Fasthound

Dealer fixed the scuffs on the two front wheels on my 07 sl55 (from previous owners) when I bought the car from them. Three weeks later I have FOUR bolts backing out (030 performance package...same wheels as SL65).

Does anyone know the torque settings for these puppies?

Funny (well, maybe not so funny) thing is that the car has been back in their shop for other things and they didn't notice this at all. I just noticed it last evening. Won't drive the car again until it's resolved.

Pics attached.

Thanks for any help.

okbarnett

you should take them out and ut some thread lock- blue- on them. about 11 lbs

Fasthound

The dealer just called me and told me 32 lb-ft of torque? But we are all agreed on the blue lock-tite!

Also, anyone know what size "socket" I need? I don't have anything that big or even that shape (that number of "teeth").

okbarnett

I think they are 12 point torx, but I think they also looked up the wrong spec. Those are about 5 or 6mm bolts. I have the same and its 11 lbs- max

Fasthound

Thanks. Doesn't matter at this point. Several of the bolts are just spinning in their sockets....threads won't engage. I have told the dealership to come get the car on a flatbed because at this point I have no faith in the bolts on the two front wheels.

We'll see what happens. I spare everyone my thoughts on this whole thing.

okbarnett

it sounds fishy, the dealer had the car and were supposed to fix the wheels. Now the bolts are out and seem to not be screwed in right. It sounds like somebody had the wheels completely apart and didnt put them togather right.
They may have sent them out to a wheel shop and they took them apart and refinished them. But didnt put them back togather with the right wheel bolts.

Fasthound

They did send the wheels out and clearly they guy, while doing a stunning job of fixing the curb rash, failed to torque the wheels correctly. And the valve stems are shorter...something I had already pointed out to the dealer...I can't use standard air gauges with standard fitting because the valve stems are too short. I was told it was standard and nothing we can do about it....yeah, right! Well, so now it's very much their problem to resolve. My guess is that I am going to demand new wheels since I have no way of knowing how badly the wheels are screwed up. and what's to stop the guy from just gluing the bad bolts in the holes...clearly the dealership isn't checking their work, so anything is possible.

I am furious about this, but I just have to assume they will get it straightened out. I have not been impressed by their work so far. car has had to go back to fix things that should have been fixed in one visit. I have to say that I've had more trouble in a month with the SL55 than in two years with my Ferrari F430. And I've NEVER had to take the Ferrari back because it wasn't serviced properly to begin with.

So far I am not loving MB ownership and it's because of the dealer!

MB USA will get a call from me about this whole issue depending on what the dealership does to make it right. We shall see.

EXECMALIBU

The SL65 AMG 19 inch 2 piece wheels cost $2,400 each and the ones made in Germany (by BBS I think) are total JUNK!

I have an SL65 and have already had 3 sets of the 2 piece wheels on my car in 18,000 miles!

The wheels will look like new and look absolutely perfect and original with not a mark on them but can have a slight flat spot also with no evidence of damage to the tire either!

Hit a pothole and they can bend though the tire because they are not strong enough for the weight of the car! The car still will drive fine and you will not feel anything but on a wheel/tire machine you will notice it on the inside. Usually the flat spots are very minor and the wheel balances fine. Also all of the tire shops have told me not to worry about it but a $2,400 wheel should not bend...

The wheels on the CL65 look identical but are different in offset and are made in Italy by Chromadora the same company that makes wheels for Ferrari. The Italian wheels are probably stronger.

I also had one apparently perfect unbent wheel that leaked from one of the bolts! I very carefully heated the bolt and was able after 30 minutes to get it out undamaged and then tried sealant. The leak slowed down from needing air every 2 days to needing air once a week but it was not fixed!

Basically the bolts usually CANNOT be removed! Some of them might come loose but there will be a bunch that either strip the heads or the threads... They are titanium and permanently locktited in!

The small bolts are 12 point star and if removed will often strip the threads in the wheel! I have seen wheels where the wheel company tried to glue the bolts!

If the dealer sent the wheels out to be repaired and they came back with loose/stripped bolts then you have a claim against the dealer... MBUSA will do absolutely NOTHING!

The dealer will say the wheel was damaged before and that it is on you... Been there done that

Good Luck!

Fasthound

Well, here's a good news story about a dealership's service department.

They sent a flatbed (with a loaner car!) to pick up the SL this afternoon. Dropped off the loaner and picked up the SL...took all of 5 minutes.

Just received a call from the dealership service manager....he agreed the wheels were hosed up, took ownership and responsibility for the problems, and they are buying and installing for me two brand new wheels...and those are not cheap wheels.

Yeah, maybe it shouldn't have happened in the first place, but it did (no company or service department or individual is perfect...not even me), and the dealership didn't hesitate to offer to take care of the situation once it was presented to them.

So, for all the negative dealership stories we all have and have heard, this is a good one with a good ending.

luvasl55

Glad the issue was resolved in a professional manner, hopefully they will learn from the ordeal. It pays to be persistant.

EXECMALIBU

That is amazing! Good to know that they were honorable and did not start with the excuses...

What dealer? Because they deserve a lot more business from our members for their positive response...

okbarnett

You ought to thank him, it pays to be friends with your dealer