Lug bolt snapped (

[redlaser]

Has anyone found the secret of removing a broken 4" (96mm overall)) lug bolt from a Benz (1990 300SEL)...the bolt has snapped off the shaft and all i am left with is the rounded shaft screwed (very tightly) into the wheel...this means I cannot take the wheel off (good one Mr Benz)...I welded an over sized bolt to the shaft but only succeded ) in shearing off the small piece of shaft that was welded to the oversize bolt..I am really stuck...I have heard that the only solution is cutting off the wheel to get to the stuck bolt!!..has anyone had luck with drilling out the bolt and how did u do it?....does impact/hitting the bolt really work?..was drill and tap a success?....when and if I get this darn bolt out I will convert to shorter bolts and watch the tyre gorillas torque the bolts in...any successful bolt removals out there?...why didn't Mr Benz use studs like every other car (except the german ones)....

 

[television]

Yes the design of those bolts was stupid, have a thibner shank in the center. The steel is not hard and best to drill down. Use a small drill to get the hole centered going up to an 8mm and it should break off, once it is off, the stud bit left will unscrew. you must drill as far as the end of the radius, by levering the wheel it should break it off, the bolts are 12mm and you could us a 10mm but not as far as the face of the disc hub.

If still hard, put the other bolts back loose and lower the car and turn the steering wheel, that could also break it off once drilled

 

[redlaser]

Thanks..I will try..centring the drill over 60mm won't be easy..have u tried this method and was all OK???

 

[barose]

Help one lug bolt stuck fast!

Television could you, or anyone for that matter, advise me as I have an 07 CL500 with a really problematic lug bolt. I presume for bling Mercedes encased the head of the lug bolts in a stainless covering. The covering on the last remaining bolt is now spinning and the bolt is stuck fast. I am in the process of replacing all the lug bolts with normal uncovered bolts but this last one is causing a great deal of grief. Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Corrosion resistance I believe as MB had an inordinate amount of corrosion problems when they dumped ... the chemical compound escapes me now, been a long day!... in their passivate plating process.

You may have to go down the route of drilling & tapping, or welding a big nut on the end.

Perfectly good plated bolts aftermarket are now available for about £1 ea off eBay. When you fit them, give the heads a good squirt with Dinitrol rust preventative wax then fot some chrome plated placcy hex caps, dome faced, real corrosion protection and look not too bad either.

 

[barose]

Finally got the lug bolt off. The stainless cover was turning on the lug head. Managed to turn the cover off leaving the lug bolt original head. 16mm socket, broke 3 of them before it loosened. Complete set of new 17mm lug bolts now installed. Thanks for the input.