Rellmlb53

Hey Audi World,

is their any pinch bolt extractor out there sort of like the klann KL-0250-40 for the D3 platform and if not what extractors have you used that preserves the pinch bolt...?
i know to heat the bolt and spindle a little after the penetrating lubricant has set in for a day or two most likely pb blaster would be the best lubricant, i just want to find a tool that makes this process faster. i live in Pittsburgh, Pa so bolts will definitely get corroded and rusted. Any takers on this?

MP4.2+6.0

Read sticky at top of forum, punch line being search. It has been covered literally 100x by now, in a lot of detail. The primary "tools" are patience and persistence. Any mistake whacking the pinch bolt that leads to breaking the steering knuckle will be many, many hours of pain and sorrow, so margin for error is approx. zero. Read up...

No known off shelf specialty tool to be clear. Always replace bolt on removal, and coat new one with anti seize on shaft but not threaded area.

Mike141

I live in the New Engalnd area and changed out control arms on both my D3s. That pinch bolt will not come out without heat. Just a little touch of the torch, remove and throw it away. As MP said, always replace the pinch bolt with a new one. I really wish there was an easier way. It's the aluminum that reacts with the cold weather and the steel bolt that causes this problem. I'm no chemist...I watched a video posted by lootz and he changed his using hand tools only! Being in CA makes a difference! Good luck

a_alyte

I completed this a few months ago and I used no heat, only kroil penetrating oil over the course of about two weeks. My passenger side bolt came out with incredible ease which surprised me, considering my car is from Chicago. The drivers side was a different story. For this side I used an impact along with a screwdriver to keep outward pressure on the bolt. As the bolt moved out, I used more screwdrivers to take up the space to help extract the bolt. Not sure if you tried this but figured I'd share my experience.

Also, I believe replacing the pinch bolt is recommended.

Mister Bally

Ha! When I did mine 3 or 4 years ago, I had to remove everything as a Rube Goldberg assembly. I tried to drill out the bolt on a drill press but the bit drifted out as a vise to hold it was not yet invented. I drilled through with a smaller, but long machinist's bit and put a smaller but longer nut & bolt in as insurance. I replaced the UCA bushing by having the whole assembly at the Press.

Heat, Penetrating oil soak did not work for me. I sure tried. Sheared the head of the bolt clean off.

Tstealth32

The pinch bolt is a right of passage for A8 owners. If you can remove the bolt, you've earned the right to keep the car.

richard-tx

Heat is the only thing that works. Heat and a 3/8" impact wrench. If you don't have either, don't even try.

mAgnum8

I recently did the upper control arms on my 2007 D3; the passenger side, no problem. The driver's side, no way, no how. I tried everything, heat, etc. I ended up replacing the spindle. Even after the spindle was out, I had to drill the bolt because on a vice with heat etc. it still would not come out. I have a Florida car by the way.
Throughout these pages it seems to me that it's always the driver's side with the issues.