Heating alloy ???

[ytre]

Hello All
Working on the front suspension of an Audi A4. If anyone is familar with them there is two Top suspension arms which are held together by a pinch bolt, the pinch bolt is a constant problem and seizes tight.
Is it ok to heat the housing its in {alloy}, do i try to remove it when warm or do i cool it, any help greatly appreciated.

 

[hareng]

Pinch bolt steel?
If so that causes a chemical reaction with alloys and should use stainless.
Any white residue on the bolt or aluminium, sure sign?

If no plastic try a bit of heat around 100 120 degrees or until it smolders should do, twist and pull if you can rather than knock as a last resort.

 

[rtbcomp]

Pinch bolt steel?
If so that causes a chemical reaction with alloys and should use stainless.
Any white residue on the bolt or aluminium, sure sign?

If no plastic try a bit of heat around 100 120 degrees or until it smolders should do, twist and pull if you can rather than knock as a last resort.

YTRE - By alloy do you mean aluminium (or an aluminium alloy)?

Using stainless steel will make the electrolytic corrosion worse and SS isn't as strong as high tensile steel, unless you can find HT stainless.

Use the correct bolt for this application as it is safety critical. Coat it liberally with grease, or I'm sure there are propietry products for this job.

 

[ytre]

Thanks guys, its aluminum, i think and the pinch bolt is steel, got one side out last night with not a lot of heat, just checked the other side and its exactly the same the suspension arms in Audi's are a nightmare and putting steel and aluminum together is not a great idea as we all know.

 

[drivewasher]

I did one this week, try hammering a small sharply pointed cold chisel into the slot on the arm to "open" the hole sort of. Obviously with the pinch bolt removed. Also heating steering components shouldn't realy be done only as a last resort so vosa say
I make use of jacks and blocks to support the pin (apply a bit of pressure by jacking car weight on the pin) then use a hammer and/or a good thick bar as a punch knock the arm down of the pin. for lower ones it's the reverse, weight in the arm strike the pin.