Widening Strut Mount Hole

[sabad66]

Hey beyond, got a weird issue and curious on thoughts.

One of the rear shocks in my Q5 is shot and recommendation was to replace both. The shitty thing is the cost…$1000 each for the parts only because it has electronic control. So around 2500 to replace both sides including labour.

However I found an aftermarket shock by brand Bilstein which I ordered on rock auto. Much cheaper being around $400 for both vs $1500-$2000.

But now the problem with these is that for some reason, the shock piston rod doesn’t fit through the upper strut mount. It’s just a tad bit too wide to fit thru.

I thought it could have been the oem Audi mount being off, so decided to buy some aftermarket mounts in case they were wider. Only $50 and fast shipping. Unfortunately same thing, hole is too small even on these.

I did call bilstein and they are looking into it. But while I wait for them to inevitably tell me nothing useful, wondering if simply widening the hole would work. It has quite a bit of extra metal around, and I would need to widen it about a mm.

Here’s a pic of the upper shock mount in question



If widening it would work, anywhere professional in town I can take it to do that? Maybe a metal shop? I don’t have metal bits at home and also want it to be nice and smooth inside the bore.

Thanks in advance for any advice

[gretz]

I could do it for you if that’s the route you want to go…. I’d need the rod as well to make sure I get the sizing correct…. Let me know

[JfuckinC]

drill it out with your hand drill....

Or get a precision type person like gretz to do it

[gretz]

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drill it out with your hand drill....

Or get a precision type person like gretz to do it

I’d hand drill it if it were mine, more of a, it’s not just good, it’s good enough type deal.

Seeing as it’s in a bushing though, a small endmill helically boring it to not put any load on it would be the way I’d hit it for someone else.

Sab - if you did want to drill it, let me know what size you need and I can have one ready for you

[sabad66]

After further discussion and realizing rock auto will take these parts back as returns, im going to just bite the bullet and go with the oem versions and not fuck around with modifying aftermarket parts.

Gretz appreciate the offer! Your work is amazing as per the keychain so definitely was going to dm you if I went that route. Thx anyways

[gretz]

Anytime / always love to help where I can

[ExtraSlow]

His hands are also softer than you'd expect of a man in his profession.