1999 audi a4 pinch bolt

[scoobiesforlife]

I know this is quite a bit off topic, especially for a subaru forum. but ive had the awful enjoyment of working on a coworkers audi a4 over this long weekend...the only thing that is stopping me right now from finishing this car is the damn pinch bolt that holds both upper control arms to the steering knuckle...ive tried heat, air hammer, pounding on it, pressing on it (not sure how much good it really did) and drilling it with cobalt bits and a hand drill. I do not have the resources or ability right now to take the entire knuckle off and put a cobalt drill bit in a press and drill it that way.

does anyone have a welding setup (for better heat than a small propane torch) that either I would be able to borrow or have come over and assist me in getting this PITA finished and out of my parents garage?

 

[Chris]

Posting what town you're in will help someone know if you're within reasonable helping distance.

Hand drill??? You need a power drill to drill stuff like that out.

If you get a torch setup, heating it red hot and that sucker should come right out.

 

[Matt]

It's all aluminum. Have to be super careful. I've had a lot if success heating the area around the bolt and it usually comes right out. Sometimes an air hammer is needed

 

[jaKe]

I beleive this is the cast iron knuckle? Sounds like its at the point where needs to be heated (knuckle) to red hot, use air hammer (snap on big one) with a ground down round punch to push out. (these are flat rate killers for me). also helps to pound the pointy end of a prybar into where joint splits go in and spread, and then spray penetrating lube into and soak in between heat cycles. that's way we usually get bad ones out, is gonna cook upper balljoints but im guessing you were changing anyway? (if for some reason aluminum later model knuckles swapped in and this is yours, probably going to destroy it)