Hi...I'm replacing the gas struts that (don't) hold the engine hood up
in my '87 5000 QT wagon...and I can't seem to get the pins out that
hold the tops of the struts in place.

They're basically like cotter pinned sleeves....the clips on the
inboard ends of the sleeves came off easily, but the sleeves
themselves, which pass through the top strut hole and go through a
flange spot-welded to the underside of the hood are completely
resistant to being tapped/pushed/turned out.

In fact, with the struts unhooked from the bottom at the inner fender
lips, lifting the strut turns the sleeve, which suggests the sleeves
are either corroded (I've sprayed them liberally, though they don't
look rusty) or somehow attached/clipped/slotted to the sleeves in a way
I can't see or figure out.

I replaced the rear hatch struts in a few minutes, but the engine hood
struts have me stumped.

Am I missing some Secret of German Engineering here?

Help!

Thanks
Winston

 

I have owned four T44s but never have had to deal with this issue.

the person who would know is busy for the next few days and may not be able to
respond till later.

You may want to ask at the AudiWorld T44 forum. Lot of knowledge there.

http://forums.audiworld.com/v8/

winston wrote:
> Hi...I'm replacing the gas struts that (don't) hold the engine hood up
> in my '87 5000 QT wagon...and I can't seem to get the pins out that
> hold the tops of the struts in place.
>
> They're basically like cotter pinned sleeves....the clips on the
> inboard ends of the sleeves came off easily, but the sleeves
> themselves, which pass through the top strut hole and go through a
> flange spot-welded to the underside of the hood are completely
> resistant to being tapped/pushed/turned out.
>
> In fact, with the struts unhooked from the bottom at the inner fender
> lips, lifting the strut turns the sleeve, which suggests the sleeves
> are either corroded (I've sprayed them liberally, though they don't
> look rusty) or somehow attached/clipped/slotted to the sleeves in a way
> I can't see or figure out.
>
> I replaced the rear hatch struts in a few minutes, but the engine hood
> struts have me stumped.
>
> Am I missing some Secret of German Engineering here?
>
> Help!
>
> Thanks
> Winston
>

 

I have owned four T44s but never have had to deal with this issue.

the person who would know is busy for the next few days and may not be able to
respond till later.

You may want to ask at the AudiWorld T44 forum. Lot of knowledge there.

http://forums.audiworld.com/v8/

winston wrote:
> Hi...I'm replacing the gas struts that (don't) hold the engine hood up
> in my '87 5000 QT wagon...and I can't seem to get the pins out that
> hold the tops of the struts in place.
>
> They're basically like cotter pinned sleeves....the clips on the
> inboard ends of the sleeves came off easily, but the sleeves
> themselves, which pass through the top strut hole and go through a
> flange spot-welded to the underside of the hood are completely
> resistant to being tapped/pushed/turned out.
>
> In fact, with the struts unhooked from the bottom at the inner fender
> lips, lifting the strut turns the sleeve, which suggests the sleeves
> are either corroded (I've sprayed them liberally, though they don't
> look rusty) or somehow attached/clipped/slotted to the sleeves in a way
> I can't see or figure out.
>
> I replaced the rear hatch struts in a few minutes, but the engine hood
> struts have me stumped.
>
> Am I missing some Secret of German Engineering here?
>
> Help!
>
> Thanks
> Winston
>

 

I have owned four T44s but never have had to deal with this issue.

the person who would know is busy for the next few days and may not be able to
respond till later.

You may want to ask at the AudiWorld T44 forum. Lot of knowledge there.

http://forums.audiworld.com/v8/

winston wrote:
> Hi...I'm replacing the gas struts that (don't) hold the engine hood up
> in my '87 5000 QT wagon...and I can't seem to get the pins out that
> hold the tops of the struts in place.
>
> They're basically like cotter pinned sleeves....the clips on the
> inboard ends of the sleeves came off easily, but the sleeves
> themselves, which pass through the top strut hole and go through a
> flange spot-welded to the underside of the hood are completely
> resistant to being tapped/pushed/turned out.
>
> In fact, with the struts unhooked from the bottom at the inner fender
> lips, lifting the strut turns the sleeve, which suggests the sleeves
> are either corroded (I've sprayed them liberally, though they don't
> look rusty) or somehow attached/clipped/slotted to the sleeves in a way
> I can't see or figure out.
>
> I replaced the rear hatch struts in a few minutes, but the engine hood
> struts have me stumped.
>
> Am I missing some Secret of German Engineering here?
>
> Help!
>
> Thanks
> Winston
>

 

Thanks...I'll continue to use a ViceGrip on the strut rod for now until
I figure out whether there's a trick to them...it's pretty rare to fix
anything on a German car through brute force...that's a technique
usually reserved for a used Chevy.

 

Thanks...I'll continue to use a ViceGrip on the strut rod for now until
I figure out whether there's a trick to them...it's pretty rare to fix
anything on a German car through brute force...that's a technique
usually reserved for a used Chevy.

 

Thanks...I'll continue to use a ViceGrip on the strut rod for now until
I figure out whether there's a trick to them...it's pretty rare to fix
anything on a German car through brute force...that's a technique
usually reserved for a used Chevy.

 

Winston,
The pins on the top and bottom should be the same, and they're secured with
a circlip. It is possible that you have rusty residue in the seat of the
circlip that will not allow the pin to pass through the strut, or the pin
may be "natures weld"-ed into the strut (ie - rusted-in). I would apply a
bit of PB Blaster or some other rust solvent (not WD40), be careful not to
drip onto the fender or the hood, when the pin is soaked, strike it a couple
of times with a hammer - not so hard that you bend the bracket - then let it
sit for a couple of hours. With a pair of needle nose vicegrips, attempt to
rotate the pin by grabbing onto the head. Fixing rusty things on a German
car is the same as on a Chevy.....brute force, heat, nasty chemicals and an
assortment of grinding wheels and cutting torches always come in
handy....the only difference is that you must reach for the metric tools and
not the imperial ones (unless the hex-heads are REALLY rusted down in
size....)
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"winston" <winstoncole@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1146411853.341591.313350@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
> Thanks...I'll continue to use a ViceGrip on the strut rod for now until
> I figure out whether there's a trick to them...it's pretty rare to fix
> anything on a German car through brute force...that's a technique
> usually reserved for a used Chevy.
>

 

Winston,
The pins on the top and bottom should be the same, and they're secured with
a circlip. It is possible that you have rusty residue in the seat of the
circlip that will not allow the pin to pass through the strut, or the pin
may be "natures weld"-ed into the strut (ie - rusted-in). I would apply a
bit of PB Blaster or some other rust solvent (not WD40), be careful not to
drip onto the fender or the hood, when the pin is soaked, strike it a couple
of times with a hammer - not so hard that you bend the bracket - then let it
sit for a couple of hours. With a pair of needle nose vicegrips, attempt to
rotate the pin by grabbing onto the head. Fixing rusty things on a German
car is the same as on a Chevy.....brute force, heat, nasty chemicals and an
assortment of grinding wheels and cutting torches always come in
handy....the only difference is that you must reach for the metric tools and
not the imperial ones (unless the hex-heads are REALLY rusted down in
size....)
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"winston" <winstoncole@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1146411853.341591.313350@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
> Thanks...I'll continue to use a ViceGrip on the strut rod for now until
> I figure out whether there's a trick to them...it's pretty rare to fix
> anything on a German car through brute force...that's a technique
> usually reserved for a used Chevy.
>

 

Winston,
The pins on the top and bottom should be the same, and they're secured with
a circlip. It is possible that you have rusty residue in the seat of the
circlip that will not allow the pin to pass through the strut, or the pin
may be "natures weld"-ed into the strut (ie - rusted-in). I would apply a
bit of PB Blaster or some other rust solvent (not WD40), be careful not to
drip onto the fender or the hood, when the pin is soaked, strike it a couple
of times with a hammer - not so hard that you bend the bracket - then let it
sit for a couple of hours. With a pair of needle nose vicegrips, attempt to
rotate the pin by grabbing onto the head. Fixing rusty things on a German
car is the same as on a Chevy.....brute force, heat, nasty chemicals and an
assortment of grinding wheels and cutting torches always come in
handy....the only difference is that you must reach for the metric tools and
not the imperial ones (unless the hex-heads are REALLY rusted down in
size....)
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"winston" <winstoncole@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1146411853.341591.313350@v46g2000cwv.googlegr oups.com...
> Thanks...I'll continue to use a ViceGrip on the strut rod for now until
> I figure out whether there's a trick to them...it's pretty rare to fix
> anything on a German car through brute force...that's a technique
> usually reserved for a used Chevy.
>