Wheel Stud disaster

Mungogrubb · 11-16-2013, 05:56 AM

Anybody had any problems with the locking wheel studs?

Just swapped out my winter tyres and just about to tighten the locking stud and it broke off in my hand. To be clear not the key part but the top part of the stud that mates with the key?

Sitting in the dealer right now waiting for them to take a look, pretty shoddy though given it's a relatively important part!

Here's pick of the Dunlop 4D's before they go on, let's hope they stay on?

clinton.white · 11-16-2013, 06:24 AM

I was at a local wheel repair place a few weeks ago and he said that this happens a lot on BMW's and Merc's in particular!!

Poor quality keys, he said!!

I know it may not help now, but I do not think that you are alone!!

HTH

Proftinkerpot · 11-16-2013, 06:29 AM

Are the lock nuts not made by McGard? They are usually fine unless the key slips. I would never tighten a lock nut as tight as the other bolts as they are not as strong as a regular stud.

RobH72 · 11-16-2013, 11:18 AM

I feel for you, had similar about 3 yrs ago when I had an Audi A6. The bright fellas at my local Kwikfit sheared off the locking nut adaptor after they'd removed 3 of the wheels!
The only wheel they left on was the one with a big cut in the sidewall... Then started a week in a 1.4 powered shoe box! Not a happy camper!

HighlandPete · 11-16-2013, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mungogrubb

Anybody had any problems with the locking wheel studs?

Just swapped out my winter tyres and just about to tighten the locking stud and it broke off in my hand. To be clear not the key part but the top part of the stud that mates with the key?

Sitting in the dealer right now waiting for them to take a look, pretty shoddy though given it's a relatively important part!

Here's pick of the Dunlop 4D's before they go on, let's hope they stay on?

Were the locking bolts over tight when you removed them? We are only torqued to 140Nm +/- 10Nm, that is not really a tight M14 wheel bolt unless seized up.

HighlandPete

-AndyH- · 11-16-2013, 11:41 AM

@ Mungogrubb - Have the wheels been off before?

Too many dealers/garages use air impact wrenches and over torque the bolts. It's pretty uncommon for them to hand torque all 5 bolts...normally just one is done. Having said that, some dealers are still torquing to 120NM which is wrong for the latest BMW cars.

Flakmunky · 11-16-2013, 11:43 AM

Don't worry, they can get them out still, depending on how much of the nut is still there...

I had an MGF a few years ago and nicked a tyre coming down Hardknott Pass while on holiday for a fortnight in the Lakes... It went flat in seconds... Having to change a tyre there was not great, imagine how pissed off I was with National Tyres who had reshot the car a couple of months before and had destroyed the locking wheel nut key and put it back in the boot without telling me... It was almost useless but I did just manage to remove the wheel before it fell apart into 3 pieces.

Had to buy a new tyre in Windermere, source a new set of locking wheel nuts and have the garage replace the other three wheel nuts.

The garage told me that the locking wheel nuts should never be used with an impact wrench and that was what the problem was.

On returning from my holiday I went back to National Tyres and challenged them... Predictably their answer was 'nothing to do with us, Guv' and they have never had my business again....

Mungogrubb · 11-17-2013, 03:36 AM

Thanks guys the dealer got the stud out eventually and have ordered a new set under warranty.

They quizzed me pretty heavily on how it happened, given I haven't ever removed the wheels until now and a used a manual socket set not sure it could ever have been my fault. Anyway I reminded them that it has been in to them twice and would have required them to remove the wheels then it's more likely something they did?

Very quickly it became a manufacturing defect- funny that!

I suspect they have used the air guns or over torqued or both.

Anyway I now have one wheel with 5 standard studs for a week while I wait for a new set

ZigmundUK · 11-17-2013, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mungogrubb

Here's pick of the Dunlop 4D's before they go on, let's hope they stay on?

Hey - did you get RFTs?

-AndyH- · 11-17-2013, 08:38 AM

Was this Wollaston Northampton?

Mungogrubb · 11-19-2013, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZigmundUK

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mungogrubb

Here's pick of the Dunlop 4D's before they go on, let's hope they stay on?

Hey - did you get RFTs?

No - couldn't find RF at a decent price or the bigger problem seemed to be getting a set as I wanted to keep them staggered and I could either get fronts or rear but not both. Well Apart from Pirellis actually but couldn't find a decent review of them, although following some of the threads it's seems plenty of guys rate them?

Mungogrubb · 11-19-2013, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -AndyH-

Was this Wollaston Northampton?

Yes that's the one

11-16-2013, 05:56 AM	#1
Mungogrubb Private First Class 14 Rep 133 Posts Drives: X4 30D MSport, Carbon Black Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Northamptonshire, UK iTrader: (0)	Wheel Stud disaster Anybody had any problems with the locking wheel studs? Just swapped out my winter tyres and just about to tighten the locking stud and it broke off in my hand. To be clear not the key part but the top part of the stud that mates with the key? Sitting in the dealer right now waiting for them to take a look, pretty shoddy though given it's a relatively important part! Here's pick of the Dunlop 4D's before they go on, let's hope they stay on? Attached Images
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11-16-2013, 06:24 AM	#2
clinton.white Private 11 Rep 94 Posts Drives: 328ise F30 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Leicester, UK iTrader: (0)	I was at a local wheel repair place a few weeks ago and he said that this happens a lot on BMW's and Merc's in particular!! Poor quality keys, he said!! I know it may not help now, but I do not think that you are alone!! HTH
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11-16-2013, 06:29 AM	#3
Proftinkerpot Major 219 Rep 1,359 Posts Drives: F30 335d M Sport -Superman Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Belfast iTrader: (0)	Are the lock nuts not made by McGard? They are usually fine unless the key slips. I would never tighten a lock nut as tight as the other bolts as they are not as strong as a regular stud.
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11-16-2013, 11:18 AM	#4
RobH72 Private 0 Rep 60 Posts Drives: VW CC Gt Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Derby, UK iTrader: (0)	I feel for you, had similar about 3 yrs ago when I had an Audi A6. The bright fellas at my local Kwikfit sheared off the locking nut adaptor after they'd removed 3 of the wheels! The only wheel they left on was the one with a big cut in the sidewall... Then started a week in a 1.4 powered shoe box! Not a happy camper!
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11-16-2013, 11:41 AM	#6
-AndyH- Lieutenant 25 Rep 597 Posts Drives: F31 330d X-Drive M-Sport Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Prague iTrader: (0)	@ Mungogrubb - Have the wheels been off before? Too many dealers/garages use air impact wrenches and over torque the bolts. It's pretty uncommon for them to hand torque all 5 bolts...normally just one is done. Having said that, some dealers are still torquing to 120NM which is wrong for the latest BMW cars.
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11-16-2013, 11:43 AM	#7
Flakmunky Amateur Brain Surgeon & Olympic Knitting Champion 18 Rep 178 Posts Drives: E85, E92, F31, G31 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Don't worry, they can get them out still, depending on how much of the nut is still there... I had an MGF a few years ago and nicked a tyre coming down Hardknott Pass while on holiday for a fortnight in the Lakes... It went flat in seconds... Having to change a tyre there was not great, imagine how pissed off I was with National Tyres who had reshot the car a couple of months before and had destroyed the locking wheel nut key and put it back in the boot without telling me... It was almost useless but I did just manage to remove the wheel before it fell apart into 3 pieces. Had to buy a new tyre in Windermere, source a new set of locking wheel nuts and have the garage replace the other three wheel nuts. The garage told me that the locking wheel nuts should never be used with an impact wrench and that was what the problem was. On returning from my holiday I went back to National Tyres and challenged them... Predictably their answer was 'nothing to do with us, Guv' and they have never had my business again.... Last edited by Flakmunky; 11-16-2013 at 11:55 AM..
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11-17-2013, 03:36 AM	#8
Mungogrubb Private First Class 14 Rep 133 Posts Drives: X4 30D MSport, Carbon Black Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Northamptonshire, UK iTrader: (0)	Thanks guys the dealer got the stud out eventually and have ordered a new set under warranty. They quizzed me pretty heavily on how it happened, given I haven't ever removed the wheels until now and a used a manual socket set not sure it could ever have been my fault. Anyway I reminded them that it has been in to them twice and would have required them to remove the wheels then it's more likely something they did? Very quickly it became a manufacturing defect- funny that! I suspect they have used the air guns or over torqued or both. Anyway I now have one wheel with 5 standard studs for a week while I wait for a new set
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11-17-2013, 08:38 AM	#10
-AndyH- Lieutenant 25 Rep 597 Posts Drives: F31 330d X-Drive M-Sport Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Prague iTrader: (0)	Was this Wollaston Northampton?
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