Tow hook/eye only threads in 1.5 turns

J_dude

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Jan 9, 2020
Location
SK Canada
TDI
2003 1.9l “Jedi”
Before anyone makes that comment, I’m aware it is reverse thread LOL. It starts threading in all right but only goes in a turn and a half then stops, seems like it’s been crossthreaded somehow as it starts to damage the end of the tow hook’s threads.
What should I do?
Could just put a bar through the eye and force it in, as I was going to leave it in anyway but I wouldn’t feel good about crossthreading it like that.
 

Mongler98

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Mar 23, 2011
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COLORADO (SE of Denver)
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98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
its probably just rusty. there is not much room for it to go in wrong.
put some rust penetration fluid of your choice and work it back and forth a while... if it is cross threading... you would know quickly because the eye's threads would be gacking quickly!
 

J_dude

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SK Canada
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2003 1.9l “Jedi”
its probably just rusty. there is not much room for it to go in wrong.
put some rust penetration fluid of your choice and work it back and forth a while... if it is cross threading... you would know quickly because the eye's threads would be gacking quickly!
That’s what I’m saying though, I forced it in a bit and it started messing the threads up a bit. I wouldn’t think there’s any way to cross thread it either but it seems to be buggered somehow.
 

GlowBugTDI

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Jul 20, 2018
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Cambridge, MN
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2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Push a bar through the eye loop and keep turning in with lubricant. My threaded in frame rail piece is bent so i have to kick it every half a turn.

Look in there with a flashlight and see what you see. Let us know
 

J_dude

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SK Canada
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2003 1.9l “Jedi”
Well I cleaned it up with brakeclean and an old toothbrush but it didn’t help, so I came here lol. I don’t really want to just force it in there but I suppose I may have to. Is there any way to remove the bracket from the car? Then I could just swap with my parts car. I know it’s integrated into the crash bar on the mk5’s, so you can replace the whole thing, but is it the same on these cars?
 

AGTDI

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Jan 22, 2021
Location
AG CA
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2002 Jetta Wagon
Well I cleaned it up with brakeclean and an old toothbrush but it didn’t help, so I came here lol. I don’t really want to just force it in there but I suppose I may have to. Is there any way to remove the bracket from the car? Then I could just swap with my parts car. I know it’s integrated into the crash bar on the mk5’s, so you can replace the whole thing, but is it the same on these cars?
Would it be easier to buy a cheap tap to run thru?
 

Mongler98

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Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
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98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Would it be easier to buy a cheap tap to run thru?
Coming from someone (me) who has more $ in taps than you do in your car at full value... NO it would not, not a reverse square cut thread..... $400 for the tap? LOL no, more like $700 range, but shipping is free! My most expensive tap is a .875" x 6 acme thread tap or a 7/8" acme tap... I got it used for $640, usually new... if you can order them 4 months out... are $1,400

It was used for restoring a 90 year old vice well worth more than all my cars and motorcycles, I was contracted to do the restoration as I was the only person he knew that could weld cast iron properly! Long story short... it’s not the only tap I have worth more than $400. Have I ever used them more than once... NO lol. In a tool junky! Reverse thread taps past 1/2 inch or 12mm are easily in the few hundred ranges, but your tow hook is not a normal thread, it’s a square cut nearly acme thread style, in not 100% sure but it’s a proprietary tooling from VAG. Get some shotgun cleaning brushes and some valve lapping compound and go to town cleaning it up... you COULD sacrifice another tow eye and take a grinder and cut some WIDE flutes into it, sharpen the teeth, and harden it with a map gas torch, quench and then heat treat in an oven at 230*F for 2 hours... and try and make a tap... I have done this before and it usually never works. But it COULD be used to chase the threads enough if there not that bad.
Reverse threads are Stupid and have no point to existence on a tow hook or mount. Why does it matter its reverse threads? IMO do get big drill bit, drill out the threads and weld a big nut on there and weld some new threaded rod onto your old tow eye! If you know someone who can weld, $30 done!
 

AGTDI

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Joined
Jan 22, 2021
Location
AG CA
TDI
2002 Jetta Wagon
Ha!
Great info.
I was secretly hoping there would be someone on this forum who has this experience and they would chime in.

In your opinion, why does VAG (and others), use the reverse square thread? Does it fare better over time with corrosion?
 

J_dude

Veteran Member
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Jan 9, 2020
Location
SK Canada
TDI
2003 1.9l “Jedi”
Coming from someone (me) who has more $ in taps than you do in your car at full value... NO it would not, not a reverse square cut thread..... $400 for the tap? LOL no, more like $700 range, but shipping is free! My most expensive tap is a .875" x 6 acme thread tap or a 7/8" acme tap... I got it used for $640, usually new... if you can order them 4 months out... are $1,400

It was used for restoring a 90 year old vice well worth more than all my cars and motorcycles, I was contracted to do the restoration as I was the only person he knew that could weld cast iron properly! Long story short... it’s not the only tap I have worth more than $400. Have I ever used them more than once... NO lol. In a tool junky! Reverse thread taps past 1/2 inch or 12mm are easily in the few hundred ranges, but your tow hook is not a normal thread, it’s a square cut nearly acme thread style, in not 100% sure but it’s a proprietary tooling from VAG. Get some shotgun cleaning brushes and some valve lapping compound and go to town cleaning it up... you COULD sacrifice another tow eye and take a grinder and cut some WIDE flutes into it, sharpen the teeth, and harden it with a map gas torch, quench and then heat treat in an oven at 230*F for 2 hours... and try and make a tap... I have done this before and it usually never works. But it COULD be used to chase the threads enough if there not that bad.
Reverse threads are Stupid and have no point to existence on a tow hook or mount. Why does it matter its reverse threads? IMO do get big drill bit, drill out the threads and weld a big nut on there and weld some new threaded rod onto your old tow eye! If you know someone who can weld, $30 done!
I do know somebody that can weld, in fact I work at a factory that builds ag equipment out of raw steel so that shouldn’t be an issue lol.
I was thinking of grinding some slots into the end of it too actually but this is the only tow eye I’ve got.
The other thing that occurred to me was maybe I could get a drill bit the right size and just drill out the threads that are buggered, as it looks like only the first two are bad, the issue with that is then you have less threads holding the tow eye.
 

J_dude

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Location
SK Canada
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2003 1.9l “Jedi”
In your opinion, why does VAG (and others), use the reverse square thread? Does it fare better over time with corrosion?
You were probably asking Mongler but I think maybe it’s reverse so the idiots of the world don’t just shove any random threaded thing in there and try to yank on it. That or it’s just German engineering 🤣
 

Mongler98

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Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
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98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
You were probably asking Mongler but I think maybe it’s reverse so the idiots of the world don’t just shove any random threaded thing in there and try to yank on it. That or it’s just German engineering 🤣
100% correct. It's so people like me.... and I am going to.. will not use it for anytjing other than it's intended use.
So another tangent is that I am overlanding our cayenne 955. I found somone who used one of those spare tire wing gates that go on the hitch... and used 2 spare tow eyes and welded brackets on them to stabilize the gate so it can hold more!
Yep.
 

Mongler98

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Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
I would still sigest you used a similar thread design because normal all thread wont be able to support that sort of strain!
 

AGTDI

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Jan 22, 2021
Location
AG CA
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2002 Jetta Wagon
100% correct. It's so people like me.... and I am going to.. will not use it for anytjing other than it's intended use.
So another tangent is that I am overlanding our cayenne 955. I found somone who used one of those spare tire wing gates that go on the hitch... and used 2 spare tow eyes and welded brackets on them to stabilize the gate so it can hold more!
Yep.
Nice.
Are you using the Eurowise lift?
 

Mongler98

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Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Nice.
Are you using the Eurowise lift?
No. Our cayenne is an S with a ton of options so it has the air ride. Were not going crazy with it just big off road tires, skid plate, roof nest etc.....
Keep it all bolt on stuff.
 

AGTDI

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Location
AG CA
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2002 Jetta Wagon
No. Our cayenne is an S with a ton of options so it has the air ride. Were not going crazy with it just big off road tires, skid plate, roof nest etc.....
Keep it all bolt on stuff.
I believe they have a lift that works with the air ride.. might be able to throw some 35s on there to help get thru the mall parking lot..😉
 

J_dude

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SK Canada
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Ok so the first couple threads were indeed cross threaded, so today I drilled them out with a 3/4” bit, maybe 3/8” deep. Now tow eye threads in smoothly. Since there is quite a bit more thread further down the hole I don’t think this will be a problem, and I also cut the shoulder on the tow eye shank back a bit on the lathe so it will fit into the now recessed hole. So we still have full thread engagement.
That may not have made much sense...

I also picked up a spare tow eye from the wreckers, just in case I want to modify one.
 

AGTDI

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AG CA
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2002 Jetta Wagon
That seems like the pragmatic solution.
Good work.
 
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