Audi a6 c4

[gms01]

I have an audi a6 c4 and im trying to replace the rear McPherson strut, but one of the nuts is spinning and there is no way to access the bolt through the inside of the car without drilling out the spot welds and taking out the metal pieces. Any suggestions?

[Error404]

Sounds like a captive nut has rounded out. A picture would help to show your issue

[shaun5]

Are you on about the three that hold on the top mount? 8mm studs (13mm socket size? If you are and if i remember correctly they are studs!!! maybe the threads have stripped and its just spinning, try pulling down the strut when you try and undo it.

[UrS4boy]

I have an audi a6 c4 and im trying to replace the rear McPherson strut, but one of the nuts is spinning and there is no way to access the bolt through the inside of the car without drilling out the spot welds and taking out the metal pieces. Any suggestions?

Yeah. U R F**ked.

Those are studs that were installed to the body early in the assembly process. Not sure if you sprayed the nuts with WD 40, Liquid Wrench or PB Blaster, etc. days before you started but that is what must be done to prevent this issue. Once you start trying to remove the nut, if it seems too tight, spray some more because if the nut is throughly rusted to the stud one of two things will happen: Either the stud snaps or it spins. Either way, you are F**ked and have opened a huge can of worms that will require some world class cleverness to close. Sorry.

[newsh]

First thing to do is get the nut off, can you get a nut splitter in there? Or put a slit in it with a saw blade or dremel and open it up. If the thread on the stud is ok but the stud is spinning, maybe you can weld it from below to stop it turning? Otherwise you're going to have to gain access from the other side by removing a panel or using a hole saw.