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Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:18 pm

I'm pretty sure my cross shaft or t/o bearing broke. I went to pull my engine today and the upper driver's side mounting bolt has a 17mm hex! What's worse is the trans has a cutout in the trans housing to stop the hex from spinning, similar to how the starter has a provision to stop the half moon bolt from spinning. This is in a 67 Bug. I have no idea how someone got it in there. The other end is the captive nut that comes in the late cases. Other than grinding the head off. Looking for alternative ideas before I go out there tomorrow. Thanks.

Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:45 pm

Sorry man I did that in 1979, when I put a '72 engine in the '67.
I swear to god I put a washer on that bolt before I put it in.
Smack the socket onto the 17mm bolt, and turn away.

Sat Aug 12, 2017 10:13 pm

You have to struggle to get it out enough with open end wrench to where you can get box end wrench on it or find really thin wall socket.... Yeah it's a problem... When you put motor back in put two or three washers on bolt first or grind lip back to where you can use socket.... One option we used was allen head cap screw in that location... Another was to relieve the area with dremel tool and cutting burr...If you can get in there with small burr you can relieve it to get bolt out...

Yes its B!%$H and you just have to tough it out...

Dale

Sat Aug 12, 2017 11:26 pm

On my car some dope put a triple square M12 bolt near doghouse cooler. I spent a good 2 hours trying to back it out before removing all the top tin and oil cooler and drilling it out from the back side. It turned a 5 minutes job into a 5 hour ordeal.

Sun Aug 13, 2017 6:54 am

Ok, good ideas! I don't know why I didn't think of smacking a 17mm socket onto that area. I could also drill it out. From the other side. Maybe I should turn down a socket on the lathe so it'll chisel in easier. Thanks all!

Sun Aug 13, 2017 9:25 am

I just went through a similar situation. I got lots of good info from this thread:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=681511&highlight=dgsaz

Sun Aug 13, 2017 9:47 am

You could grind a 17mm socket narrower using a bench grinder (and eye protection); I've got a few of those "special" sockets. And use a washer on re-assembly.

Sun Aug 13, 2017 3:00 pm

That bolt is even worse with the early bus curved throwout arm, that points the clutch cable end right at the head of the bolt. It can be a real puzzle if the cable is stretched, and the "extra" cable runs clear to the bolt head, so there's no room to get the wrench on. Fun, fun, fun.

Sun Aug 13, 2017 3:29 pm

How about a 3/8" drive 12pt socket, then a u-joint, then enough extensions to get your ratchet to the front side of the axle, worked for me on some tight fits. If and when you get it out find a reduced head bolt, it will use a 15mm socket.

Mon Aug 14, 2017 6:43 pm

I ended up grinding a 17mm socket paper thin. I got it out. Replaced it with a 15mm head, flanged bolt. Thanks all!