best place to buy special tools?

[Robert M]

Hmm.... interesting.

OK, I'll accept that it's not good to do that anymore.  What *is* the 
approved procedure?

>From: cobram at juno.com
>To: j.d.larson at verizon.net
>CC: quattro at audifans.com
>Subject: Re: best place to buy special tools?
>Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 13:48:10 -0400
>
>Spreading that slit can have dire consequences.  There is a steel sleeve
>inside the hub for the ball joint, if you spread the hub to insert the
>ball joint, sometimes it won't tighten back up correctly.  Ball joint
>will start moving up and down inside the shaft no matter how much you
>tighten it.  Ball joint popped out twice on the 5KS, only figured it out
>after I saw screwdriver/pry marks on the hub.  Cut a slot in the hub
>sleeve with a whizzer to be able to tighten up the ball joint,  got a
>complete strut assembly from chris at force5auto.com and the problem was
>remedied.  I was VERY, VERY  lucky that the ball joint popped out once at
>a stop sign, and the second time a slow speed and only took out the front
>tire.  I've become overly sensitive to "pops" in type44 suspension since
>then.  An Audi tech friend told me he's seen 2 instances of fatal
>accidents in type 44's because the ball joint popped out,  he didn't know
>why they popped out though.
>
>BCNU,
>http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/
>There are two types of tragedies in life. One is not getting what you
>want, the other is getting it.
>
>On Wed, 17 May 2006 16:52:12 -0700 John Larson <j.d.larson at verizon.net>
>writes:
> > Kurt wrote:  "For the ball joints, I spray them with penetrating oil,
> >
> > then wedge a screwdriver in the slot to spread it slightly."
> >
> > Audi (and Porsche, MB, and BMW) specifically warns AGAINST doing
> > this.
> > Therefore, I don't do it here at the shop.  John
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