it snow]

This must be the second time they've been off or they were replaced previously. I know this because my control arm kit is the mayle HD. I will be installing the 034 Street density kit.

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Jerks did not use antiseize on the pinch bolt then. That sucks.

[jacobsen]

Jerks did not use antiseize on the pinch bolt then. That sucks.

Definitely not, I however will. But it's pointless because they're probably never going to come off again. Well I guess I shouldn't say never... not with an Audi...

Thanks. I am pretty sure I will have to remove mine soon and was hoping they will not be so hard to get out because they have been out before. I will just have to try and see what happens.

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[jacobsen]

It took 4 hours to remove the stuck remnant of the bolt from the second one. My official advice to anyone who is going to try to do this is to just forget about it. Consider what your time is worth. Consider the painstaking effort you're going to have to go through to make this happen... You can get these things at a parts yard for 69 bucks with the pinch bolts already removed. If you're lucky you can back the bolt head out a little bit and cut off the bolt head. Then stack washers behind the nut on the opposite side and literally ratchet the bolt shaft out. That's the best outcome, but don't hold out any hope. Just accept the failure to design a better part, don't waste your life on this.

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[old guy]

Here's what worked for me: Clicky click®

[jacobsen]

Here's what worked for me: Clicky click®

My bolts cut their own threads and chewed up the aluminum on their way out.

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[old guy]

Did you try forward and reverse repeatedly or just pound in one direction?

[jacobsen]

Did you try forward and reverse repeatedly or just pound in one direction?

I tried everything, I really believe this is a scenario where the best tool for the job is an extractor. But then you're looking at buying that but if you're a shop you should already have that.

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