cross threaded wheel bolts and hub - need help

user1168934

Previous problem : https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/69538158#Comment_69538158

I have got myself into trouble yet again I had some damage to one tyre (link above). While I was trying to get the above problem sorted, I changed the driver side front wheel and put on the spare wheel. The spare wheel is a full sized one. I had no idea that spare wheel should be put on with shorter bolts and not the ones which were used with the normal wheel. Turns out I forced the bolts in.
When I took the car to get my tyre changed, after a lot of effort they were able to get the spare wheel off. They told me about what I had done. The problem now is that the normal long bolts have lost their thread on about half length and they said that the thread on the wheel hub were also cross threaded.

They have put the spare wheel on with some copper grease with correct bolts for now and asked me to get it checked with mechanic. They said that the bolts certainly need to be changed but they are not sure about the wheel hub.
I will contact my mechanic but wanted to know what are my options now? Have I ruined the car completely? Any idea how costly it will be?
I think new wheel hub will be so expensive that I will be better off scrapping the car. Is there any place I can buy a used wheel hub?

The car is Mercedes A140 model 2000. The wheel in question is the front driver side.

dannyrst

Eh?

You managed to ruin the wheel hubs with the same bolts that were already holding the old wheel in place? How can that be possible?

oldagetraveller

"They have put the spare wheel on with some copper grease"
Hopefully not on the bolt threads? If so, the bolts will not be torqued to the correct specification and quite possibly overtightened.

user1168934

dannyrst wrote: »

Eh?

You managed to ruin the wheel hubs with the same bolts that were already holding the old wheel in place? How can that be possible?

I do not understand it completely but it has something to do with the length of the bolt which is supposed to go in. The original wheel is an alloy and uses long bolts because it is slightly thicker rim where as the spare wheel is a normal (non-alloy) which fits more closely to the hub. Sorry if this does not make sense but this what I remember from what the person changing the tyre told me. I don't know a lot about cars myself - sorry.

user1168934

oldagetraveller wrote: »

"They have put the spare wheel on with some copper grease"
Hopefully not on the bolt threads? If so, the bolts will not be torqued to the correct specification and quite possibly overtightened.

I dont understand what you mean.

The person changing the tyre told me that since I have ruined the thread on the long bolts he cannot put the normal wheel on. He told me that the thread on the hub is also damaged but for now he has put the spare wheel on with the short bolts (which I was supposed to use in the first place). I saw him putting some copper grease on the short bolts before tightening them.
Are you saying this has caused more problems?

paulstar

Don't get this at all. It sounds as if you can change the bolts fairly easily if you're supposed to do that when changing wheel type. If so, can't you just replace the knackered bolts?

Don't understand how a bolt of the wrong length can knacker the wheel hub.

dannyrst

Was the garage in question a Kwik Fit?

user1168934

I think this is an issue with mercedes or may be just using alloys - I dont know. Some relevant information is on this page (see first two para)

http://www.aclassinfo.co.uk/mypage.62.htm

very sorry if I am confusing you all, as I said I dont know a lot about cars.

facade

Happened to a colleague with an A class a few years ago. He put the steel spare on the back wheel, tried to go forwards and the car stopped with a bang.
It bent one or two of the bolts, and took him a long time to get them out, repeatedly undoing and tightening.

Luckily it only cost him new bolts, but I recall him saying he had been told it was a common mistake, and if done to the front a new hub is required. (Probably because the front has blind holes, but the back has through holes, so the bolts just poked through, and caught on something as the wheel went round)


If the rest of the car is fine, a new hub is cheaper than replacing the car.

It may be possible to clean up the threaded holes with a tap, and then if the new bolts torque up properly, it should be fine, but I think that I'd change the hub rather than risk a front wheel coming off.
(I've had a back wheel come off a mini once, wasn't particularly dramatic, but I wouldn't like to lose a front one)

user1168934

dannyrst wrote: »

Was the garage in question a Kwik Fit?

yes it was, why?

custardy

paulstar wrote: »

Don't get this at all. It sounds as if you can change the bolts fairly easily if you're supposed to do that when changing wheel type. If so, can't you just replace the knackered bolts?

Don't understand how a bolt of the wrong length can knacker the wheel hub.

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=4101