Ok, so far all the DIY's I know about have removed their pinch bolt without power tools.


Quick question:

If I get my hands on an impact gun to use, will it more likely brake loose the pinch bolt? I will drench it with some lubricant of course. I just dont want to get an impact gun and it just break or strip the head off first time I go at it.

 

from everything I've read/seen, soak the hell out of it with some PB Blaster every day for a day or so before attempting. afterwards the nut seems to come off relatively easily (relatively), getting the bolt out is where the "problem" exists. A lot of the write ups and suggestions I have seen, seem to advocate the use of a MAPP torch to heat up the attachment point and a good deadblow and a punch to knock the bolt out. I remember seeing a video of a guy using an air hammer with a punch bit and it seemed to tap out quite quickly.

I've not done any work on my suspension and am only speaking from what I remember seeing around here before, so take my advice lightly. I'm sure someone more familiar will chime in soon.

good luck

 

OHHH I get it...THANKS!

I always thought removing the actual nut was the problem. That the head kept breaking off and they ended up using an air hammer to just push it out.

Just prepping up for the job soon. Would a big centre punch and a large hammer suffice?

THANKS!!

 

The nut should come off no problem.

If the MAPP torch doesn't work at loosening the bolt, get a cold 32 oz budweiser, some cutting oil, a couple of high-quality drill bits and drill it out. Took me an hour on each side to drill out those bolts when changing my control arms. I used a spray bottle with water to cool things off.

I had to drill about 90% of the way through and then used a punch and hammer to finally pop out the stupid bolts.

 

i would have to say an impact is a key in suspension. all the diys said that this job should be hard. When i did it with an impact not one bolt was stuck. I watched on of the pinch bolts actually snap free from the impact. I put the monster on tighten after the nut was off and it cracked it and i banged it out. another good tool is an impact hammer. bangs control ball joints right out of there.

 

^^^ you lucked out lol. I've dealt with them at every level, from hand tight to one that took almost 24 man-hours and destroyed $120 worth of cobalt bits, diamond-tip sawzall blades, and hardened-steel punches.

 

^^ thats very reassuring =***(

Thanks for your input and clearing that up for me fellas

 

good things about air tools is less stress on your hands and more power than your hands.

 

That won't work. Audi's only like good beers... Just sayin! Lol.

 

Ditto. The first 4 or 5 times I did pinch bolts I thought I was just smarter than everyone else. Then the Audi gods punished me. Two days, and I finally just went out and bought a used spindle.

By the way, heat on suspension parts is not necessarily a good idea. You might get the bolt, but you might also weaken that steel. And you really want that steel to be reliable.

Here's the best pinch bolt method I've seen. This works very well.

PINCH BOLT REMOVAL made easy - pics