Upper control arm Pinch bolt ! 😩😩

**AKF-C6AVANT** · 29-10-2016,10:30 PM

Hi all,

Started to fit my BC coilovers today. Got the tears on and then went on to fit the front.

Couldn't get the upper control arm pinch bolt out, the bolt head side is extremely tight and when it does move, the threaded side doesn't move with it. This is the same on both sides.

I've seen elsewhere that you need a special extraction tool that costs £500 and I'm not financially nor mentally ready to spend that kinda money on a tool to remove a bolt ! Can anyone tell me how I'd get it out without damaging the ball joints with a bit of heat and where I could source 2 new bolts to fit ?

**B5NUT** · 29-10-2016,11:01 PM

You can forget about removing that bolt with the upright in place. I replaced all my suspension including arms & bushes and the pinch bolts was well & truly stuck on both sides, took lots of heat, long metal bars, hammers and an impact gun to remove the bolts. As I was binning the top arms I was not bothered about getting the heat into the arms to free the bolt, but it did destroy the rubbers & grease was spitting out due to the heat, so if you need the keep the top arms I would find a solution that does not involve blowtorch!

In the photo below I had already snapped the head of the bolt off, so packed out the spaces in the upright then used heat and a nut on the end of the thread and that pulled the bolt through on one side but on the other I ended up snapping the thread off, so had to hammer the remaining section of bolt out.

**MarkTM** · 29-10-2016,11:27 PM

I believe that all of the front arms can be had as Meyle HD (recommended by many on forums as good for 100k miles) for circa £400

I have the front uppers but my mechanic said heat would be needed so to buy the rear uppers too so the whole lot could be replaced at once.

You may be able to release without heat but would require a couple of cans of Plusgas...and then no guarantee

**B5NUT** · 30-10-2016,12:15 AM

Would never use Meyle again, the arms on my B5 lasted under 2 years and even with the Meyle warranty they wanted the arms back first to inspect them before they would send out replacements (up to 28 days to get replacements). Put lemforder back on in the end, as all the arms I've removed for A4's & A6's have been from lemforder with Audi stamped into them. The Lemforder arms I received were the genuine Audi arms with just the Audi logo & part number ground off.

I also tried plusgas, as I ripped the rear suspension out first I had a good few weeks to soak them but it did not work, also tried WD40 and freeze & release spray and nothing touched that bolt.

I also now remove that bolt every year and cover in copper slip and refit, don't want to go through pain again.

**AKF-C6AVANT** · 31-10-2016,11:22 AM

Does anyone know the bolt size and pitch etc ? Can get bolts made today if I find out the bolt specs

**zollaf** · 31-10-2016,11:28 AM

made ?
all the nuts and bolts should be replaced and febi will sell you a complete set in a box all ready for the job for about 40 notes. the pinch bolts are also available by themselves if thats what you want. try ebay.

**zollaf** · 31-10-2016,11:29 AM

Suspension Pinch Bolt Wishbone Front A4 1.6 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.5 2.7 3.0 3.2 Delphi | eBay

**dean warren** · 31-10-2016,11:54 AM

Normally on the shelf at audi for the bolts, i have a few in stock. Just incase.

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**Crasher** · 31-10-2016,04:03 PM

Klann make a special tool for getting that bolt out, last time I enquired it was £1500! In reality there is no substitute for "hot spanner" (the more gentle version of "gas axe") but this will kill the ball joints and also heating ally is fraught with dangers. I have been looking at buy one of these new inductive bolt heaters but good ones are still up in the £600 area.

**mike ryan** · 01-11-2016,10:30 AM

I have done a few of these now and my method is to leave the nut on the bolt but slack it a couple of turns. Then belt it like mad on the end. This nut being on there just stops the bolt bending. Once it starts to move turn the upright and belt it from the other end. Keep repeating this whilst spraying loads of lube in there. Additionally I used a chisel to drive into where the splits in the hub and drive open the upright. This is to try to break the joint internally. It will scrap the bolt but it is only a standard metric one. M10 x100mm if u remember right. Swapped mine for stainless and greased them up before I put them on.

I have never had to use heat and always saved the top arms doing it. I put a piece of steel plate over the ball joints to protect them against an accidental hammer blow. Just set aside a good bit of time to do it.

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