98ML

I was just rotating the wheels/tires (swapping front right <->front left), and i used the wheel hanger/guide pin that M-B provides in the toolkit. unfortunately, when i tried to remove it, it wouldn't come out! after some Pb blaster on the threads and some effort, I managed to get it out, but I'm pretty sure that I've stripped the threads on the rotor hat/hub. my question is, how difficult/expensive is it going to be to take care of this? the other 4 lugs go in just fine, so I feel ok driving the car to a repair shop near where I live, but I would obviously like to take care of this sooner rather than later.

i've used that hanger/guide pin countless times, so I have no idea how I managed to do this! leave it to me to screw up something as simple as a tire/wheel rotation

Rafal

Relax! You probably only stripped the aluminum guide pin thread which is extremely soft and not the hard-as-rock cast iron hub thread!
Take a good look at the pin and see if the thread is damaged. If yes, then those bits of aluminum are clogging the lug tread. You have to pick them out with a thick, sharp sewing needle and then gently screw in a well lubricated lug bolt, in-and-out, to clear it out. Buy a new pin for a few dollars from your dealer!

98ML

ok that's reassuring. the guide pin is destroyed, so i'd imagine that the threads in the hub have the aluminum bits in them. i *hope* that this can be resolved by just getting them out of the threads. thanks for your help!

Brunelleschi

the man is probably right. i am sure you just striped the aluminum in the tool. If you take your car to the repair shop, they will take use a tap set of the proper thread type to clean out the threads and you will be good to go. If you are very mechanically inclined at all you can pic up one of these tap sets at any auto parts store from probably less than thirty bucks...and it is very easy to do. Those hubs are made of hard core metal and are extremely hard to screw up by hand. Good luck man!

DJE55

I agree with Rafal above. It's not that big a deal and you should be able to correct you f up without a lot of time or out of pocket cash. I guess my question is, why are you rotating fronts from side to side anyway. Your right front should wear just the same as the left front, unless you have a problem or you're driving around with a "track set up". Also, even though the Conti's aren't directional, it's not recommended to go from side to side with these short sidewall radial tires.

E55 KEV

OK, 98mL, did you do this to your E55? If so, how did you do a left to right front swap when the tires are direction and would have to be remounted and reversed. Did you do this?

Once my wheel tool damaged the threads on my front rotor and the lug bolts would not tighten up. Took to dealer and they replaced the rotor. They tried to stick me with the bill, because of aftermarket rims so I had to argue over it being cause by using the aluminum pin from the trunk.