Bolt head broke off while replacing CV joints
Discussion
So I’m replacing my CV joints on my Polo 9N3, but the bolts connecting to the control arm are so rusted that the head of one has pulled clean off. Is there a home remedy (cheap) to remove this and remove the other bolts more easily? Alternatively will a garage charge me if I were to ask them to just remove and refit those bolts so I can do the joints at home?
IH223 said:
So I’m replacing my CV joints on my Polo 9N3, but the bolts connecting to the control arm are so rusted that the head of one has pulled clean off. Is there a home remedy (cheap) to remove this and remove the other bolts more easily?
Heat often helps removing rusted in bolts. And/or a long soak with a penetrating oil (NOT WD40)IH223 said:
Alternatively will a garage charge me if I were to ask them to just remove and refit those bolts so I can do the joints at home?
Yes.Chris32345 said:
They won't do it free but they may be willing to heat them up with oxy and listen and so them back up for some beer money if they are quite £20 or something
I would expect more than £20, even a small back street garage is going to have labour rates of £40 + per hour?Being asked to "just" undo and renew (who supplies?) bolts will make most garages ask,"Why do you want us to undo them? Not an easy job to do yourself?"
But yes, they will do it for a price, ask them?
If somebody brings something to our workshop and asks for a bolt off or whatever, and I can do it in 5/10 minutes while they wait, I'll do it. We'd either charge nothing or 15 minutes (£11 plus vat).
It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
ChampionRabbit said:
If somebody brings something to our workshop and asks for a bolt off or whatever, and I can do it in 5/10 minutes while they wait, I'll do it. We'd either charge nothing or 15 minutes (£11 plus vat).
It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
Well done that man. It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
Where I used to live we had a little one man garage business, his charges weren't ridiculous, if I needed something doing it was often easier to pay him rather than get my gear out and do the work myself. My wife's Suzuki used to break springs on an annual basis. If I did the work myself and came across a problem like a snapped head stud he would lend me an easy out, he gave me an electric wheel nut remover as he had a spare. He shifted the bearings on a pair of half shafts when I couldn't free them myself. Let me use his four post lift to check engine mounts.
All free of charge. maybe he added the costs to a bill when I did give him work but all in all a great chap, liked to talk, I would sometimes call in just to see what he was busy with.
Oops, all part of learning.
Hopefully you might find a helpful Garage, if you don't an Angle Grinder thru the control arm and a new control arm might be a way forward
...but you'll have to extricate the remains of the Control Arm Pin with a Punch & Hammer and it'll need Tracking too.
..and only use an Angle Grinder if you feel you can 'trust yourself' with it. Dangerous tool.
At least you attempted the job though
Next time you've got a rusty fitting:-
Power Drill & a Rotary Wire brush, clean it up; also puts a bit of heat into it (I favour mains powered tools)
Undo it just a bit, then tighten.... and repeat,
I've found Plus-Gas is good at getting stuff to undo (WD40 is well known but I find it useless). For the most part though I use any old engine oil from a squirty can or just regular Diesel from a little bottle, Missus' empty Hair Colourant bottles have got an ideally thin spout.
Hopefully you might find a helpful Garage, if you don't an Angle Grinder thru the control arm and a new control arm might be a way forward
...but you'll have to extricate the remains of the Control Arm Pin with a Punch & Hammer and it'll need Tracking too.
..and only use an Angle Grinder if you feel you can 'trust yourself' with it. Dangerous tool.
At least you attempted the job though
Next time you've got a rusty fitting:-
Power Drill & a Rotary Wire brush, clean it up; also puts a bit of heat into it (I favour mains powered tools)
Undo it just a bit, then tighten.... and repeat,
I've found Plus-Gas is good at getting stuff to undo (WD40 is well known but I find it useless). For the most part though I use any old engine oil from a squirty can or just regular Diesel from a little bottle, Missus' empty Hair Colourant bottles have got an ideally thin spout.
ChampionRabbit said:
If somebody brings something to our workshop and asks for a bolt off or whatever, and I can do it in 5/10 minutes while they wait, I'll do it. We'd either charge nothing or 15 minutes (£11 plus vat).
It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
Good for you.It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
A couple of years ago, I took a Polo console bush block to a local backstreet garage to ask if they could press the new bush in, 10 minutes job, press was there, didn't really need a setup. He refused, was a bit of a t
t to be honest even though I had taken our 407 there to have the front lower arm swivel joint done.Offered to pay, just wan't interested.
Nice one s
tegate motors, will never go there again,ChampionRabbit said:
If somebody brings something to our workshop and asks for a bolt off or whatever, and I can do it in 5/10 minutes while they wait, I'll do it. We'd either charge nothing or 15 minutes (£11 plus vat).
It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
Have you ever had it come back and bite you?It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
I used to smog test cars in Vegas and we were allowed a fairly broad range of RPM's for the pre 96 cars that needed a tailpipe test rather than OBD2.
Elderly ladies car only just failed, so I did another test holding the RPM at the maximum allowed, and it passed. I explained to the lady what I had done and she went away happy.
Couple of days later in drives this Cadillac running on 7 cylinders and trailing smoke. The owner was looking for "The guy who could make my car pass the smog test"
GreenV8S said:
Gary C said:
Offered to pay, just wan't interested.
If he was busy, didn't need the work, didn't want the hassle or perhaps the liability, there's no onus on him to take on your job. No doubt there'll be somebody else who will.Was nice to read that an owner above thinks about such things.
ChampionRabbit said:
If somebody brings something to our workshop and asks for a bolt off or whatever, and I can do it in 5/10 minutes while they wait, I'll do it. We'd either charge nothing or 15 minutes (£11 plus vat).
It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
Fair, if that is your choice.It's good business; I'd go back to a workshop if they helped me, and I'm sure most others are the same.
For a customer I had not seen before, then I wouldn't entertain anything like that for less than at least 30 mins labour (my minimum charge) or even an hour if it looks like it could get more involved. And if it is likely to cause me more issues, something else breaks as trying to sort this etc. Could become an absoloute pain (jobs like that in the past have), so it is not always as straight forward as it sounds. Garage could be on a tight deadline with another job, or behind and loads more booked in.
A regular customer, then probably free. But sometimes it is cheaper and easier to say no, or, leave it with me and the bill will be what it is at the end.
I had my own car repair business for 25 years. Like everyone else I was in business to make money, pay my overheads and earn a living.
As we were in a built up residential area, We often had these type of "favour jobs" coming in, it all depended on if we were busy or not and the customer involved. Naturally if a guy had got himself into a pickle we would help him out, or pop round the corner to jump start a car for "a couple of beers".
Then you would get people who would try to take advantage of our good nature, expect you to drop everything and spend ages doing them a favour. The worst would be a job that you have quoted for and your "nice" new customer had accepted. When you start work you find rounded bolts etc, you realise that he had attempted to do the job himself but gave up and it took much longer to complete.
As we were in a built up residential area, We often had these type of "favour jobs" coming in, it all depended on if we were busy or not and the customer involved. Naturally if a guy had got himself into a pickle we would help him out, or pop round the corner to jump start a car for "a couple of beers".
Then you would get people who would try to take advantage of our good nature, expect you to drop everything and spend ages doing them a favour. The worst would be a job that you have quoted for and your "nice" new customer had accepted. When you start work you find rounded bolts etc, you realise that he had attempted to do the job himself but gave up and it took much longer to complete.
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