[A8] Total defeat... RE: [Fwd: Re: [V8] steel bolt in aluminum]

[Rich, Jack]

I've encountered bolts that were inaccessible and I needed a lift and said to hell with it and gave up and had it done, but never have I encountered a bolt that was so easily accessible that has me totally humbled and throwing in the towel in complete humiliated defeat.  PB Blaster, hammers, heat, air hammer -- that sucker will not budge.  The good news is the car seems safe to drive even though the bolt has no head and no nut.  I know it isn't going anywhere.

Only question is, I can imagine that a "snap on air hammer" is a special air hammer that snaps or clamps into place and makes short work of removing a steel bolt that is now a bonded part or the aluminum housing.  However,Google results only show Snap-on (r) brand air hammers, which cost significantly more than my cheapo tool.  Maybe I just need a better air hammer, but mine is able to do the expected job of mangling the metal of the bolt and prove is really would have pushed it out if the bolt had not become one with the housing.

I'm now wandering around at a loss with no car project to work on, waiting to call my mechanic ini the morning.  I wonder how the hell they are going to get it out?  I bet they have the expensive air hammer.

Jack
________________________________________
From: a8-bounces at audifans.com [a8-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Kent McLean [kentmclean at comcast.net]
Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2009 7:22 PM
To: a8 at audifans.com; v8-list
Subject: [A8] [Fwd: Re: [V8]  steel bolt in aluminum]

(Forwarded...)

-
Kent


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [V8] [A8] steel bolt in aluminum
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:03:00 +0000
From: str8ightface at hotmail.com
Reply-To: str8ightface at hotmail.com
To: Kent McLean <kentmclean at comcast.net>

Yes the bolt is of a steel or metal material and yes the spindle is aluminum, an
air hammer with the right bit will punch out the snapped bolt. Sometime with a
ball peen hammer if you smack the aluminum where the bolt runs and some
penatrating oil you can work the bold free,but common to snap the head and punch
out the bolt.  Heavy duty snap on air hammer works best.  - prefer using oem
bolt and lock nut.
Jack. 91 v8 3.6  and  99 a4 2.8
Audi tech
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

-----Original Message-----
From: Kent McLean <kentmclean at comcast.net>
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:30:27
To: a8 at audifans.com<a8 at audifans.com>; quattro<quattro at audifans.com>;
v8-list<v8 at audifans.com>
Cc: Rich, Jack<Jack.Rich at kronos.com>
Subject: Re: [V8] [A8] steel bolt in aluminum

Rich, Jack wrote:
> I'm replacing my front axles, and the pinch bolt holding in the upper
> control arms was a bear to get out on the passenger side.  The drivers
> side is worse -- the head sheared off when I tried to spin it, and it
> cannot be hammered out at all.  I'm going to have to drill it out.
> But I can't help but notice that the bolt is magnetic, i.e. some sort
> of steel, while the wheel bearing housing both looks like aluminum,
> and is non-magnetic.
>
> Do I have the correct bolt installed?  Is it supposed to be steel?

Jack,

I haven't seen much activity on the A8 list (this being the first posting I've
seen in a while), so I'm taking the liberty of forwarding it to the V8 list (as
I think they will have a vested interest as they move from their A8s) and the
main quattro list (because there are a lot of knowledgeable people there).

A quick glance at the Family Album doesn't help, as it doesn't seem to give the
materials of the items. For example, if I'm reading it right, Model A8Q, Year
1998 (you didn't say), MG 4, SG 07, Illustration 407-10, shows bolt 27 as Part
Number "N 101 312 03", "screw, hex. hd.", M10x105x32.

So, is it plausible to have a steel bolt in an aluminum casting? My guess would
be yes, as an aluminum bolt would have to be real thick. But that's just a guess.

--
Kent

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