Stuck wheel bolts

[john2443]

Note - these are not locking bolts, just normal ones.

A few months ago I tried to take a wheel off that had been fitted at a tyre place and I could only get 4 bolts undone, the 5th, even with a 3' scaffold pole, wouldn't loosen. I assumed they'd gunned it up too tight so popped in and after a struggle using a long bar and impact gun they got it undone. I tightened it with the wheelbrace that comes with the car to be sure it wasn't overtight.

I've now tried taking another wheel off that I fitted and again there's 1 that won't undo. I've tried tightening the other 4 to release pressure on it but it won't shift, so back to the tyre shop to get them to gun it off.

Fortunately I've never had the problem at the side of the road!

Has anyone else had the problem/do you know what causes it / any way to stop it? I've never had it on any other cars.

Tx

[smudge.g]

I'm currently having this problem with just 1 wheel bolt stuck. The brakes are sticking and sometimes get a bit hot and i think this has caused my problem. Its made even worse by the fact that the bolt is starting to round off. have tried a 2ft breaker bar and my impact wrench but its not working. Next option (once I get back home from sea) is to try to hammer on a 16mm socket instead of usual 17mm or just take the car to our local friendly tyre garage for help!!

[T-Cut]

I used to smear my wheel bolt thread and cone with copper type lube, but they really should be used 'dry' to torque correctly. Use a torque wrench at 75-80ftlb. It's not as tight as you might expect. Most tyre depots over-tighten them, especially when using an air tool for tightening. And completely 'dry' bolts do tend to get stuck over time. Perhaps a slacken and re-torque plan should be included in the annual service.


TC

[HarryM1BYT]

I tell them to not tighten them just screw them up enough to get out the building. I always take a torque wrench with me and do the final tightening to spec myself with the wrench. The tyre places monkeys don't care how tight they make them or how much damage they do. Bolts and studs have been known to snap on the road, due to their being over tightened - don't trust them.


I still smear copper grease on the threads to prevent them seizing and on the wheel to hub interface to prevent the wheel sticking to the hub. I only do it once, the first time I take the wheels off on a new to me car. One application is enough. I have never had a properly torqued up wheel bolt come loose and I check them regularly.



I did once almost lose a wheel, after a tyre place had fitted it. Obviously their air pressure was low and the bolts had been left loose, I got half a mile before noticing the noise of the wheel about to come off.

[trikey]

+1 more vote for Copaslip, I have bought cars that have snapped a 1/2” drive powerbar the bolts have been that tight.

It’s the first thing I do when I get a car is to ensure the wheel bolts come out easily.

[ricardo65]

Surely every wheel that a tyre fitter fits should be torqued up correctly by the fitter I know mine are no air tools used on mine either I'm very selective where I go for tyres I even make sure they wear kid gloves 😁

Sent from my VFD 710 using Tapatalk

[KWIL]

I've had this problem, once with tyre fitter after balancing. He used his "Expensive Snap On" digital readout wrench, only trouble was that when it indicated the correct torque, he gave it one more pull, he did not like it when I went back and told him to do it properly.

Trouble was I had driven home, checked it with my own Britool wrench and could not move it however much pressure I applied so had to drive back there.

[Mickyboy]

I once had to use some Irwin type bolt removers with a big socket over the top and a pair of Stillson‘s on the impact socket followed by a six-foot scaffolding pole, and that worked on every wheel not on all four wheels took me ages but worked
Mick

[T-Cut]

As I commented earlier the use of a lubricant on wheel bolts has a significant effect on the torque setting. The MGR specified torque is for a 'dry' thread with no, or minimal lubrication. The effect of a fully lubed thread on the specified torque can be obtained from tables like this: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/t...ts-d_1693.html


The effect is surprising.


TC

[AndyN01]

I've been lubing wheel bolts or studs/nuts for 4 decades.

Never had one come loose.

Always been able to get them off, particularly useful when you get a puncture in the middle of nowhere, when it's piddling down with rain and blowing a gale. .

Thanks for the link T-Cut - appreciated.

And I get seriously cross when alloy wheels have corroded to the steel hubs and need some very unsubtle actions to get them off involving large blocks of wood and large hammers.

Is the lack of lube/corrosion inhibitor some sort of income generating plan for dealerships

Andy.