Front Suspension Audi A4 Avant 1999

At the top of the front suspension housing forging/ casting there is a pinch
bolt about 4" long holding the attachment pins of the two upper suspension
arms into position in the housing forging/ casting. I have heard this pinch
bolt described as " notorious", presumably because it is notoriously
difficult to remove (it is subject to all the muck, water and mud in
Christendom).

Does anyone have any actual experience in removing this fastener? If so,
does it deserve this reputation, or is it all a big build up over nothing at
all?

Thanks for all constructive replies.

The bolt is described in many ways, most more 'descriptive' than 'notorious'.

You can try to use penetrating oil, impact drives ... but most end up cutting or
grinding it off and using torches then replacing the parts.

You could check on the AudiWorld A4 forum for an assortment of experiences.

Gus wrote:
> At the top of the front suspension housing forging/ casting there is a pinch
> bolt about 4" long holding the attachment pins of the two upper suspension
> arms into position in the housing forging/ casting. I have heard this pinch
> bolt described as " notorious", presumably because it is notoriously
> difficult to remove (it is subject to all the muck, water and mud in
> Christendom).
>
> Does anyone have any actual experience in removing this fastener? If so,
> does it deserve this reputation, or is it all a big build up over nothing at
> all?
>
> Thanks for all constructive replies.
>
>

"Tony" > wrote in message
...
> The bolt is described in many ways, most more 'descriptive' than
> 'notorious'.
>
> You can try to use penetrating oil, impact drives ... but most end up
> cutting or grinding it off and using torches then replacing the parts.
>
> You could check on the AudiWorld A4 forum for an assortment of
> experiences.
>
> Gus wrote:
>> At the top of the front suspension housing forging/ casting there is a
>> pinch bolt about 4" long holding the attachment pins of the two upper
>> suspension arms into position in the housing forging/ casting. I have
>> heard this pinch bolt described as " notorious", presumably because it is
>> notoriously difficult to remove (it is subject to all the muck, water and
>> mud in Christendom).
>>
>> Does anyone have any actual experience in removing this fastener? If so,
>> does it deserve this reputation, or is it all a big build up over nothing
>> at all?
>>
>> Thanks for all constructive replies.

Penetrating oil the day before you are going to work on it, let it soak in,
large hammer, drift, gloves, they aint too bad if you know how, heat helps
too, the bolt will definitely need replacing, at 70,000 miles plus rather
than replacing parts on the front suspension as they fail I would replace
everything, a complete kit works out cost effective, you can get a genuine
audi parts kit for about £350 that contains all 8 front suspension arms, 2
track rod ends, 2 C links & all the nuts bolts & washers, I would also re
grease the front CV joints & put new gaiters on while you have it in bits,

Steve.

"Steve68s" <steve68s(remove this > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tony" > wrote in message
> ...
>> The bolt is described in many ways, most more 'descriptive' than
>> 'notorious'.
>>
>> You can try to use penetrating oil, impact drives ... but most end up
>> cutting or grinding it off and using torches then replacing the parts.
>>
>> You could check on the AudiWorld A4 forum for an assortment of
>> experiences.
>>
>> Gus wrote:
>>> At the top of the front suspension housing forging/ casting there is a
>>> pinch bolt about 4" long holding the attachment pins of the two upper
>>> suspension arms into position in the housing forging/ casting. I have
>>> heard this pinch bolt described as " notorious", presumably because it
>>> is notoriously difficult to remove (it is subject to all the muck, water
>>> and mud in Christendom).
>>>
>>> Does anyone have any actual experience in removing this fastener? If so,
>>> does it deserve this reputation, or is it all a big build up over
>>> nothing at all?
>>>
>>> Thanks for all constructive replies.
>
> Penetrating oil the day before you are going to work on it, let it soak
> in, large hammer, drift, gloves, they aint too bad if you know how, heat
> helps too, the bolt will definitely need replacing, at 70,000 miles plus
> rather than replacing parts on the front suspension as they fail I would
> replace everything, a complete kit works out cost effective, you can get a
> genuine audi parts kit for about £350 that contains all 8 front suspension
> arms, 2 track rod ends, 2 C links & all the nuts bolts & washers, I would
> also re grease the front CV joints & put new gaiters on while you have it
> in bits,
>
> Steve.
>
Thanks for the replies both. I will look in the forums.

Easing oil has been applied and I've made a small extractor tool which I
hope will assist in removal, if it fits - I don't have access to the vehicle
as yet.

The reason I need to remove the bolt is because of an outer CV boot in a
distressed state, so I'm hoping to avoid the 350 pound touch.

Has anyone used the VAG special tool for the purpose? Is that effective? My
home-made extractor is designed to try and do the same thing as the Audi
one - I hope, that's supposing the Audi one works!

I'm afraid hammers and drifts won't be of much use on the one side. Some
pillock has fitted the bolt with the head on the outside i.e. impossible to
achieve a good strike for removal!

Are you suggesting that the bolt needs replacing because of corrosion making
it progressively more difficult to remove if you don't?

"Gus" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Steve68s" <steve68s(remove this > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Tony" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> The bolt is described in many ways, most more 'descriptive' than
>>> 'notorious'.
>>>
>>> You can try to use penetrating oil, impact drives ... but most end up
>>> cutting or grinding it off and using torches then replacing the parts.
>>>
>>> You could check on the AudiWorld A4 forum for an assortment of
>>> experiences.
>>>
>>> Gus wrote:
>>>> At the top of the front suspension housing forging/ casting there is a
>>>> pinch bolt about 4" long holding the attachment pins of the two upper
>>>> suspension arms into position in the housing forging/ casting. I have
>>>> heard this pinch bolt described as " notorious", presumably because it
>>>> is notoriously difficult to remove (it is subject to all the muck,
>>>> water and mud in Christendom).
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone have any actual experience in removing this fastener? If
>>>> so, does it deserve this reputation, or is it all a big build up over
>>>> nothing at all?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for all constructive replies.
>>
>> Penetrating oil the day before you are going to work on it, let it soak
>> in, large hammer, drift, gloves, they aint too bad if you know how, heat
>> helps too, the bolt will definitely need replacing, at 70,000 miles plus
>> rather than replacing parts on the front suspension as they fail I would
>> replace everything, a complete kit works out cost effective, you can get
>> a genuine audi parts kit for about £350 that contains all 8 front
>> suspension arms, 2 track rod ends, 2 C links & all the nuts bolts &
>> washers, I would also re grease the front CV joints & put new gaiters on
>> while you have it in bits,
>>
>> Steve.
>>
> Thanks for the replies both. I will look in the forums.
>
> Easing oil has been applied and I've made a small extractor tool which I
> hope will assist in removal, if it fits - I don't have access to the
> vehicle as yet.
>
> The reason I need to remove the bolt is because of an outer CV boot in a
> distressed state, so I'm hoping to avoid the 350 pound touch.
>
> Has anyone used the VAG special tool for the purpose? Is that effective?
> My home-made extractor is designed to try and do the same thing as the
> Audi one - I hope, that's supposing the Audi one works!
>
> I'm afraid hammers and drifts won't be of much use on the one side. Some
> pillock has fitted the bolt with the head on the outside i.e. impossible
> to achieve a good strike for removal!
>
> Are you suggesting that the bolt needs replacing because of corrosion
> making it progressively more difficult to remove if you don't?
>
>
>

By the time you have finished with the hammer the bolt is usually damaged,
in fact the end broke off mine, then I used a drift to bash it through +
heat, the kit came with new bolts so I was not worried,

Steve.