The 8mm Allen bolt from Hell!!!

[MR:OlympiaA4]

if you ever get a 8mm Allen bolt on you rear caliper of your sauerkraut loving 2003 Audi A4 that is stripped out and refuses to cooperate and come out. And then you swear at it call it names....briefly consider selling your car, talk yourself out of it, then apologize to the car. Then you try to cross drill it and it still refuses, Then you discover nothing works to get it out..... take a second pause to reflect and then take 15mm box end wrench tap it over the top and remove the bolt scream at the car tell I won this fight and then go buy a new bolt....


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[vtince]

i just used irwin bolt-outs, whacked it with a hammer and boom out it came.

[seanf86]

I cut a slit in the middle and hammered both sides together and spun it out with pliers, luckily if you have 255mm rear rotors you can take the rotors off with the carrier in place.

[Spike00513]

I'm not sure if Audi says to replace this with a new one every time.

Isn't there an OEM special tool socket bit for this, that's short and small enough to fit back there?

edit: Found it. Might be T40027.
There seems to be many listed on eBay now.
If it's from Stahlwille or AST then maybe it's a quality tool and can help prevent stripping, as well as fitting into the tight area due to it's shortness.

[old guy]

If all you are doing is replacing the rotor these is no need to remove the lower 8mm bolt. Just remove the upper bolt and use a rubber mallet to rotate the carrier enough to get the rotor off. Tap the carrier back into place and put the top bolt back min.

[5ktq]

I don't usually have trouble with allens like that (typ. rear brakes). Use a socket instead of a key, one with good sharp edges, clean the socket, hammer it in a little.

If it still won't break without a lot of flex on the bar, time to break out the torch before you strip it.

[Gin+]

That bolt sucks, especially in the rust belt.

[Kevin C]

If all you are doing is replacing the rotor these is no need to remove the lower 8mm bolt. Just remove the upper bolt and use a rubber mallet to rotate the carrier enough to get the rotor off. Tap the carrier back into place and put the top bolt back min.

If you do want to remove the lower, being able to rotate the caliper housing should make loosening it a lot easier. This is a much better solution than putting a giant flat on the outside of the rotor to get it to clear the bracket.

[Spike00513]

I don't usually have trouble with allens like that (typ. rear brakes). Use a socket instead of a key, one with good sharp edges, clean the socket, hammer it in a little.

If it still won't break without a lot of flex on the bar, time to break out the torch before you strip it.

A regular socket might not fit in the small area.

IDK how good quality my key set is, but I think that's how I did it last time. Luckily the bolt was positioned in a way that the key fit in at a good angle, enough for me to slide a pipe over it to get more leverage. Specifically, the lug wrench from the OEM spare tool kit, since the handle is hollow.

[shurur9]

i just used irwin bolt-outs, whacked it with a hammer and boom out it came.

+1
Then replace it with a bolt from fastenal or ACE.

[SJorge3442]

Man, that bolt stripped on my almost immediately. Didnt think twice. Pulled out my angle grinder and destroyed that thing. When to ACE and got a high strength bolt to replace it. I don't have time to mess with stuff like that anymore.

[daught]

I cut a a socket bit short so I can hammer it on and use a ratchet.

[AudiA4_20T]

I've noticed that stripping it happens when you have the bit at an angle. Removing the lower shock bolt and moving the shock out of the way works perfectly to get a straight non-stripping angle.

[Turbo510]

Just the hammering-on of the box end wrench probably did a lot to break it loose.

[a4bradsd]

How hard was it to cut a 6mm Allen wrench socket bit? I'm sure these are hardened steel. Can it be done with a regular hacksaw?

I have a rounded out Allen bolt head of M8x16 bolt (courtesy of professional Audi-certified service men) securing turbo oil pipe that will prevent me from removing my coolant flange.

I thought next try is to cut the 6mm bit so that there is no tapering at the end, remove it from the 3/8" drive socket and hammer it carefully into the Allen bolt, then put the socket base back on. I only have about 4.75" of clearance to swing a hammer here.

[SJorge3442]

How hard was it to cut a 6mm Allen wrench socket bit? I'm sure these are hardened steel. Can it be done with a regular hacksaw?

I have a rounded out Allen bolt head of M8x16 bolt (courtesy of professional Audi-certified service men) securing turbo oil pipe that will prevent me from removing my coolant flange.

I thought next try is to cut the 6mm bit so that there is no tapering at the end, remove it from the 3/8" drive socket and hammer it carefully into the Allen bolt, then put the socket base back on. I only have about 4.75" of clearance to swing a hammer here.

IDK. I used my angle grinder with a grinding wheel and had it ground down in <30 seconds.

[Gosser]

Remove wheel liner, remove lower shock bolt and upper if you want, install 9/16th 12 point socket:


After doing this a few times, I decided to grabs this set of extractors from Canadian Tire:

Amazon has them too.

And they are the business. If it doesnt remove it, it will snap it.

[IndoReef]

I've noticed that stripping it happens when you have the bit at an angle. Removing the lower shock bolt and moving the shock out of the way works perfectly to get a straight non-stripping angle.

This ^^

I live in a winter zone that loves to put down salt and road brine, Mine came out perfectly with this method

[eljay]

My solutionMy method using ratcheting bolt extractor: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...5#post11748005
That bolt was out very very quickly.