Front strut wedge bolt removal

[BK911]

Help!

I am trying to remove the front struts from a 73.5T. I removed the nut from the wedge bolt but can't remove the bolt itself. I've soaked it in WD40 and tried a gear puller and a punch. No luck. I am going to try heat tonight. Anybody know of any secrets they care to share?

Thanks!
BK

[david c.]

It is a bear, sometimes. Heat might help. I went through the same torture this spring. I found luck with an appropriately sized brass drift (as advised by the Early S Man for another application with great results) and a heavy hammer.

If you aren't concerned about a little extra work, you could just take the whole assembly off and use a vise. The better angle might make it a little easier for you. Getting the ball joint castellated nut off the bottom is tough, too, however. Porsche has a special tool for that if you get stuck there also. I had one made up specifically for that job-if you need to borrow it shoot me an email.

Be careful to keep track of the pin. They are fairly expensive to replace from Porsche. If you can save it, it's worth it.

Also, the best piece of advice I got before the front strut replacement was to tape up the fender lips with a liberal amount of duct tape, maybe as much as a few inches up the outside of the fender. You will keep from allowing the new cartridge from chipping the paint on the fender this way when you wrestle it into place.

Good luck,

David

[mm86911]

Heat may help followed with big hammer. Definitely recommend replacing the wedge bolt with new one - about $5 from Porsche. Apply antisieze to the new one uopn installation (not the threads but the wedge section). Just went through this myself a couple months ago.

[BK911]

Thanks for the input Gentlemen. The whole assembly is coming off anyway, so maybe I'll try the vise. And thanks for the offer for the ball joint tool. I am going to need one eventually so I will probably just pick one up. Too bad somebody didn't use anti-seize originally!

BK

[dtw]

One tip if you use a hammer- leave the nut screwed on the threads most of the way. That way your neanderthal-like exuberant bashing will not deform the fastener so much that it won't fit through the hole. As the bolt backs out, loosen the nut to get more bashing area.

[KTL]

Use a couple of nuts at first to get enough threads supporting the impacts of your hammer. When it starts to move, you can take the inner nut off.

[Early_S_Man]

You could try a 6" or larger 'C-clamp' ... unscrew the nut on the wedge pin util it is out slightly past the end of the threads. Put a socket against the strut to allow the pin a relief area to come out ... and use the C-clamp pressing on the nut of the pin as a bearing surface.

[sayah]

Had to do this on both sides. Forget trying to save the pin. You must get the biggest hammer of them all and a drift that will completely cover the pin head. Bang away till you can't do it anymore then get an assistant to bang some for you. Good luck.

[CRH911S]

I just recently completed a total rebuild of the front end on the left side minus the A-arm bushings. In my opinion do not reuse the wedge or the nut as they get molested in the removal process. New units are not expensive and this isn't something one wants to worry about at 130mph. As far as the notched nut is concerned that attaches to the lower ball joint they usually get molested in the removal process and isn't worth saving even if it looks ok.
Remember to adhere to all torque specifications during the reinstall and it wouldn't hurt to use small amounts of anti-sieze compound on the threads too. If you need factory torque specs feel free to email me.

Clinton R Hodges II
Anchorage, AK
PCA/Rennlist

[john walker's workshop]

when everything else fails, centerpunch the butt end of the pin and drill a 1/8" pilot hole followed by a larger drill just under the diameter of the pin. drill in about 1/2" if you can. this will collapse the tension of the pin and allow easy removal. i've had some that wouldn't budge with an air hammer that came out easily after drilling. use a new pin of course.

[BK911]

Well, I know what I'm doing this evening!

Thanks all!

[donk]

Well, I figured I'd revive this old thread, rather than starting a new one asking the same question. I am at this point right now. Neither wedge pin will budge. I am concentrating my efforts to the driver side right now. So far, I have soaked it in PB Blaster for a couple days, heat cycled the area, drilled about a half inch into it, and it still won't move. Of course, I've pounded it senseless with a 4 lb. hammer, to no avail. I did as John Walker mentioned above, drilling until there is about 1 mm of the pin left around the edge. I tried using a C clamp to force it out, but I can't seem to get that to work. The C clamp tends to slide off the pin as it is tightened. Has anyone come up with an additional method of removal in the 2 years since this thread lived?

TIA

[Shuie]

BFH

[Neilk]

I used a BFH with a very heavy drift. You need a lot of momentum behind the bolt to get it out.

Now my question is. Do the new bolts have to be flush with the strut? I have about 1/4" sticking out.

[donk]

That's what I thought you guys were going to say. I was hoping for a magic bullet. Oh well, I am now in the process of removing the entire strut assembly. I figure that will give me better maneuverability with the application of BFH. I will also try pressing it out with the BFV (vice).

Thanks for the replies.

Neil,
check out this thread I found in the archive about wedge bolt fitment.

Ball Joint Wedge bolt

[john walker's workshop]

that's why shops have air hammers.

[Zeke]

One C clamp in everyone's tool arsenal should have the foot welded so it won't slip off things like the wedge bolt.

[donk]

Milt,
I'm trying to picture what to weld onto the C-clamp foot, but my imagination is drawing a blank. Or are you saying to weld the foot so it turns as the clamp is tightened. I would think that would make it slip off easier. Can you give me more details on how I should modify it?

[kepperly]

I
Thought I posted a reply to your thread yesterday but if I screwed something up here goes. I have had the new bolts washers and nuts in bag for almost 4 years and would sell them to you for 1/2 of there original cost if you screw up your old ones.
Have you tried PB Blaster the best penitrant I've ever tried.

Keith Epperly 87 slant nose turbo look carrera cabriolet

[KFC911]

Originally posted by Neilk

Now my question is. Do the new bolts have to be flush with the strut? I have about 1/4" sticking out.

Do a search of the archives, as there are a few threads regarding the fit of new bolts. The bolts I recieved from Pelican (two sets actually) had a slightly different taper than my originals (even though Pelican's are OEM too). I wasn't comfortable with the 1/4" sticking out...as it just was NOT right, so I ordered a couple from the dealer down the street (the only parts I've ever bought there). The taper on those appeared identical to my originals, and they did indeed seat flush with the strut. In my mind (right or wrong), it was a safety issue, as I envisioned stress being placed upon the skinny, threaded portion of the bolt due to the incorrect taper causing the bolt not to seat properly as it had been designed. Paranoia? ....probably !!!

edited: Here's a link that shows the difference in the bolts:
Ball joint wedge bolts