Fitting a steering guard is dead easy..... Er, sometimes!

Now you'd think that fitting a steering guard on a '98 TDi wouldn't be too taxing wouldn't you? It's only 4 bolts FFS.

The bumper mount bolts came out a doddle, then I hit a snag. The back end of the guard mounts onto the center bolt that goes through the chassis member that the panhard rod bolts to. The nut came off easy enough but the bolt won't shift.

I've soaked it in wd40, spent ages tapping on it with a wee hammer, spent ages tapping on it with a bigger hammer, tapped on the tube section under the chassis with the bigger hammer, heated up the tube with a blow lamp, had both feet against the axle and both hands on a tee bar trying to undo it and finally put a ring spanner on it with a jack under the end. (A dodgy thing to do which resulted in a bent spanner!). The bugger just won't move.

I've thought about putting a bolt into the chuck of an SDS drill, set to hammer only and using it to try and vibrate the bolt to see if that'll free it, other than that I'm stumped.

Any miracle workers out there?

WD40 is a water dispersant (hence the WD) it's not a release agent so spraying it on stuck parts is just a waste of fluid - Plus Gas is what you need

however if you heat the object (not red hot) then throw cold water on it, the thermal shock is usually enough to free the object

I had exactly the same problem.I jacked it, got the wheel off, got a club hammer, some drift, some ear plugs and clouted it.Alot.Also advaice i got off here was to use the following phrase "take this you fooking bastid!"Repeat as necessary.My bolt had sheared though.If its not working go have a cuppa and a fag and come back,get a bigger hammer

The method described by Sean is quite efective, I've used it on bikes several times..
heat up with blow torch, chuck cold water...

with the heat, the two metals expand at diferent rates, when you chuck the cold water, they retract to original shape very quickly, thus breaking the rust between them

I got two recovery points for mine last weekend, same thing, they are held on with the front bumper mounting bolts, passenger side, no problem, drivers side....

Nope. The bottom bolt undid a bit then seized, and the bolts is rounding off... AAARGH. Need to grind it off and use new bolt. No grinder and no bolts though. Will do it in a few weeks after payday.

; )

Thanks guys, I'll have a go at the heat it up and chuck water at it method first chance I get. I'll let you know how I get on.

Sparks said:

Thanks guys, I'll have a go at the heat it up and chuck water at it method first chance I get. I'll let you know how I get on.

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I just took the nut off and slid the guard over the bolt on mine. "rebel"

I fitted bigger bolts for the bumper bits tho so you're gona have to drill it out, dont think the bumper bolts are thick enough.

Wont protect all your steering tho, bent the rear bit on mine.

i had same problem last week mate, i got the bolt warm with oxy,accetylene and eventually got it to turn and amanaged to bang it out with a lump hammer and put a fresh bolt back in lol