BUGGER

just changed the clutch slave cylinder on my s3 only for the master cylinder to go as well on bleeding it. so.... off with the master cylinder 2 bolts what could possibly go wrong! well i'll tell you the bottom bolt is not as i have found out, not a fixed stud and has probably been the there for a very long time. the top bolt had a round nylock nut on it and the bottom one was the same. i managed to get a pair of mini vice grips on it several times while i got a spanner in the top ( bent the master cylinder push rod out of the way to do this) half way through getting it off the BUGGER just started spinning, threads gone flat. stopped, had a roll up and a think and then with the aid of a head torch and a hacksaw blade passed through the access hole managed using 50mm of travel while sat on the engine cut the f£$%^r off.
i have now put in a 10mm allen bolt in the bottom allen head inside with a cut down ( 9" grinder ) allen key which fits just right and tighten's up against the housing no bother. so no probs and no hands needed and will do the same on taking it out to replace it with a stainless one. now sat with a cider at 21.00hrs thinking why do i enjoy this.............. thing is I do.

Every nut and bolt is an adventure. Was it meant to be a captive bolt that had liberated itself, or just an awkward bit of design?

Heheheh, it seems every time I do something to mine I have similar little battles and minor victories! One day I hope to just do something to the Landy .... and that's it! No fettling a slimmer spanner or making a 'hold it right there' clamp, or welding a bracket back on ... so carry on, we all do it and enjoy knowing others do it too ..

Brown said:

Every nut and bolt is an adventure. Was it meant to be a captive bolt that had liberated itself, or just an awkward bit of design?

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cheers good to know its worth it. the holes in the housing are slotted so not captive bolts. i think your supposed to take the the whole housing off. thats 6 bolts to the bulkhead, which is in my case 6 more rusty buggers to play with using vice grips on one side and me on the other. so went for the "easyer" option. the bulkhead is the next big thing later this year just getting a recon galov one in exchage for mine nearly £1000 cheaper than new, though will still be trolling ebay till then. and everything that comes off will be put right like captive bolts stainless nuts n bolts. cos when its done its done and i wont be going there again. did the chassis last year and have to work outside in the street and the novelty soon wore off with the neighbours. so this time my brothers parking his lwb ldv convoy in front of the landy "ta dah" a garage for all the bits. should have it done in a day anyway, just as it should of taken just an hour to do the cylinder last night...........one day Paul D one day "my arse" still having fun though!

Paul D said:

Heheheh, it seems every time I do something to mine I have similar little battles and minor victories! One day I hope to just do something to the Landy .... and that's it! No fettling a slimmer spanner or making a 'hold it right there' clamp, or welding a bracket back on ... so carry on, we all do it and enjoy knowing others do it too ..

Click to expand...

cheers good to know its worth it. the holes in the housing are slotted so not captive bolts i think your supposed to take the the whole housing off. thats 6 bolts to the bulkhead, which is in my case 6 more rusty buggers to play with using vice grips on one side and me on the other. so went for the "easyer" option. the bulkhead is the next big thing later this year just getting a recon galov one in exchage for mine nearly £1000 cheaper than new, though will still be trolling ebay till then. and everything that comes off will be put right like captive bolts stainless nuts n bolts cos when its done its done and i wont be going there again. did the chassis last year and have to work outside in the street and the novelty soon wore off with the neighbours. so this time my brothers parking his lwb ldv convoy in front of the landy "ta dah" a garage for all the bits. should have it done in a day anyway, just as it should of taken just an hour to do the cylinder last night...........one day Paul D one day "my arse" still having fun though!