Audi/VW pinch bolts for upper control arm.

B

bowlofturtle

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Jun 25, 2009
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I'm going to be tasked with some upper arms on a Q5 shortly, its a 2018 model but has been in the rust belt it entire life. Looks like instead of a normal A arm and a single ball joint, its 2 arms with ball joints that are held on by a pinch bolt. Germans...

Tons of people are saying either you get lucky and done with the job in 30 minutes or you are busy all day. That pinch bolt looks like it can be a pain. Not sure if heating up the aluminum spindle makes the most sense.

Has anyone here dealt with this? Any tips?

Also, do we do these as an entire set, like the driver side and passenger, or just the broken bushing side? They look fixed position so no alignment should be needed.
 
bowlofturtle said:
I'm going to be tasked with some upper arms on a Q5 shortly, its a 2018 model but has been in the rust belt it entire life. Looks like instead of a normal A arm and a single ball joint, its 2 arms with ball joints that are held on by a pinch bolt. Germans...

Tons of people are saying either you get lucky and done with the job in 30 minutes or you are busy all day. That pinch bolt looks like it can be a pain. Not sure if heating up the aluminum spindle makes the most sense.

Has anyone here dealt with this? Any tips?

Also, do we do these as an entire set, like the driver side and passenger, or just the broken bushing side? They look fixed position so no alignment should be needed.
Click to expand...
I cannot help you with that particular model, but I prefer to absolutely do in pair.
 
We used to use an acetylene torch to cut the pinch arms on early-2000s Audis because the head would often snap off the bolt no matter what we tried. We would always quote and stock all the arms just in case, then come in under budget if it went well. Also rust belt. Maybe the materials are better now though. Gawd, I'm glad I don't do that for a living anymore.

Good luck and fingers crossed for you!
 
I'm with @edyvw, always replace suspension components in pairs. And with the upper and lower arm design of the Q5, I'd be inclined to do an entire kit that replaces everything, arms, links, hardware etc. Also make sure to compress suspension to ride height before tightening any bolts. I've torn bushings by not heeding this. Have fun.
 
RooflessVW said:
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Strut Spreader Tool for VW & Audi

Strut Spreader Tool for VW & Audi
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Click to expand...
That will not work on a Q5, it is for the strut to knuckle split joint. The Q5 uses a double upper control arm setup, the easiest way to remove the pinch bolt if it will not turn is to to hammer around the knuckle in the pinch bolt area, loosen the nut but do not remove it and use a BFH to knock the bolt out, remove the nut once the bolt moves and use a punch to finish getting it out. Replace the bolt and nut and do both arms on both sides. You probably know this but for those who don't this is what the tool is used on.

audi knuckle 1.jpg
 
Trav said:
That will not work on a Q5, it is for the strut to knuckle split joint. The Q5 uses a double upper control arm setup, the easiest way to remove the pinch bolt if it will not turn is to to hammer around the knuckle in the pinch bolt area, loosen the nut but do not remove it and use a BFH to knock the bolt out, remove the nut once the bolt moves and use a punch to finish getting it out. Replace the bolt and nut and do both arms on both sides. You probably know this but for those who don't this is what the tool is used on.

View attachment 212097
Click to expand...
Ahhhso

I saw VW/Audi pinch bolt and ran with it. I looked up the Q5 front suspension and it's an interesting setup. I think I'd get the air hammer out.
 
If it puts up a fight, snap the head off of the bolt and use the nut to draw it out the other side. Use wheel bearing grease on the threads and stack washers when you run out of threads. Did many of these back in the day on A6 and allroads, unfortunately you cannot get a good angle to use an air hammer to remove them in the normal direction.
 
threeputtpar said:
If it puts up a fight, snap the head off of the bolt and use the nut to draw it out the other side. Use wheel bearing grease on the threads and stack washers when you run out of threads. Did many of these back in the day on A6 and allroads, unfortunately you cannot get a good angle to use an air hammer to remove them in the normal direction.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't do this. On some cars the shank of the bolt is swaged so it doesn't turn in the knuckle. The shanks are swaged so the head of the bolt don't need to be held with a wrench when tightening, only the nut is turned to tighten the knuckle clamp. You want ot remove the bolt like @Trav said.

Scott
 
thanks guys... i'll recommend them do both uppers on each side so 4 arms altogether. I'll order up the pinch bolt and nut from dealership.


What are your thoughts on brands? I"m not familiar with MEYLE ($100 per) and VAICO ($150 per) off FCP or Suspensia, Mevotech Supreme or Moog for $50ish off Rockauto.

OEM is super pricey.
 
bowlofturtle said:
thanks guys... i'll recommend them do both uppers on each side so 4 arms altogether. I'll order up the pinch bolt and nut from dealership.


What are your thoughts on brands? I"m not familiar with MEYLE ($100 per) and VAICO ($150 per) off FCP or Suspensia, Mevotech Supreme or Moog for $50ish off Rockauto.

OEM is super pricey.
Click to expand...
Lemforder if you can
 
If it’s the usual issue which is the bushes in the front upper rear arm split then you can buy the later type bushes from Audi, unbolt the arm at the bush and swing it around so you can access and use a bush puller to remove it and press the new one in. You can do just the ones that have split as the upper front ones never seem to have an issue.

If I do have to remove these arms then gentle heat along the length of where the bolt sits in the knuckle is usually required as the steel bolt corrodes to the aluminium.

Honestly I would just change the bushes in situ or have someone with the correct tool do them for you.
 
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