changed wheel and bolts have gone through braking system

[Ellsy Tanners]

Provided the bolts are threaded all the way up then no harm on the front (see ellsy tanners post)

Thats right, there are no set rules, all depends what you have and need, so I would check you own car and what you need and make sure your ok.

Some space saver spares have long holes for alloy bolts and some have very small holes and need short bolts.

Some alloy wheels have short bolts which dont need changing!

Not straight forward, so best familiarise your self with your car.

There was a time when we fitted a red plastic holder in the bolt holes of the spare, which had the short bolts in it, so you couldnt not fit them without seeing them. I dont think this is done any more but was a great idea.

 

[recycledjuvenile]

the bolts in the spare wheel well have thread and a non thread shank. there are 4 of them . never used them.
I have always repaced the wheels i took out, front with the spare wheel ( steel ) with the bolts i took out. All bolts are alloys .
I shall bear this in mind though, and find out if the ones i am taking out are longer or shorter than the ones in the boot.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

My Peugeot has alloy wheels and a steel spare. Same bolts are used but the steel spare has spacers welded on. The problem with Mercedes is they save on these few spacers and prefer the route of more expensive bolts.

As for a warning, we got the car new, there was no warning about these bolts. A puncture on a dark evening, reach in for the jack, which is not stored in the tool bag, reach in for the wheelbrace, no warning on the spare wheel whatsoever. An easy thing to get wrong. Yes, inside the handbook there was a warning, yes, on the bag of bolts there was a warning, but unless one knows to look you dont see it. Amazing when you consider it can destroy brakes and leave a vehicle in an unroadworthy condition. You cant spin the back wheels to check for this due to handbrake being on.

I did not fall victim to this but the logical thing is either the manufacturer uses the same size bolts or buy an alloy spare wheel from a breaker.