01BlackE320

If not, do it. The lug bolts on our cars seize if they are not removed and lubricated periodically.

I had a flat tire on Sunday and went to my favorite tire shop to have it patched. The mechanic couldn't get any of the bolts out on that wheel with the impact wrench. He tried penetrating oil, impact wrench, breaker bar and finally got three of them. I should have quit then and went right to my mechanic but I let him continue until one of the bolts snapped. He plugged the tire on the car and I left and went home.

On Monday AM I dropped the car at my mechanic. He wasn't sure he would be able to remove the snapped and seized bolt without destroying the rim but with some hard work and perseverence, he was able to get them out without damage to the rim. He picked up the new bolts at Mercedes and they pointed out that the new replacement bolts are shorter because Mercedes had this problem with the older, long bolts.

Anyway, this is a reminder to remove each bolt periodically (at least once a year) and either grease them or use anti-seize compound to avoid what I just went through.

Musikmann

Thanks for the tip. We should be rotating our tires at least once a year anyway so just lube the bolts at the same time.

RobertG

If you rotate your tires on regular basis and torque your bolts to spec you will not run into that problem.
I dont think that it's a good idea to lubricate the bolts, that may lead to bolts loosening up and wheels coming off.

ohlord

lugs dry. To proper torque 80 ft lb. You never lube the lugs. Someone installed your with to much oooomph at some time in the past. A torque wrench at 18inches long take about 3/4 turn after rim contact to get to 80lb click.
Someone used far far more.


lube them and you will never get them tq'd properly and may see your own wheel and tire combo go rolling past you someday

suicidal4life

80 is a lot less then a lot of other cars. I don't think all techs realize the torque is so low on these cars. I have a friend who is an ASE certified Chevy mechanic for 20 years and he didn't believe me until I showed him the specs in the owners manual.

ohlord

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...ndy-chart.html

ohlord

if he could not figure they were over torqued and did not stop and apply some heat via a torch to the back of the hub and then a shot of kroil.
Hack

Hint
I would not allow him to touch your spark plug boots Then he would use the torch........

01BlackE320

I did my own spark plugs (MB boot puller, yeah) but thanks for the tip. The tire shop guy was a bit of a hack and didn't have a torch. I shouldn't have allowed him to try so hard. My mechanic got the car with a broken bolt and one that was bent and seized. He managed to get them out without damaging my wheel but I have no idea how he did it. (I envisioned him with a sawz-all cutting my wheel in pieces) All I know is it cost about $200. He drove to a local MB dealership to pick up 5 new bolts for me. The MB parts guy told him that the new bolts are shorter and that it's been a common problem with the long bolts. Anyway, it's all good now.

There was a lot of rust on the end of the existing bolts.

illest

I had a similar problem after getting my fender repaired. the body shop tightened the lugs way to tight and when I had a flat it was a big problem.

01BlackE320

What did you end up doing? OK, consensus says not to lubricate the bolts, but definitely take rotate the tires and re-torque the bolts at least once a year.

illest

I took it back to the shop and had them fix it. Now anytime I have work done on the car I check the lugs before I leave the shop. Most of the time I do the work myself.

BADwayz

Lubricate the wheel bolts, ha ha.

This is why I never let anyone with an air rachet near my car. If I need new tires, I bring in the wheels and tires to be mounted, then bring them home and install myself. Almost everytime I buy a car I have to strain to loosen the wheel bolts because of the PO taking the car to Les Swab (or some other horrible tire place) for tires and over tightening the bolts.

ejsheltra

If I need new tires, I bring in the wheels and tires to be mounted, then bring them home and install myself.

I do the same. Especially with chromed wheels or clear coated wheels. They will almost always chip the finish and never tighten with an air gun.

spsinha

Lubricate the lugs?? sure if you want them to fall out. Just get some silver anti seize compound and coat the lugs. Ive been doing it for years here in Chicago and when I lived in Nova Scotia, never had a problem.

ohlord

you are just as confused as he is.
Anti seize? It affects your torque settings and the proper torque is not applied.
Dry, torque properly, done.
Same reason you don't put anti seize on head bolts or studs.

spsinha

Ohlord, as usual im am sure you are right. However, after having broken several bolts after minus 20 degree celcius winter with tons of salt on the roads I can safely say that anti-seize compound has worked great for me. The wheel bolts are probably the only place I would use and that depending on the climate you live in.

aardvark

Agree w/ spsinha

Chi-town winters and conditions change things from your calm Seattle winters, Ohlord.
It takes no time with salt and sub-zero to cause problems getting those rims off.

Aardvark. (don't buy the grease thing though)

ohlord

it was the artic. Torque wheels properly is wheels torqued properly and clean threads and clean hub faces assure no salt or sub artic conditions can get into the microscopic space between the threads and the rim. You break lugs because they were over torqued or installed without cleaning. But to each his own

Lancelot

I am now going to get a good brand torque wrench for my BD. I have two sets of rims for summer and winter, plus I did my glowplugs myself last year and already fear I overtightened these. A torque wrench comes in handy for anything!

01BlackE320

My bolts were seized from the back. When the bolts finally came out, they were all rusty at the bottom, not near the head. I'm quite certain that a dab of anti-seize would have saved me, and these 4" bolts would have torqued up just fine without my wheels falling off.

Anyway, lesson learned was that if the tire shop can't get the bolts out using their impact wrench, don't let them go crazy with a breaker bar. Either try to heat and lube from the back, or bring the car to a reputable mechanic.

lkchris

Regardless of all the stories about winter, tire shops, etc., Mercedes specifies NO lubricant on wheel bolts. Antiseize is a lubricant, BTW.

Mercedes, Bosch, etc. additionally specify NO lubricant on spark plug threads.

01BlackE320

Mercedes also specifies that their automatic transmissions never need fluid changes. Um, ok

The lug bolts can seize if left untouched for several years, whether or not they were torque'd, and the old extended bolt design can snap if you try to hard.

Once a year tire rotation and lug bolts torque'd - $25
Not needing a flat bed for a flat tire on the highway - Priceless.

patrick_y

Valuable tip!

I live in California, where I think the weather is less demanding. Hopefully I can avoid this problem since I haven't had any lug bolts installed or uninstalled recently.

aardvark

Disagree, Ohlord.
I always was the one putting on my own rims.
I Never let a mechanic airhammer, and I always do it with a 4 way when at a tire shop. It has only been 6mo and I have one rim frozen now because I didn't do what I normally do, and antisieze. I never overtorque, and am (by the standards you have shown) undertorqued.

Weather conditions, salt and other things DO make a difference .

Aardvark