LZY13B build thread

[LZY13B]

Well new dogbone in for about a week checked it on the weekend and looks to be fine kinda stuffed up tho and went too tight on one of the bolts and snapped it grrr so that was fun using a hammer and a hole punch turning it to get it out for the next hour haha

Also think I might of found a problem looks like the whole subframe has moved forward about half a inch I can see the marks of where it was and where it is now. From what I’ve read our subframe bolts are stretch bolts and seeing as the mechanic dropped the subframe to do my control arm bushes I’m guessing that’s what’s stuffed it. Anyone else had this problem before? I’m dropping it off tomorrow morning to get looked at but I’m guessing this might be causing the noises and creaking noises and what damaged my other dogbone bushing other than this I’m just about all out of ideas

[sambb]

Unless he put scribe marks all over the subframes or you got a before and after wheel alignment, there is no way the subframes went back in in the same spot as they were initially in. They can also shift over time or with hard driving. Their misalignment is a handling/alignment issue but not one that would cause your dogbone to get chewed out. They need to be realigned and new properly torqued bolts fitted to make sure they stay put. Your average toe n go specialist wont know what you are on about so find someone good (pedders) and explain it to them prior to booking. To be able to shift them they'll have to slacken the steering rack bolts too as when two of these are tightened they bind the rack/crosmember and two subframes together.
If you're serious you can get bolts sleeves which remove the freeplay between bolt and subframe hole. Someone like Seb from eurorevolution could probably help you with that.
Don't know what the go is with the dogbone. Correct part#

[LZY13B]

Well I’m tryint to sort out new bolts annoying that I can’t find anything online and I’ve been told I have to go to VW for them but once I get some I’m going to drop it off a pedders and get it done and get a suspension test done and hopefully fix up anything that could be making noise.

On another note my boss wants to buy my polo he has driven it a few times and was shocked how quick it was when he gave it a hit haha he wants the car for his daughter to learn manual on also something he would enjoy driving around himself. He knows my mazda rx7 is for sale so hopefully that goes soon and was thinking of using that money for a upgrade. Kinda being looking at a mk6 golf gti I’ve always loved that shape but I guess I’ll see what happens

[sambb]

I think the bolts are a metric fine thread so not run of the mill bolts. You can get them from a fasteners supplier (I'd take the old ones as a sample) but you'd have to make sure they are 12.9 tensile which can be hard sometimes unless you get allen bolts heads. You may as well just get them through VW. They will be expensive but there's only 4 and they are critical bolts. Don't quote me but they are 90nm + a further 90 degrees or something like that so find out from VW on that and make sure Pedders know so that the subframes don't shift down the track.

[LZY13B]

Had the car at the shop today having the suspension and the alignment checked and as they were checking the bolts they over tightened the dogbone mount bolt and snapped it

[Stuwey]

I've had a mechanic do that before too - makes you wonder...

[sambb]

better that than stripping it in the steer cross member. I was surprised to see that bolt only needs 25nm or something really low like that.

[LZY13B]

Had it looked at by a local shop near my work today and he said the same thing that the whole subframe has to come out honestly I don’t trust these mechanics I’m gonna take a look myself this weekend cos I believe the bolt snapped above the mount so the mount should still come out and I should be able to make a little while in the middle and spin it out. According to the mechanic he couldn’t get the dogbone out but I’m gonna see for myself before I go down that road cos that won’t be cheap

[sambb]

so the mount is engaged in the steer crossmember and the bolt has sheered not at the bolt head but up inside the bushes insert? Fark that will be a challenge. You might be able to run a small drill bit up there and get into it with an easy out. If it did snap close to the top side thread you might be able to spread the opening of the crossmember enough that you can drop the dgbone down bit.

[LZY13B]

Yes it’s snapped inside the insert but when I first looked at it I thought it had cleared the bushing so I’ll take a look this weekend and if I can still get the dogbone out it should be ok and that’s my plan to use a small dril and make a little hole and hopefully spin it out so it will be a interesting job

[LZY13B]

Well it took a bit of force but I got the dogbone mount out without much damage and I was able to turn the snapped bolt out by hand went to the shops got a replacement bolt for $10 for a pack of 3 and the car feels perfect again no more noises can’t believe these mechanics were telling me that the whole subframe needed to come out lol

[sambb]

Hey if you're referring to the bolt that goes vertically up through the big end of the dogbone and anchors it to the crossmember its not a standard shank bolt. The threaded section is way undersized compared to the shank diameter that fits inside the bush sleeve (which is why you can't torque it much). Its a special shaped bolt and I can't imagine you got one of those bolts from a shop down the road. I know you've had a hard time with it and I'd hate for you to accidentally have the wrong bolt in there that is going to thrash around inside the sleeve/crossmember is all. But if your local bolt place did carry them then you're a lucky boy.

[sambb]

just found the specs on the bolt from what I measured a while back. The OEM bolt has an 8mm thread but nearly an 11mm shoulder that feeds through nearly a 13mm hole in the crossmember. If is just a plain 8mm bolt in there you'll have more dramas.

[LZY13B]

Yes my local shop had the same shape bolts with the thick part for the sleeve and the under sized thread to fit perfect so I’m just happy I don’t have anymore noises and I can drive the car again. If I do get any problems down the track it’s a easy fix at least now

[sambb]

ah good. I thought maybe because the stripped head was in a bin somewhere that you didn't have it on hand to copy. good stuff. glad you're underway again!