Upper control arm pinch bolt.

[Landon03]

I got my H&R springs in yesterday and I started the install process today. I watched a couple videos and one of them mention the upper control arm pinch bolt might be hard to remove, but I had no idea just how hard. I don't think there's a whole lot of rust because I can turn the bolt both directions with a 3/8 ratchet. I hammered the bolt until the nut end was flush with the aluminum knuckle or whatever its called. I've tried to get a punch (a small old 1/4 extension because I don't have an actual punch) but I can't get it to slide into the knuckle at all. I've drenched it in PB like 6 times today just hoping it'll help it budge. I'm not sure if the knuckle had threads but now it definitely doesn't. My current idea is to go out and buy an impact, and have a friend try to punch it out or pull on the head while I turn. Anyone have ideas to get it out since I don't think mine is the normal corrosion, but just stuck.

[boasist]

Isn't that where something like this is supposed to be used?

Link

[ELaw]

One trick I've had luck with before is turning the bolt (in the loosening direction) with a socket or whatever, while applying force with a punch or something to the other end to push it out as it's being turned.

[old guy]

Isn't that where something like this is supposed to be used?

Link

That is for removing the front shock from the holder.

[old guy]

I got my H&R springs in yesterday and I started the install process today. I watched a couple videos and one of them mention the upper control arm pinch bolt might be hard to remove, but I had no idea just how hard.

No need to remove the pinch bolt. Unbolt the upper control arms. Much easier.

Pinch bolts can be pure hell. Here's something that has worked for me. Clicky click® If you go this route you will need to wrap the upper ball joints with some heat reflective tape so you don't melt the boots.

[Theiceman]

i agree with leaving pinch bolt alone .... that's how i did it ...
but .. the fact that thing is moving is amazing ( probably because its a southern car ) . i would definitely go the rest of the way though now , get it out by the turning impact hammer method, get a new one in there and coat it up good.
i wouldnt touch the other side though. go with old guy and drop the whole thing and undo the inner bolts.

[rcprato]

2 years after getting mine out and replacing with the new design pinch bolt and applying anti-seize mine are tight again,terrible dissimilar metal corrosion going on in there


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[Theiceman]

2 years after getting mine out and replacing with the new design pinch bolt and applying anti-seize mine are tight again,terrible dissimilar metal corrosion going on in there


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Jesus your kidding right ?

i have bad bushings and im thinking of taking the whole knuckle out and putting the end of the control arm in the press and replacing he bushings lol

[Landon03]

i agree with leaving pinch bolt alone .... that's how i did it ...
but .. the fact that thing is moving is amazing ( probably because its a southern car ) . i would definitely go the rest of the way though now , get it out by the turning impact hammer method, get a new one in there and coat it up good.
i wouldnt touch the other side though. go with old guy and drop the whole thing and undo the inner bolts.

Okay it looks like I’ll probably just do what a few other people suggested, impact the head and try to tap it out. If that doesn’t work, I’ll just hammer it back to the original position, grind the bad threads off, put the nut back on and unbolt the arms. I think I’m going to take the nut off the other side and see how bad the other side is. But if it doesn’t come straight out, I’ll just unbolt the control arms and put the nut right back on. Thanks for all of your help

[Spawne32]

Jesus your kidding right ?

i have bad bushings and im thinking of taking the whole knuckle out and putting the end of the control arm in the press and replacing he bushings lol

If you think that's bad, you should see when a bearing is seized into those knuckles. I helped a zine user out near me get his out a few months ago and it was the worst one I have ever seen. Practically destroyed the knuckle removing it.

[Theiceman]

If you think that's bad, you should see when a bearing is seized into those knuckles. I helped a zine user out near me get his out a few months ago and it was the worst one I have ever seen. Practically destroyed the knuckle removing it.

yeah i did that .. took me three days ... i had to redress the knuckle a lot to accept the new wheel bearing... and the aluminum oxide that came out of it made the N95 a very good idea.

[captain_video]

I've dealt with lots of pinch bolts on B5 Passats and this is the best solution I've found. You may want to spray some Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster penetrating lubricant on the bolt and let it sit overnight to soak in before attempting to remove the bolt.

1. Take a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel and cut as far through the pinch bolt as possible in the slit of the upper strut closest to the bolt head. Be very careful not to cut through the boot on the upper control arm near the slit.

2. Using a socket wrench, shear off the bolt by loosening the bolt head.

3. Using a socket wrench on the nut end, tighten down the nut and jack the bolt out. You'll have to do it a little at a time and add spacers between the nut and the strut so you're always contacting just the threaded portion of the bolt. Old lug nuts work well as spacers.

I've done this on several pinch bolts and it's the most effective and painless method I've found to remove them. You will need to apply anti-seize compound on the replacement bolts. I highly recommend removing the bolts about once a year to keep them from seizing and reapply anti-seize compound each time. I also recommend using 6-point sockets instead of standard 12-point sockets to remove the bolt head and nut. You get more surface area of the socket in contact with the hex nut and bolt and they're less likely to round off. I use impact sockets from Harbor Freight for most of my maintenance tasks.

[Theiceman]

I've dealt with lots of pinch bolts on B5 Passats and this is the best solution I've found:

1. Take a Dremel tool with a cutoff wheel and cut as far through the pinch bolt as possible in the slit of the upper strut closest to the bolt head. Be very careful not to cut through the boot on the upper control arm near the slit.

2. Using a socket wrench, shear off the bolt by loosening the bolt head.

3. Using a socket wrench on the nut end, tighten down the nut and jack the bolt out. You'll have to do it a little at a time and add spacers between the nut and the strut so you're always contacting just the threaded portion of the bolt. Old lug nuts work well as spacers.

I've done this on several pinch bolts and it's the most effective and painless method I've found to remove them. You will need to apply anti-seize compound on the replacement bolts. I highly recommend removing the bolts about once a year to keep them from seizing and reapply anti-seize compound each time. I also recommend using 6-point sockets instead of standard 12-point sockets to remove the bolt head and nut. You get more surface area of the socket in contact with the hex nut and bolt and they're less likely to round off. I use impact sockets from Harbor Freight for most of my maintenance tasks.

this is a very common technique . but isnt the knuckle on the B5 passat steel ? or is it aluminum ? its the aluminum knuckle that creates the nightmare.

[captain_video]

I believe it's aluminum. I had a 1999 B5 Passat and that model was the exact same as the Audi A4 at that time. It was basically the same chassis, drive train, and suspension used on each model. My Haynes manual covered both models for those years.

[Theiceman]

I believe it's aluminum. I had a 1999 B5 Passat and that model was the exact same as the Audi A4 at that time. It was basically the same chassis, drive train, and suspension used on each model. My Haynes manual covered both models for those years.

if i was going to try and remove it and the head broke off i would go with the nut puller method second. i have heard of guys shearing the nut end off too though, THEN you are in a world of hurt.
the important point to remember is to make sure you put washers in the gaps in both the front and rear of the knuckle or they will compress and make it even harder, and can also crack the knuckle rendering it junk.

[NitroViper]

I can tell you what I learned after breaking the top of my driver side spindle and the bolt is stuck in my passenger side....

I cut two perfectly round holes on top of the strut towers in the engine bay. Removed the hole assembly at once just like 90% of all other cars on the market. Used a round hole cutter for steel and made perfect holes, removes the nut to the strut and the thing pulled right out leaving all the upper conrol arms and everything. I had to replace the driver side spindle becuase it broke trying to air hammer that bolt out. I should have cut those 2 holes to begin with and the job would have been WAY easier. After I was done I went to the paint shop and got 2 rubber black plugs to put in the holes and it looks factory.

[Theiceman]

I can tell you what I learned after breaking the top of my driver side spindle and the bolt is stuck in my passenger side....

I cut two perfectly round holes on top of the strut towers in the engine bay. Removed the hole assembly at once just like 90% of all other cars on the market. Used a round hole cutter for steel and made perfect holes, removes the nut to the strut and the thing pulled right out leaving all the upper conrol arms and everything. I had to replace the driver side spindle becuase it broke trying to air hammer that bolt out. I should have cut those 2 holes to begin with and the job would have been WAY easier. After I was done I went to the paint shop and got 2 rubber black plugs to put in the holes and it looks factory.

you do realize there are 3 bolts holding that strut assembly in you could have removed right ?

[Landon03]

Update: okay so I took an impact to it and just sat there on it for a couple minutes just to loosen everything up. I took a dremel to the mushroomed threads and then hammered the bolt out with a punch. The control arms came out pretty easy once I had the bolt out. I cleaned the knuckle and control arms, and went to a local shop to get new bolts/nuts and they said I was lucky I got it out without any heat or snapping the head. I put a good amount of anti-seize on the bolt and where the control arms go into the knuckle, incase I ever have to replace anything in that area. Got the back done before moving on to the other front corner, but I’ll probably end up just unbolting the control arms so I don’t have to go through the same thing again. Thanks for all the help and advice it is greatly appreciated.

[Theiceman]

Nice work. I'd call that a definite win. !!

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[rcprato]

Update: okay so I took an impact to it and just sat there on it for a couple minutes just to loosen everything up. I took a dremel to the mushroomed threads and then hammered the bolt out with a punch. The control arms came out pretty easy once I had the bolt out. I cleaned the knuckle and control arms, and went to a local shop to get new bolts/nuts and they said I was lucky I got it out without any heat or snapping the head. I put a good amount of anti-seize on the bolt and where the control arms go into the knuckle, incase I ever have to replace anything in that area. Got the back done before moving on to the other front corner, but I’ll probably end up just unbolting the control arms so I don’t have to go through the same thing again. Thanks for all the help and advice it is greatly appreciated.

Consider yourself one of the lucky ones..... might be because you are below the Mason Dixon Line, up north it is a completely different experience.

[rcprato]

Jesus your kidding right ?

i have bad bushings and im thinking of taking the whole knuckle out and putting the end of the control arm in the press and replacing he bushings lol

I used a big floor press on the replacement knuckle to get the pinch bolt out, I about crapped my pants every time the bolt finally moved (popped) a few mm's after I had crazy pressure on it from the press.

[mtroxel]

this is a very common technique . but isnt the knuckle on the B5 passat steel ? or is it aluminum ? its the aluminum knuckle that creates the nightmare.

I had two B5's. I know my 96 A4 had an iron knuckle. I had to get a knuckle from the bone yard after losing a 9 hour pinch bolt fight. I think my 99 (B8.5) was iron too. I think they went alloy with the B6.

[Theiceman]

Thats what I thought too.( sorry saId steel meant iron ).

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