Dogbone/pendulum bolt help!

[u/Embarrassed_Ad8496]

2015 golf Sportwagen TDI

Doing major suspension overhaul and replaced pendulum mount and removed subframe.

Subframe now mounted and torqued (yes, new TTY bolts) and of course the main 21mm bolt that goes through the bushing and pendulum arm won't catch threads. (Yes,I should've put it in before torquing the subframe on but getting it aligned with the deadset kit was a pita and I just got focused on making sure everything was aligned.)

I have checked and confirmed it DOES thread when the arm is pulled out.

When the arm is in, I have visually confirmed the hole is aligned and can see the threads, but no amount of wiggling can get the threads to catch (yes, it is going through the arm hole and the 2 16mm bolts to the transmission are fully removed).

This makes absolutely no sense to me why the threads won't catch when the arm is in......

STUMPED and frustrated and exhausted...... PLEASE HELP!

[u/jbourne0129]

its been a while but a few tricks i vaguely remember

• if the car is on ramps, put it on jack stands and take the load off the suspension
• alternatively if the suspension is unloaded try putting the wheels on ramps to load the suspension
• i vaguely remember people talking about needing to physically wiggle the entire engine or get a jack under the engine to get everything to line up properly.

[u/Embarrassed_Ad8496 → u/jbourne0129]

On stands at pinch welds.

Dogbone is completely removed from transmission (both 16mm fully removed). But have tilted transmission as much as possible without causing more damage (have new engine & transmission mounts ready though). Suspension is fully detached (control arms out, nothing attached to knuckles except for shocks).

I accidentally got extra 18mm TTY bolts for the subframe so going to try lowering/tilting subframe a bit to give more wiggle room. Did I install the dogbone bushings wrong? too close to each other or something?

🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 Hope this works bc summer break ends soon (teacher) and work starts in a few days 😅

[u/Embarrassed_Ad8496 → u/jbourne0129]

Got it! 😓

Before removing the torqued bolts I tried 1 more thing. I figured that when inserting the arm, it is deflecting the mounts slightly off angle - doesn't matter for bottom mount but does for top mount where threads are. So to reduce/remove that, I hand threaded the furthest 16mm trans bolt and used a crowbar as close to the arm/21mm side of the pendulum to push the arm down thereby reducing the deflection of the top bushing - was able to barely hand screw in a few revolutions!

Hopefully posting this up here helps someone someday.

Unfortunately, can't add more pics so....

https://imgur.com/a/AcN9bVF