TRUESCOTSMAN

I have just spent the last three weeks fighting with the plug that is used to block off the hole that the towing eye fits into. The car is a thirty mile round trip from the house and cannot be started.(nackered water pump)

I take it that the guy who decided to make it a 6 mm allen key socket, to remove the aluminium plug, was either on medication (possibly even drugs ), not expecting the towing eye to be used, or at least not to go 12-13 years without any use.

After breaking the allen key in the recess, then not getting too good a grip with gordons (a type of pipe wrench) i tried to chisel it round. No, not a good idea. The soft aluminium was no match for the chisel and two pound hammer. Try again another day..........

Better equiped this time. Take as much of the top of plug away as possible and drill into the plug with 10 mm drill. Put in the bolt extractor and, and, and, and. how tight is this. snap. Broken socket. never mind. try again another day....................

Back again better equiped. Two foot long power bar and three more sockets. Yada yada yada......... Not to worry, try again another day...

We all know how low these are at the front. In the last three weeks we have had temps down to minus 10, snow, an the usual torrential rain associated with Scotland. and the road where the car is laid up has been shell gripped. By this time my knees are fu, fu, fu, a tad sore, and my patience is wearing a bit thin. I was getting to the stage where a rag and some petrol (gas)was looking very much like the best option.

Back again.. This time i made up a bracket with 1/4 " steel, and put in some holes. tap set at the ready. Using the hole in the plug i had drilled to use the extractors. I tapped this and bolted on my new bracket with a 12mm bolt. With it going into aluminium i was not confident of it getting home without it pulling out. It is not all freeway over here, it all roundabouts and traffic lights.

Ya hoo, Home at last...............The moral of this story..........Well, when your shark is at home and you have the ramps handy. Try taking out the plug and putting on some anti seize grease, before you really need to take it out somewhere far from home.

928 S4 1991. Red, Linen leather, 18" split rim BBS alloys, safe at home (at last)

UKKid35

On the occaisions I have needed to be towed I have had to resort to using the rear tow eye to have the car pulled up on to the flatbed in reverse. I have also tried to drill out the aluminium plug in the front, but I haven't been able to clean up the thread as the towing eye thread is extremely obscure. Has anyone actually got a tap for this?

jon928se

I drilled out most of the Aluminium with a 13mm bit ages ago, whenever I feel the inclination I have been grinding out the remains with a very small milling bit in a dremel. It doesn't really touch the steel if you don't press hard. _ Its a long job and Ihavent finished yet. It a lot easier to get to if you jack te front up high.

Jon
Black SE

TRUESCOTSMAN

Thanks for the replies guys. Is this a problem only associated with cars in the UK? Are the cars for the US market fitted with something other than an imovable alluminium plug?

928 S4 1991. Red, Linen leather, 18" split rim BBS alloys, safe at home (at last)

Jim bailey - 928 International

Ours are aluminum ........ when you leave out the I ....they must not corrode

TRUESCOTSMAN

I'll give it a try Jim, but i've a funny feeling it is not going to make it any easier to get the old plug(aluminum or aluminium) out.
Stripped the covers off today, and everything is still lined up to the markings, so it looks like i got a bit lucky and havent jumped any teeth when the water pump gave up. Hugh sigh of relief.

928 S4 1991. Red, Linen leather, 18" split rim BBS alloys, safe at home (at last)