2000 A6 2.7T driveshaft removal

[Dave Fain]

Finally resorted to implements of destruction.  Got down to the last 2
bolts in the front.  The heads were stripping and they still wouldn't
budge.  Tried heating the heads but the CV joint acted as a heat sink so
only succeeded in cooking the grease.  Ended up removing the heads with a
cut off wheel to free the drive shaft, then heated the bolts to break the
loctite and they came out easily with vise grips.  The new bolts came with
a band of pinkish purple stuff around the threads which apparently acts to
lock the bolts in place.  It works really well.
Dave

On Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 5:28 PM, Dave Fain <kf21857 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I was able to get one of them out with difficulty.  It did have red
> loctite in the threads and came out as you described.  I will attack the
> other ones soon.
> thanks,
> Dave
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 10:57 AM, Louis-Alain Richard <laraa at sympatico.ca>wrote:
>
>> According to ETKA, these bolts are "bolts with hexagon socket, self
>> locking,
>> M8x48 mm".
>>
>> So, they are very probably "loctited" in there, hence your difficulties.
>> Usually, they just need a good effort to start but that's it.
>> Clean the hexagonal holes, buy a new good high-quality socket (or an
>> L-shaped allen key), slip a length of tube over the handle of the ratchet,
>> and crack them with a good push. In fact, they won't "crack", they will
>> begin to move slightly and the resistance will diminish slowly after a few
>> turns. It's the same feeling as when you're about to snap a rusted bolt
>> :-).
>>
>> Heating the head should destroy the bond, but I doubt that sufficient heat
>> will reach the Loctite that is 48 mm away from the source of the heat.
>>
>> Louis-Alain
>>
>>
>> -----Message d'origine-----
>>
>> The Allen head bolts on either end of the driveshaft refuse to budge.
>> Before I get a bigger wrench and strip out the heads, are they installed
>> with Loctite or something that would require heating?  I was expecting to
>> see Torx fasteners but they are regular Allen head bolts.
>> thanks,
>> Dave
>>
>>
>