Can not remove Cross threaded wheel nut CLC

[Nikki2512]

Need some help since cannot remove wheel bolt on CLC which keeps turning. Believe the thread is cross threaded and fear it is my fault for over tighting. I was concerned not to leave too loose and believe I have overtightened since had not got a torque wrench, how silly !

Any ideas as to how to get the bolt out. Intend removing the other 4 bolts and trying to turn remaining bolt whilst applying pressure from behind to try and get bolt to engage, but think this will be more difficult than it sounds and a multi person job. Is there any garage that would be able to help since initial tyre centre ran a mile, or is this a Mercedes main dealer job?

Also now need replacement set of 4 locking bolts B66470143 and 16 wheel bolts A0009901007 original specification for a CLC. Looking for new or v good rust free condition. Thanks if you can help. Nikki

 

[Craiglxviii]

You can buy wheel bolts off eBay easily and cheaply enough, they cost around £1.00 each. Check your thread size, some are M12 and others M14.

If you've cross-threaded a bolt it should not just turn and turn- something else is going on.

 

[television]

If in any breakdown service they will do this free, possible damage to hub or bolt, lets hope it is bolt gone.

You can remove the wheel by removing the others and levering the wheel out with ´some wood

 

[Nikki2512]

Malcolm, I will try the leverage with some wood since I was thinking along same lines but not brake enough to try as yet in hope there were other ideas !

 

[Craiglxviii]

I'm thinking that you'd be going some to cross-thread a 1.5mm pitch ISO thread especially when you have the depth of the wheel's metal to line it up with. Something sounds a little odd here, like maybe you've stripped the thread and the bolt is spinning freely.

 

[Frontstep]

Once you have the other bolts out and the car safely supported, as Malcom put a big lump of wood behind the wheel and try to remove the bolt preferably with some assistance to keep leverage applied, does sound like a stripped thread.

 

[davidsl500]

The wheel bolt screws through the hub and protrudes out the back of it. If you over-tightened it severely it sounds like you have stripped the thread on the hub or the section of the bolt that is in the hub - hence the bolt just spins fairly easily. It won't pull out as the bit of the bolt protruding through the back still has thread on it.

As per Malcolm's suggestion, remove bolts and lever / wedge the wheel away from the car and see whether you can get the bolt to unscrew as it re-engages with the thread that's left at the end of the bolt.

 

[Nikki2512]

All good advise, I did not realise the bolts would be long enough to extend out of the back of the hub and will have a look. If thread is stripped off for length of bolt still in hub, it makes sence that there may be thread still left on the end which I will need to get to re-engage. Hope that it is only the bolts stripped and not the hub. I believe the hub is likely to be harder metal. Nikki

 

[Craiglxviii]

All good advise, I did not realise the bolts would be long enough to extend out of the back of the hub and will have a look. If thread is stripped off for length of bolt still in hub, it makes sence that there may be thread still left on the end which I will need to get to re-engage. Hope that it is only the bolts stripped and not the hub. I believe the hub is likely to be harder metal. Nikki

The bolt will be harder than the hub to a significant degree.

Plus, if you'd stripped the thread out of the hub the bolt would just pull straight out.

 

[umblecumbuz]

If all else fails - depending on the style of wheels you have - you could possibly grind the head off the bolt?
All depends on the wheel shape. Alloys, maybe impossible.

That would at least allow you to remove the wheel and make progress with the job.

Umble

 

[Nikki2512]

Grinding off head not an option since bolts recessed. Just hope I can use wood leverage to get bolt to re engage. Will try at weekend, fingers crossed. Nikki

 

[Xtractorfan]

What you need is an engineer to drill the bolt head starting witha small drill then stepping up in size until the head comes off. This will be your handiest and best method. trying to take a wheel off with wood or levers when a bolt is still holding is asking for trouble.
There will be a local guy who can do this for you.

 

[Submariner1]

Grinding off head not an option since bolts recessed. Just hope I can use wood leverage to get bolt to re engage. Will try at weekend, fingers crossed. Nikki

As you are not that far from me, there is a guy who specialises in removing wheel bolts
Mainy for damaged locking bolts.
The monkeys who changed the tyres before I bought mine, shredded the end of 3 non MB locking bolts.
He said he has never been unable to get one out.

I tried and tried various old sockets etc, after an Hour gave up and rang him.
He lives somewhere near Camberly and charges £60. Incl VAT with his huge variety of little tools he wipped them out in 5 mins and then said told you lets call it £50 as they were so quick.
If you want his number let me know and I will dig it out

 

[Submariner1]

OK found the guy Sorry its in Beenham , Reading RG7 5NX. Tel 07821 126599
Lockingwheelnutsremoved.com

Guys name is Lyndon

 

[Nikki2512]

Wow, thanks Submariner, I will give the guy a call since he close to me. May be a life saver. Really appreciated. Nikki

 

[Ken_R]

Stepping back a little, the possibility of the bolt being cross threaded (in the true sense) is, if not nigh on impossible, then certainly a rarity.

Hence, we have a bolt that turns but does not extract. Two possibilities. Either the thread in the hub has sheared or, that part of the thread that is in contact with the hub has sheared.

If the former, then the bolt would (with little persuasion) extract from the hub.

If the latter, then the 'contact' surface of the bolt within the hub may be stripped but, the threaded portion of the bolt beyond the extent of the hub may still be serviceable. Hence the 'serviceable' portion of the thread is unable to engage with the hub threads so as to extract the bolt.

I refer back to Malcolm as at post #3.

You need to somehow 'tension' the bolt so that the threaded (end) portion will engage with the threads still (hopefully) remaining within the hub.

The way to do that would be to insert some form of shim which could then act as (through the construction of the wheel) a lever on the underside of the bolt head. Whether that be wood or plastic, or of whatever material is irrelevant.

 

[EmilysDad]

Stepping back a little, the possibility of the bolt being cross threaded (in the true sense) is, if not nigh on impossible, then certainly a rarity.
.......

EmilysBrother managed it even when I specifically told him not to use the windy gun to put the bolts back in on his car. So I'd to then go & borrow a suitable tap to clear the thread in the hub

 

[umblecumbuz]

What Ken R says makes a lot of sense.

Thinking about this, it msy help to remove the other four bolts, with the weight off the wheel of course, then insert some sort of shim (the thicker the better) between the wheel/hub mating surfaces, then refit and tighten the other four bolts. Inserting a shim is going to be the hard bit, but not impossible.

This will help put the 'semi stripped' bolt under tension, which might just get it started with the clean threads that are now beyond the inner hub.

If this works, and the bolt is found to be stripped, then a new bolt should solve the problem. If it's a stripped thread in the hub, then more work is needed.

I have always found that tightening wheel nuts to a lesser extent than expectations dictate is the best way. I just nip up each bolt in turn, then give each an extra small torque. Never do I heave on the wheelbrace!

Umble

 

[Ken_R]

then refit and tighten the other four bolts. Inserting a shim is going to be the hard bit, but not impossible.

I wasn't intimating anything quite that drastic, merely suggesting getting someone to 'lean' against the shimmed wheel.

Although, obviously using wheel fastening opposite to the errant bolt would help to provide a leverage force, if done carefully.

What is probably needed as a shim is something like a tapered plastic spacer(s) as used by the Glazing industry.

Ask at a Glazier shop and they will probably give you a few. I've got loads in my garage.

 

[Submariner1]

Wow, thanks Submariner, I will give the guy a call since he close to me. May be a life saver. Really appreciated. Nikki

No problem, he is an old school type guy. Really knows his stuff.
Getting wheel bolts off is his core business.
I spent ages trying, as I didnt like the idea of driving and being unable to remove 3 wheels, but as my CL500 has 150 Nm torque setting thats ****** tight ( i think the SL500 is 130 Nm, ) add the airgun factor and no chance!

Oh dont be late, there is a timed queue. If he says 12.15 thry guy before drives off at 12.14, and his next appointment arrived as I was getting into the car.