Changing Tire Disaster
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Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 264
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From: Northern VA
2021 GLE 450
Changing Tire Disaster
I had one tire blow out on me while driving over the weekend. I already had 2 flats on this car and this is my second set of tires. This one was my fault as I have not been keeping track of tire pressure. Noticed tire was low, and filled it with air. By now, it was probably too late as tire was really worn down. When I took off the tire, you could see a lot of the steel belt showing through.
Anyway, I changed a lot of tires in my day, so I never resorted to the MB manual, and changed two tires on this car before with no problem. However, after removing lug nuts off this tire, I was not able to take off the tire. I read the manual, and it mentioned having to put in a special lug after taking one nut off (VDOT tow guy mentioned this to me as well). My wife and niece was trying to help and ended up yanking the car off the jack!! Fortunately, the tire was still on, so I jacked it up and successfully removed the tire. But the dumb car falls off the jack again w/o any tires on it!!! Of course, I'm sh-tting my pants now (excuse the language). Fortunately, after additional failed attempts to jack up the car, a VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation) tow truck pulls up behind me, and gives me a hand. I thank my lucky stars as I probably would have to wait forever if I called up AAA.
Does anyone know whether car would be badly damaged from falling off jack? I bought new tires, and car seem to drive ok, but I'm going to take car to dealer next week. Also, does anyone know where this special lug nut is?
Anyway, I changed a lot of tires in my day, so I never resorted to the MB manual, and changed two tires on this car before with no problem. However, after removing lug nuts off this tire, I was not able to take off the tire. I read the manual, and it mentioned having to put in a special lug after taking one nut off (VDOT tow guy mentioned this to me as well). My wife and niece was trying to help and ended up yanking the car off the jack!! Fortunately, the tire was still on, so I jacked it up and successfully removed the tire. But the dumb car falls off the jack again w/o any tires on it!!! Of course, I'm sh-tting my pants now (excuse the language). Fortunately, after additional failed attempts to jack up the car, a VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation) tow truck pulls up behind me, and gives me a hand. I thank my lucky stars as I probably would have to wait forever if I called up AAA.
Does anyone know whether car would be badly damaged from falling off jack? I bought new tires, and car seem to drive ok, but I'm going to take car to dealer next week. Also, does anyone know where this special lug nut is?
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Originally Posted by jdhoang
I read the manual, and it mentioned having to put in a special lug after taking one nut off ... Also, does anyone know where this special lug nut is?
If you couldn't easily remove the wheel, it was probably stuck because of corrosion or road gunk. I'm not going to speculate if something was damaged by the car falling off the jack, since your dealer is going to inspect for damage next week. Personally, I wouldn't wait that long for an inspection.
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
The alignment bolt is for reinstalling the wheel--not needed to remove and serves no function when removing.
Any car with alloy wheels should have a coat of antiseize on the wheel's hub to prevent dissimilar metals corrosion between the wheel center and the hub. Reapply at every 6500-mile tire rotation.
You need to review jacking procedures in owner's manual as it shouldn't be so easy to collapse the jack.
You can always kick the bottom of the tire a bit to loosen a stuck wheel.
Or you can loosen but not remove the studs, lower the car back down to ground and rock it a bit to loosen the stuck wheel.
Any car with alloy wheels should have a coat of antiseize on the wheel's hub to prevent dissimilar metals corrosion between the wheel center and the hub. Reapply at every 6500-mile tire rotation.
You need to review jacking procedures in owner's manual as it shouldn't be so easy to collapse the jack.
You can always kick the bottom of the tire a bit to loosen a stuck wheel.
Or you can loosen but not remove the studs, lower the car back down to ground and rock it a bit to loosen the stuck wheel.
Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 114
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From: Montana the Big Sky Country
09 E63 ///AMG
Originally Posted by jdhoang
However, after removing lug nuts off this tire, I was not able to take off the tire.
Mine also stuck the first time I rotated tires (common problem). Clean the rust from the center of the wheel/rotar and just put a smear of grease on the circumference. I haven’t had a problem since.
Hope the car didn't get buggered up when it fell off the jack. Good luck.
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,586
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Originally Posted by lkchris
The alignment bolt is for reinstalling the wheel--not needed to remove and serves no function when removing.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 3
From: Sydney, Australia
2018 AMG E63s
As a safety precaution i have always put the spare wheel or the wheel i have just taken off, under the car just in case something like this happens.
Better to be safe than sorry.
Better to be safe than sorry.
Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 85
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From: Bucks, PA
2003 E500 Sport, 2004 E500 Wagon
Funny, I just had a flat tire when I came out of work today. $#@*! tire was stuck to the rim, dealer changed the tires last and apparently did not use any antisieze. Loosening the bolts and then setting the car down mostly on the tire and it came loose.
This is the 3rd time I have used the jack (well, 3rd and 4th since I put a plug in to hold me for a few days and put the tire back on, if the plug does not hold it will be the 5th in the morning) and it always makes me nervous. When up all the way there is precious little surface area and on an even surface a good bump would knock the car of the jack, or at least so it seems. Nice and compact design but dangerous if you needed to change a tire on the side of the road, if I had parked one row up I would have needed to drive the car to a less frost heaved surface
.
Anyone know where to get a jack pad that fits the recess the jack head fits into?
This is the 3rd time I have used the jack (well, 3rd and 4th since I put a plug in to hold me for a few days and put the tire back on, if the plug does not hold it will be the 5th in the morning) and it always makes me nervous. When up all the way there is precious little surface area and on an even surface a good bump would knock the car of the jack, or at least so it seems. Nice and compact design but dangerous if you needed to change a tire on the side of the road, if I had parked one row up I would have needed to drive the car to a less frost heaved surface
. Anyone know where to get a jack pad that fits the recess the jack head fits into?
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Out Of Control!!
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From: Boston, MA
00 MB ML55, 91 Toyota Supra Turbo(sold), 06 E500(gone), 03 BMW M3
Originally Posted by DWP
True, if you don't mind holding the wheel and tire in place with your hands while you remove the final bolt with your third hand.
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Super Member
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Scotland, UK
2019 Mercedes Benz S500L AMG Premium Plus
Originally Posted by DWP
True, if you don't mind holding the wheel and tire in place with your hands while you remove the final bolt with your third hand.
I thought that's what knees were for.....
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 586
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From: Scotland, UK
2019 Mercedes Benz S500L AMG Premium Plus
Originally Posted by Benz-E-r
Anyone know where to get a jack pad that fits the recess the jack head fits into?
Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Bucks, PA
2003 E500 Sport, 2004 E500 Wagon
Originally Posted by Fastbuck
It may be worth a try using the search function on this forum. There was a post ages ago which showed pictures with a couple of different options.
I must have missed something else....
