Front strut clamp bolts nightmare

Osprey6010 said:
The ball joints, I assume I'll need a separator (the two pronged chisel thing?).

I'm going to assume it's not safe to drive to a mechanic while the bolt is snapped, contemplating taking it there, seeing if they can get it sorted, don't want to risk spending loads on new parts and alignments if a garage can get the bolt out cheaper.
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NO!!!
 
FWIW, there'd be little harm in driving in this state. The shock is always being pushed down by spring force into the clamp so it's not as if it's going to jump out of the hub. The only damage that might occur would be the possibility of snapping off the alignment pins at the bottom of the shock. And since the clamps usually want prying open to release the shock, it's unlikely to twist in the clamp over the space of a short journey.
 
smorris_12 said:
FWIW, there'd be little harm in driving in this state. The shock is always being pushed down by spring force into the clamp so it's not as if it's going to jump out of the hub. The only damage that might occur would be the possibility of snapping off the alignment pins at the bottom of the shock. And since the clamps usually want prying open to release the shock, it's unlikely to twist in the clamp over the space of a short journey.
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I would politely disagree, purely on the fact that I’ve had several where the hub does slip easily off once the bolt is removed. Hit a pothole and you could have an issue.
However, a mile or so at low speed would maybe be worth the risk?
 
It did occur to me afterwards to add that as a caveat. I wouldn't advocate a Vmax run down the autobahn but you'd get away with a careful local drive and little suspension articulation. Mind you, now you say it, the Z4 hubs are looser on the shocks than other BMs where I've had to hammer a wedge in. And the strut has quite short travel by comparison too.

It reminds me of when my E46 threw its harmonic damper. It actually managed to jump the belt off the pulley and land on the smooth inner that was still on the crank. The tensioner took up the slack and, barring a bit of squeaking under load, it got me the few miles home and the few miles to a garage a couple of days later after I found I couldn't shift the *"?;&£#_ thing!

As an engineer I'm always a stickler for how things ought to be done but it's amazing what works when you need it to!
 
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If the threaded half of the clamp is damaged and can't be re-tapped you could just about fit a nylock nut and washers to space it away from the clamp face on the bolt end and provide sufficient clamping force.
 
Yep it's the bolt head that's sheared. The rest of the bolt is still in there. I was thinking because my coilovers only have the top retaining pin, I have slotted them in, then would just CAREFULLY drive the z4 to the garage for the mot. Then get the garage to drill that bolt out (me thinking they had some magic). The only issue with this plan is that retaining pin snapping (I don't really see how they'd come out, the weight of the car is on them no?). Thinking now, if I sort the part out how much are they charging for labour for a wheel hub? Worth a couple of calls first I think.
 
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