replacing my control arms and tie rods and of course i am stuck on the notorious pinch bolt... everything else came off like a dream didnt even need more than a ratchet (just loosened everything, still attatched). i took the devils advice and picked up a torch, heated it up a few tines and whacked the **** out of it but all i am doing is compressing the end of the bold. is my only option to cut the two ends? any advice will help. thanks

 

Pry the pinches open, torch it longer, and hit it harder lol. I hope you don't have to drill it out. That process redefines "FML".

 

yeah i stopped down at the shop where i always bring my car and they said the just use an air chizzel with a rounded end to drive the bolts out with no heat. and that the bolts are hardened steal and almost impossible to drill out haha FML!! wish me luck i will be enjoying beating the sh** out of my car

 

not sure if what i do actually do anything but every time i change my tires for the season i spray all the joints with anti-seize. I think someone also recommended that before replacing your control arms, to spray it with some PB Blaster and drive it for a couple of days.

 

finally got the pinch bolts out after my friend brought over an air hammer. i need to invest in one of those! spent all day trying to get them out and it took two minutes with that. also am i supposed to drop the sub frame to get the bolt out of the lower rear control arm? the bolt does not have enough room to come out. i cut this one off but i have no idea how to get a new one in

 

You can get them out without dropping the subframe by using a drift pin and tapping them out. You may have to twist the arm to get it to angle right but they'll come out.

 

ughh i have been having so many problems. do not buy the ebay kits. not even worth 180. bolts are spinning in the ball joints and the arms are impossible to line up. i dont even know if my car will be driveable after this

 

What do you mean "bolts are spinning"? I actually bought one of the cheap ebay kits around that price (after a crash, was in a bit of a pinch for money) and it went together fine.

 

i bought the ebay kit for 180. put it in today but when i tried to put the nuts on the bolts in the ball joints, the bolts just spun...... i could not tighten the ball joints so the kit was useless, the bolt in the ball joint on the control arms should not spin. i ordered the kit from FC groton after my Ebay kit failed. it sais it is an S4 upgrade, will it do anything for performance? i already have the S-line suspension and i hope this one will be alot more sturdy. anyone have any input?

 

the nuts that go onto the lower control arms, where the ball joints are will not tighten. when i try to tighten the nuts they just spin the bolt in the ball joint. that bolt should not spin when tightening.......or am i just missing something and wasting my money?