so my wheel came off...
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 296
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From: Fremont / Irvine, CA
07 c230 sport
so my wheel came off...
like the title states, my wheel came off while driving... wtf right? so i was making a left turn at about 20 mph maybe, which i do like almost everyday, but today, my wheel came loose and my wheel came off.... and my car landed here:
MBWorld Fanatic!
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
This looks like a fail blog picture. NO PARKING - ENTIRE BLOCK. Fail.
Sorry. Hope there's not too much damage, and it could've been worse if it had let go while you were on a freeway. Make sure the lug bolts are tightened!
Sorry. Hope there's not too much damage, and it could've been worse if it had let go while you were on a freeway. Make sure the lug bolts are tightened!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 296
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From: Fremont / Irvine, CA
07 c230 sport
yeah it blows lol its been fine for liek 6 months and since i'm not a home home, i don't have my tools!
oh well i guess it's a lesson to you guys: MAKE YOUR YOUR CAR IS WORKING PROPERLY! lol
cars at the shop so we'll see what's up. i'll keep you guys updated.
oh well i guess it's a lesson to you guys: MAKE YOUR YOUR CAR IS WORKING PROPERLY! lol
cars at the shop so we'll see what's up. i'll keep you guys updated.
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
This happened in a movie to a w208. I'd wreak havoc on the people that put those wheels on! Well... unless it was you, in which case - OOPS!
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From: Orange County, CA
GMC - Miata - Trek - P-Car
Ouch!
Had a wheel come adrift after performing undercar maintenance on a sister’s VW when still a young lad.
Been a stickler for proper torque - and verifying my work – ever since.
Thankful you’re okay.
Had a wheel come adrift after performing undercar maintenance on a sister’s VW when still a young lad.
Been a stickler for proper torque - and verifying my work – ever since.
Thankful you’re okay.
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Nutley, NJ
2013 C300 4Matic Sport
It's really important to fully seat the wheels and at least hand tighten the lug bolts before putting the weight of the car on them, then torque...I didn't do this on my first car when I was younger, and I decided to investigate this knocking noise I was hearing..
Turns out my wheel was a couple threads away from falling off the car. Funny now, but lesson learned!
Good luck man!
Turns out my wheel was a couple threads away from falling off the car. Funny now, but lesson learned!
Good luck man!
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 296
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From: Fremont / Irvine, CA
07 c230 sport
lol yeah it was a shop that did my wheels, not to point any fingers, lol but yeah i haven't really done anythign to my car since i don't have a garage here at my irvine apartment. lame.
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From: Long Island, New York
'05 C230SS 6MT, 1966 Triumph TR4a IRS, Shelby Cobra 427 Supercharged
I almost had that happen to me about a month ago. I was a rare nice day so I took the Triumph out for a spin for the first time since the fall. I hear this clunking noise and it just keeps getting worse. I pull over, and the knock-off seems tight, so I keep going. Now the noise is so bad, I open the door and look at the wheel as I'm rolling down the road and man is it wobbling! It turns out the nuts that secure the knock-off adapter came loose, all held on by 3 or less threads! Now get this, that adapter has been on there without being touched since 2000! 10 years, and all of the sudden!
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From: VA
THE C350
Wow man that sucks i would kill the shop guys but how to get there? lol sorry man have to make a joke sometimes that is all you can do. but yeah hope not much damage was done. btw that picture is so funny. sorry
So can i see hands for who is going to check there wheel torque tommarow?
So can i see hands for who is going to check there wheel torque tommarow?
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Los Angeles, CA
2005 C320 Sport, 2010 C300 Sport
OUCH man! That looks painful! Just be glad it didn't end up worse... I once had a friend lose a wheel inside his front fender, it bounced around destroying the front fender and eventually managed to launch out and fly over the car while he slid into a curb.
Glad you're safe though... At least safe enough to post a :doh: post.
On a side note, I know I've posted this in the suspension area when a S550's wheel came off but it's still relevant..
Glad you're safe though... At least safe enough to post a :doh: post.
On a side note, I know I've posted this in the suspension area when a S550's wheel came off but it's still relevant..
One thing you should have also checked when buying the wheels was to see if the wheel is Hub Centric w/ the Mercedes. Often times, aftermarket wheels use a generic center hole measurement that is larger than the Mercedes center hole measurement. If the measurements are off, you'll have slight vibration in the wheel as the wheel is no longer truly centered on the hub. This will hurt your ride quality, and add added stress to the lug nuts, studs, and hub assembly. To correct this, you should look into "Hub Centric Rings". They are measured in Inner Diameter and Outer diameter (say for example, 60mm/70mm or 52.1/64.1, etc).
Another thing to look at would be the lug nuts you have installed. If you've got aftermarket lug nuts, they're often sand cast or mold cast aluminum that aren't as strong as the standard OE ones. Also, for the lug nuts, you need to make sure you've got the proper seat type, thread length, and thread size.
Another thing to look at would be the lug nuts you have installed. If you've got aftermarket lug nuts, they're often sand cast or mold cast aluminum that aren't as strong as the standard OE ones. Also, for the lug nuts, you need to make sure you've got the proper seat type, thread length, and thread size.
Last edited by nrg_mike; Feb 23, 2010 at 01:10 AM.
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Joined: May 2009
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From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, eh!
2003 C230 Sports Coupe, Paprika Metallic Red, Auto, Pano, Leather
I notice you got some deep dish aftermarket wheels. They certainly don't look like the OEM Mercedes-Benz/AMG wheels for the W203 C-class sedan/coupe. The lug bolts you're currently using are probably not the right ones for those wheels. In which case,... your other wheels may also fall off too! 
Make sure the seat of the lug bolts are correct and match the seat on the wheels,... otherwise it can loosen over time! There are different size cone seats and at least 3 different ball seats. And yes, different Mercedes class-generations uses different size ball seats. Once the correct lug bolts are seated on the wheels correctly,... look at how much of that lug bolt actually goes through the wheel (and into the hub),... it should be 6 threads deep on the lug bolt.
BTW, for those with factory OEM wheels for W203-CL203,.. correct summer bolts are:
Thread: M12 x 1.5 - Seat: R12 ball seat - Shank: 39.9mm - Hex Bolt: 17mm
(24.1mm shank for winter steelies)
Remember: 6 full rotation should give you the recommended-required 80 ft lb torque
Folks,... don't just check your torque. If you have non-OEM wheels (including Mercedes wheels not originally for W203-CL203), check your lug bolts too!
Make sure the seat of the lug bolts are correct and match the seat on the wheels,... otherwise it can loosen over time! There are different size cone seats and at least 3 different ball seats. And yes, different Mercedes class-generations uses different size ball seats. Once the correct lug bolts are seated on the wheels correctly,... look at how much of that lug bolt actually goes through the wheel (and into the hub),... it should be 6 threads deep on the lug bolt.
BTW, for those with factory OEM wheels for W203-CL203,.. correct summer bolts are:
Thread: M12 x 1.5 - Seat: R12 ball seat - Shank: 39.9mm - Hex Bolt: 17mm
(24.1mm shank for winter steelies)
Remember: 6 full rotation should give you the recommended-required 80 ft lb torque
Folks,... don't just check your torque. If you have non-OEM wheels (including Mercedes wheels not originally for W203-CL203), check your lug bolts too!
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 19,942
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
I notice you got some deep dish aftermarket wheels. They certainly don't look like the OEM Mercedes-Benz/AMG wheels for the W203 C-class sedan/coupe. The lug bolts you're currently using are probably not the right ones for those wheels. In which case,... your other wheels may also fall off too!
Make sure the seat of the lug bolts are correct and match the seat on the wheels,... otherwise it can loosen over time! There are different size cone seats and at least 3 different ball seats. And yes, different Mercedes class-generations uses different size ball seats. Once the correct lug bolts are seated on the wheels correctly,... look at how much of that lug bolt actually goes through the wheel (and into the hub),... it should be 6 threads deep on the lug bolt.
BTW, for those with factory OEM wheels for W203-CL203,.. correct summer bolts are:
Thread: M12 x 1.5 - Seat: R12 ball seat - Shank: 39.9mm - Hex Bolt: 17mm
(24.1mm shank for winter steelies)
Remember: 6 full rotation should give you the recommended-required 80 ft lb torque
Folks,... don't just check your torque. If you have non-OEM wheels (including Mercedes wheels not originally for W203-CL203), check your lug bolts too!
Make sure the seat of the lug bolts are correct and match the seat on the wheels,... otherwise it can loosen over time! There are different size cone seats and at least 3 different ball seats. And yes, different Mercedes class-generations uses different size ball seats. Once the correct lug bolts are seated on the wheels correctly,... look at how much of that lug bolt actually goes through the wheel (and into the hub),... it should be 6 threads deep on the lug bolt.
BTW, for those with factory OEM wheels for W203-CL203,.. correct summer bolts are:
Thread: M12 x 1.5 - Seat: R12 ball seat - Shank: 39.9mm - Hex Bolt: 17mm
(24.1mm shank for winter steelies)
Remember: 6 full rotation should give you the recommended-required 80 ft lb torque
Folks,... don't just check your torque. If you have non-OEM wheels (including Mercedes wheels not originally for W203-CL203), check your lug bolts too!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 296
Likes: 1
From: Fremont / Irvine, CA
07 c230 sport
lol nope, my car felt as solid as ever. i got new hardware when i got my wheels and everything has been ok for like 6 months. maybe constant running over pot holes on highways loosened my lugs.
i definitely will keep my wheels on check from now on. thanks for the help guys.
and my wheels have like a 3.5 inch lip on the back? lol
i definitely will keep my wheels on check from now on. thanks for the help guys.
and my wheels have like a 3.5 inch lip on the back? lol
