Max Blast

I get a feeling that most of the negative commenters haven’t found this handy tool yet.

N_Jay

Hanger pins, cheap on ebay.,

StradaRedlands

Of course in the process of rotating my wheels, I stripped the threads hub bolt holes... D'oh! I hope I can chase and clean up, but it does kinda' suck. I found the little aluminum one that came with the truck (thanks for pointing that out!!!) and used it on the re-install. Worked okay, but super delicate feeling and instantly bunged up. I just purchased one of the steel ones on Amazon, along with a 14X1.50 thread chaser... hopefully will take care of the problem threads.

DennisG01

That stinks - buggering up the threads, that is. What caused it? If you're somewhat knew to mechanical things - and I'm only guessing based on the buggering up - ALWAYS thread the bolt in by hand AT LEAST 4 or 5 threads... ideally even further. Using a gun right away is a sure fire way to strip threads. Unless there was already an issue, doing it by hand will never cross thread (if you're paying attention, anyways).

Don't forget to re-torque after about 50 miles.

StradaRedlands

I was tired and going too fast, and hit it with the impact gun right off. Knew instantly I messed up, and did the other three patiently and by hand. Hopefully can just chase it and be good to go...

optimusprime m1

I have said this about the wheel studs before . Much better to re fit a wheel with the 5 sotuds protruding from the hub . And as for the alloy screw in location bar,, if i was to screw that in my hub, and mounted the alloy wheel it would shear the location bar off.

N_Jay

You sure. With the pin, you can put it through one hole and rotate the wheel to lift it to get the other lined up. Easy as can be.

I have never sheared one on my GL320, and those wheel and tires are probably heavier than most.

DennisG01

Ah, the 'ol "bonehead" move. Yup - I'm familiar with that.

Do you use a torque stick? I've stopped using an impact gun (or sometimes still use it, but only on the "low" setting... which I've verified is only about 70 ft/lbs) because it's too easy to overtighten and I've found it's just about as quick to do it all by hand. But I've been contemplating getting a torque stick so I can use the gun the whole time (after the initial 'by hand' part, of course).

tadiguy

Yep, you need at least two hangers to take the pain out. Like someone said I've never stripped a stud before in many tire installations although I did break one once. MB was my first encounter with lug nuts and quickly grabbed a pair of extra hangers. I leave the original MB hanger in the trunk for eventual roadside spare change.

optimusprime m1

njay i am talking about the stud line up tool that came in my tool roll thats 30 years old now ...So mercedes may have made these better by now. .The one in my kit is alloy and not steel.

N_Jay

I also don't use the MB hanger. The ones I have are alloy from eBay.

I have one steel one I made from a long hardware store bolt for an old Audi I had. The factory Audi tool was plastic.

optimusprime m1

n jay so now i see why its such a good help in fitting the wheel back on . The one i have is original and made of alloy . So know this will be my nerxt years project -well one of many ..

2MERKS

Wheel pin worked for me when I swapped out my strut! Fitted like the glove.
2MERKS

DE_Bag

Just to add to the thread here: If you're cheap like me, you can make one for a dollar or so, just buy a M14 x 1.5 x 100mm hex bolt and cut the head off. Sand a nice bevel on the end to lead the wheel on.

I made two for each of my old Audis but they work just the same on the Benz.

On the Audis, it can be even more of a PITA to put the wheel on without the bar because the rotors are not screwed to the hub, so you have to line up the wheel, rotor and hub all at the same time while trying to start a lug bolt.

optimusprime m1

DF Thanks Now i have one on order to replace the alloy one in my tool kit ..

DarthVaderpa

This is the MB part number for the guide pin: A2045810074

EINSER_M

read the thread, are these finally an off the shelf solution for spacers? 2020 GLE450 AMG pack with 21 inch wheels here

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-15mm-Bolt...cAAOSws5BaWd8t

BlownV8

Those look nice but I recommend to never use spacers if possible. The money is better spent on the right size wheels than to run spacers.

lkchris

Spacers ...

you then need longer lug bolts

and a set of longer lug bolts for your spare wheel ... unless you remove the spacer when you fit it.

expl0rer

Someone already mentioned seized nuts. The nuts leave part of the wheel studs' thread exposed and it can rust, creating a problem for wheels which aren't removed semi regularly (not a problem around here by the sound of it as we all seem to change wheels twice a year and take them off for other reasons). The lug bolts have everything covered and keep the elements away from the threads.

And yes, the aloy lead pin looks semi flimsy. I wonder how many of the marketing specialists who allowed it in the final build thought that a buyer of a $80000+ car would care to change their own wheel if in need, vs. call roadside assistance.

smartin123

I fully realize that this is a 15+ year old post, but I found it, thus others might as well. This is ridiculous, and yet another example of stupidity, dumb insolence, or simple ignorance by lovers of German *****-wagons. Wheel lugs are hardened, and the rims mounted on them are either mild steel (rare these days, except for winter rims), or alloy (aluminum typically). I defy you to chew up a hardened steel thread with either - I have owned 50plus cars at this point, and changed rims and wheels about 500 times (I actually own a tire mounting machine). Not a single time have I EVER caused, found, or otherwise had a problem with a wheel lug/nut assembly as a result of hanging a rim on the stud. I found myself here because for the first time ever I was stymied by my buddy's BMW crap-mobile, and wanted to know "why" to a question to which the answer seemed simply to be "Stupid German Engineering". I thought there had to be more to it... nope!

He broke a "bolt" mounting his summer tires, so asked if could he use my lift to fix it. I said sure - I have replaced wheel lugs a dozen times on every conceivable car brand, EXCEPT German masterpieces. You get a large blunt object, say a hammer or brick (or the forehead of a German Engineer), smack the lug out the back of the hub, put the new one in with a stack of washers on the front, and tighten the lug nut to seat the stud. Done in 2 minutes. But for his car... Nooooooooo. Gotta get a broken bolt out of a blind hole in the hub. WTF??? There is absolutely no reason for this. None. The bolted assembly is identical in the end, a threaded part going into another threaded part. Who embeds a $0.25 nut an an integral part of $500 wheel hub? Germans, under the principle of must be the right way to do it since I cannot think of a harder way. He had a bunch of other issues, which we "fixed", and it was a grand adventure of swearing and marvelling at the dumb-f*ckery of German Engineering.

I found an easy way to fix it though. Sell the car, and buy something Japanese.

Sallad

You brought up an old post just to bash German vehicles??

Wow, you're pathetic.

chassis

Hub-centered wheels are a better solution to wheel balance at high speed. Hub-centered wheels use wheel bolts.

EWT

Why would a wheel with bolts center better? OEM wheels are universally hubcentric in my experience studs or bolts.

W205C43PFL

What a first post.... I have no words, really.