biopete
Veteran Member
Man, what a pain to work on your car on the weekend and then never be able to put anything back together because you do not have brand new "always replace" bolts. They are also known as "stretch bolts", or "torque to yield". Since the A4s VW uses them everywhere it seems :
Engine mounts,
Flywheel,
CV Axle to tranny,
Rod bearing cap,
Main bearing cap,
...
...
It is such a long list. There are major problems with this engineering decision for the home mechanic.
1) Only dealers carry them and they are never convenient to get to or available when you need them, like on saturday afternoon or sunday.
2) They are expensive, often 4.00 or 5.00 a bolt. An engine swap costs 50.00 just in bolts.
3) They are a waste of metal
What is the purpose of this engineering trend? Older VWs did not have these. Or if they did they were not written about in The Idiots Guide to Volkswagens. I don't remember them on my 1991 Jetta Diesel when doing a timing belt.
Having not researched it at all, i would venture the main motive is quick assembly on the line. You do not need locktite and that slows the worker down. Just push the button on the torque gun three times for initial tighten, the torque, and then the extra quarter turn or "torque to yield".
Anyone know anything thing about these torque to yield bolts used in way too many places on these cars? Do you resuse yours? In protest I'm thinking of just using locktite and torquing a little less than spec and seeing how it goes.
Has anyone ever reused one and it broke? Where?
Engine mounts,
Flywheel,
CV Axle to tranny,
Rod bearing cap,
Main bearing cap,
...
...
It is such a long list. There are major problems with this engineering decision for the home mechanic.
1) Only dealers carry them and they are never convenient to get to or available when you need them, like on saturday afternoon or sunday.
2) They are expensive, often 4.00 or 5.00 a bolt. An engine swap costs 50.00 just in bolts.
3) They are a waste of metal
What is the purpose of this engineering trend? Older VWs did not have these. Or if they did they were not written about in The Idiots Guide to Volkswagens. I don't remember them on my 1991 Jetta Diesel when doing a timing belt.
Having not researched it at all, i would venture the main motive is quick assembly on the line. You do not need locktite and that slows the worker down. Just push the button on the torque gun three times for initial tighten, the torque, and then the extra quarter turn or "torque to yield".
Anyone know anything thing about these torque to yield bolts used in way too many places on these cars? Do you resuse yours? In protest I'm thinking of just using locktite and torquing a little less than spec and seeing how it goes.
Has anyone ever reused one and it broke? Where?