AMGSC

I just came home after watching my Boys from Troy kick some Big Red A$$ and found a car parked outside my house under a tree with the driver still sitting in the dark. So I loaded my 9mm automatic and took my flashlight out to meet him. I walked toward the car with one hand on the trigger and with the other flashed into the driver seat. You should see how fast he took off! Maybe I'm paranoid or it was just a young couple making out or two teens doing drugs in the car but I'm not ruling anything out at this point but I still think the shop F'd up.

AMGSC

I have to admit that was pretty funny! but maybe I could develop a safe lug lock that not only prevents theft but from these hazardous situations from occuring. Thanks for the idea!

AMGSC

I saw these clowns using a power drill to rethread all four wheels with my own two eyes yet it did'nt dawn on me that it was dangerous. I thought they were doing me a favor by cleaning out the rust although I could only see a little bit on my rear passenger wheel because I always park it on the driveway next to the sprinkers. They also did not hand tighten nor use a torque wrench. They used the impact wrench as I was watching them during the entire install. I guess I need more common sense sometimes.

FrankW

sorry to hear what happened, but that's basically your problem. rethread the hub/lug fittings? good luck trying to pin the manufacturer that has nothing to do with this.

AMGSC

Yes, Put me down for another one along with a rear diffuser unless of course the car is declared totaled. I should know by Monday when the insurance adjuster meets me at MB Long Beach.

MBenzNL

...isn't this obvious enough?

rethreading the wheel lugs due to rust doesn't even apply to 30 year old benzes - that is plain BS

greetingz,

jgsx

nice to see that you still have a sense of humor even after the wipe out

aintME

If it was a factory defect or warrantable work, you kind of F’d yourself by allowing the wheel shop to redrill. Was this a reputable wheel shop? I might have missed this but, did they need to drill to REMOVE your factory bolts? Or was the fitment issue just with the new bolts? I mean, they didn’t try to do something silly like bolt these wheels onto your car using a 14mm bolt vs. 12mm bolt right? Either way, it sounds like they screwed you over. I HOPE you don’t go back to them for future work…

AMGSC

Would you believe that I was actually on my way to have them install my Bilstein PSS9s (Bought on Ebay for $1650) when this happened?

genechien

lol...you've got the worst luck dude. sorry to hear about your car but glad that you're not hurt. hopefully insurance totals the car and you can start fresh.

patrick_y

That's just a terrible terrible terrible story. Just a terrible accident.

I'm sure that I speak for the entire forum that we are all glad you are alive and well and have not sustained any major injuries.

As for the cause of the accident, the fact remains, you should find the wheel shop or manufacturer at fault and have them put out of business so that way other people will not have to suffer the same consequences. This is a civic duty you have for all of humankind and to protect yourself from another person who has the same situation who hits you and god forbid injures you or someone you know.

Take care and seriously, best of luck. It is just terribly unfortunate that you have been put in such a disagreeable situation. I sincerely hope that nobody else was injured by car body parts that you might've left behind.

Knock on wood, I hope something of this nature doesn't happen ever again.

Trekman

when did you buy the rims? if you have new rims and those rims came with new bolts why is it rusted?

jkwon101

that must have been scary...

AMGSC

My car is only 9 1/2 months old so the stock AMG rims should not have rusted bolts yet that's what they told me. The new rims were purchased only 4 weeks ago and they replaced the stock bolts with chromed ones. I think these chromed bolts/lugs were the only ones that matched their rims. I don't think they really fit my hubs so they they drilled them to force the lugs to fit.

The shop refused to acknowledge any fault even when I offered to have them pay my $500 deductible and I take care of the rest through my insurance. Now I'm going to report them to the Insurance company so they can recover through subrogation. I will also sue them for some minor personal injuries. My back and neck are starting to tighten up, my body aches and I felt drowsy this entire weekend, event during the Trojans victory. Sometimes the affects hits you later.

RawAMGpower

Can you say what street they are located on or what part of the city they are in? I hope they aren't on Sepulveda Blvd. in West LA or on Westwood Blvd. in West LA, because I'm going to be doing stuff at those shops.

the101dragons

I'm seeing rust on my rear brake calipers.

To my understading, wheels are mounted by a bolt instead of a nut correct.

Trekman

man that sucks. if it was the correct bolts then they should have not had a problem. if they did they should have told you what they were gonna do. I hope you resolve this problem, was me I wouldnt want the car anymore, I would have the Insurance pay the car and I would buy a new one

EV0LVE

yeah give us an idea "where-not-to-go"

WishforE55

man hope you get is sorted these cowboys should be put out of business. Drilling the lugss with a power drill that is scary, wheels and hubs etc are one part of the car you don't want to stuff around with.. Glad you came out of it ok though.

advans

oh my...glad ur ok. hope everything gets sorted out

ctC230K

Did you see this rust on the wheel bolts/lugs with your own eyes? The rust story could have been a coverup for them ordering the wrong size lugs and since they already chromed them they didn't want to pay to send them back and get the correct one. Then they tell you it's rusted and they have to drill them out to fit.
Either way that sucks man, glad you're ok. Do you have a picture of your car on the flatbed? I would like to see what the car looked like after it went through all that.

pshek

Ditto. Rust or no rust, it sounds like they used the wrong size lug bolts. Chrome is not a factor either. Lug bolts are so cheap, it's not worth messing around with it. Like $2 each. It's totally wrong and inexcusable if they did try to rethread the hubs. I'd have the guy who installed those wheels on a frying pan now. Don't with them and tell them that you mean business.

MARK CUMMINS

Contact Your Lawyer asap re this

Please save ALL the parts Lug Bolts and Hubs!...They will be needed !!!
Sounds like the tire shop in Question screwed up BIG TIME

The ONLY reason the hubs need to be chased/retapped is when some fool crossthreads them! Not from Rust as rust Will NOT form when a Lug Bolt is Installed into the hub...UNLESS the lug bolt is to short and some one tries to install a longer lug bolt.....Chrome lugs will NOT cause this...

Yet another reason I have a torque wrench and soft socket in the trunk...
I Request them to use a breaker bar to remove them and to HAND start the lugs then Torque with a Torque Wrench..NOT a Impact cranked up to MAX air pressure

Gotta love the tire shops with Impact on Impact off...

AMGSC

Thanks for the advice everyone. The bolts are still on the three other wheels but the I can't locate the ones that came off. (Somewhere on the 405). The towtruck driver was nice enough to search for, find and retrieve my fugitive wheel about a 1/2 mile north of my wreck. I only have the wheel as evidence and I know that the tire was fine (did not blow).

I will post pictures when I get back home.

the101dragons

pics so I can compare to my rear hubs and stuff