Zozzle

My new (to me) car is my first Mercedes and I was surprised to find wheel bolts instead of wheel studs. Those bolts just make replacing a wheel that much harder.

Does anyone know why Mercedes would go this route? Is there a good reason for bolts?
Does anyone have any good tips for making wheel installation any easier?

Yidney

What did you own before? I have an Audi, Volvo and MB and all three use bolts. I associate studs with old American cars.

EDIT: And I should add you can buy conversion kits. You thread studs with a stop collar into the bolt holes and then you have studs. But an exposed stud end and nut are not as good looking as a smooth bolt head.

Zozzle

Let's see - I was a mechanic many years ago. Cars owned - Ford, GM, Mazda, Honda, Acura. Never a wheel bolt on any of those. I read that all German cars have bolts and not nuts.

All "nuts" that I remember are "acorn" style that had a domed end.

Edit - I just found this on BenzWorld.org -
"Has anyone converted from the OEM lug bolts to a lug stud and lug nut (like the rest of the planet outside of Germany uses)? I did this on my BMW as I was changing wheels back and forth 1-2 times a month for trackday and auto-x. Much easier to deal with. God forbid my wife ever get a flat tire. I can't imagine her trying to hoist one of these wheel/tire combos, lining up the holes and doing the lug bolts."

That's what I said to my wife - "If you ever get a flat tire (like I did last week) you'll never hold the wheel up and get a bolt started".

More Edit - I'm finding ads for "wheel mounting pins" out there on the 'net.

ghlkal

Yup ... you'll want these to make the job easier (or maybe even do-able )

Here's just one example https://mercedessource.com/store/all...-alignment-pin

ghlkal

As far as I know, all US manufacturers use studs -- both old and new.

jbt56

Pretty much the entire automotive world, outside of the German manufacturers, uses wheel studs. For whatever reason, the Germans prefer bolts. I don't know why, but as far back as I can remember (almost 40 years) this has been the case.

Zozzle

According to my tire shop man - just German cars use bolts.

AZN Optics

You could always just do a stud conversion. Unfortunately the high offsets of the w204 doesn't really allow much room to do a stud conversion adapter, so you'd just have to do a double threaded bolt with some Loctite. Get to play with some cool looking nuts. I did this and had Project Kics Revo on mine.

Otherwise, wheel guides helps with mounting and if you're going to keep your bolts.

Zozzle

I just put these on my Christmas list -

95Sinned420

I prefer the bolts. One inconvenience of bolte is that the wheels are hub-centric. Which means the wheel has to be perfectly center on the hub, otherwise you run into vibrations. This is an issue with aftermarket wheels that have a different bore size, which will require hub rings.

There is a debate about wheels putting weight on the hub is better than putting weight on the studs, but that isn't true. When wheels are fastened onto the wheel hub, it is held together on the wheel hub by the friction between the wheel and hub. It doesn't "sit" on either.

Now, I still think the bolt is a better design just because it is cheaper to replace a bolt than a stud. Some stud designs require replacing the whole wheel hub--that is costly!
Say if someone strips your bolt, that is a $3 part and very easy to come by.

Now, there is another argument out there about studs being improperly installed. For example, if the studs are not exactly centered/crooked, that may be an issue. For bolts, a hub centric wheel will always be perfectly centered. The bolts merely fasten the wheel.

rander

Before you buy the wheel install pins look in your factory tool kit. Every MB is shipped with a hanger pin packed in the tool kit with jack and handle. If you got it used the pin may be missing though.

Zozzle

I looked and there isn't one and there isn't a dedicated place in the plastic tool-holder for one. At some point they must have cheap-cheaped and eliminated that item.

AZN Optics

I didn't see any with my C class either which is why I had to buy the guides.

Knightmare69

I converted to studs with the Motorsports Hardware kit. They come in different lengths and are used on track cars.

AZN Optics

I highly recommend Motorsports Adaptec hardware if doing this conversion. Lenny is a great guy to work with and makes quality products.

KanataSteve

M-B used to provide an alignment pin that you threaded into a hole on the wheel hub before plunking the wheel on. It aligned the holes nicely. Thinking back to our old 190-e.
Guess that's gone in the days of cost savings.

Odd Piggy

Old thread and it’s been mentioned before, so we’re not really hijacking it.
Every Mercedes I’ve owned up to the ones with run flat tires had a wheel mounting stud in the tool kit. 2015 GLK had one, 2021 GLB does not. Run flat (MOE) tires mean no spare, no jack, no lug wrench, no tool kit at all.

You wouldn’t go after your cell phone with a screwdriver, would you? I suppose the logic is the same for these soon to be all-electric cell phones on wheels. (EQB is identical to GLB except for mode of propulsion).

TimC300

Mine has a jack, wrench, tow hook and wheel chock. I searched through ebay before and did not see any W204 used kits have the pin with it but some did have white gloves included. At first I did look into getting the pin but quickly realized the wheel sits fine on the lip of the hub as long as one hand holds it. Even if I had the pin I most likely wouldn't bother using it.

alynch

Just about to order a couple of rear tires for my new-to-me 2020 C300. I had planned to replace the run-flat Continentals with non-run-flat Michelins until I read your comment about no spare, no jack, and no tools. I checked the trunk this afternoon, and you're absolutely correct. Nothing in the hole except a first-aid kit and a cargo net. I carry tools in my cars, but I have always had a manufacturer's tool kit of some sort in German cars. This is a first. Thanks for the heads-up. I suppose it's back to the Continentals.

Odd Piggy

@alynch thanks for the like.
You may want to consider adding the Modern Spare and go ahead with the Michelins. I had a set of PSAS 4 on my W204 that were great. Those Conti MOEs last a long time, but they don't ride very well. Modern Spare sells a package that includes compact spare, jack & tools. Since you still have the place in the trunk for a spare, it would be a seamless conversion. I looked at their offerings for my GLB, but didn't have a place to put it in the 7-seater.

alynch

I've been leaning towards the Michelins even without the run flat. I have the PSAS 4s on the W204 and previously ran the PSAS 3+. Quiet, comfortable, and excellent in the rain. As you mentioned, the Continentals have a harsher ride and, coupled with 19-inch wheels, are not the best for highway driving. Thank you for the Modern Spare recommendation. It is a perfect solution to not using run flats.