Damn Porsche Dealer, They broke something Options

[dralf]

I am a bit upset with the local Dayton Porsche dealer. Last fall I spent $500 to get the car aligned. They did little to get it back into specs and told me to take it to a body shop if I wanted the car to be closer to factory tolerances. I thought OK, good enough for me since I did get a nice smile from their attractive receptionist.

Well, now that I have been under the car working on the alternator something catches my eye. On the drivers side trailing arm the clowns broke off a bolt ! I have enclosed a pic of the crime. My frustration is that months have passed since the dealer worked on it and so it would be their word against mine. I also know they would not hesitate in telling me some lie for they stiffed a third party who initially purchased the shim pack to do this alignment.

My problem now is what do I do to repair the damage ? I have only had bad luck with EZ-Outs. They break off and then you have a piece of harden steel it the way. Any suggestions ? I am reluctant to take the other two bolts out for I suspect that will alter my expensive alignment.

[rick 918-S]

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Feb 7 2006, 05:40 AM)

i'm leary of using easyouts, cause if you snap one of them, you're in a tight spot. drill and tap. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif) shit, the Louisville porsche dealer wont even TOUCH my car. I dont think it looks THAT bad.... b

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif) I would go ahead and remove the other bolts. They have to come out now anyway to do a proper alignment. Start spraying them with penatrate spray everyday. A couple times a day if you can for a week. Use something good like PB Blaster. It has less alcohol which means it doesn't evaporate as fast. When your ready to try the bolt removal bring it to the alignment shop and have them do it. A good alignment shop will have had to deal with broken adjustment bolts a few times a year.

If you want to try it yourself, I would heat the bolt heads to a cherry color with a gas welding tip. (maybe a #1), let it cool, heat again, as it starts to cool, spray it again, then start to work the bolts out. The two good ones should come out that way.

After they are removed, use the torch to heat the broken bolt. try to heat the bolt only. then place a washer over the end of the broken bolt, and hit it with a mig welder, make a nice hot puddle. Then while it's still hot place a large nut over the weld and plug weld the nut to your washer. ( through the thread hole in the nut)

take a socket and back it out. I would spray it before I started to back it out, and during the proceedure a few times.

Patience will win out. After you have every thing off, clean up the contact area, clean off aoo that rust and paint everything. Use Never Seize for re-assembly.

ask me how I know (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif) Oh and beware of fire! all that spray will likely be hiding someplce.... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)