cross threaded wheel bolts and hub - need help

s_b

hi some mercs do indeed have different bolts fot the steel spare wheel and obviously it warns of this in the owners handbook
the tyre fitter has done nothing wrong other than get your spare back on and out of his property
it really sounds to me you need a hub and new bolts,im sure these would be available vis somewhere like ebay and ask a local indi to fit for you
i WOULD NOT drive this car in the condition you describe as its possible the wheel could come off

user1168934

s_b wrote: »

hi some mercs do indeed have different bolts fot the steel spare wheel and obviously it warns of this in the owners handbook
the tyre fitter has done nothing wrong other than get your spare back on and out of his property
it really sounds to me you need a hub and new bolts,im sure these would be available vis somewhere like ebay and ask a local indi to fit for you
i WOULD NOT drive this car in the condition you describe as its possible the wheel could come off

I am not blaming the tyre fitter by any means. He was a nice chap and very helpful.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Even Peugeots fitted with alloys but a steel spare have collars welded to the spare wheel bolt holes so the one set of bolts does the job, its another poor show from Mercedes that they couldn't come up with this solution.

No doubt its written in the handbook somewhere which is what everyone reads on a wet night on the side of the road don't they, well maybe they do but i just get the spare out and sling it on as no doubt most of us would.

If you have locking wheel nuts its possible you have 4 of the correct alloy wheel bolts in the locking wheelnut pack.

I agree with the poster above, another hub it is, Merc can be one of the cheapest for spare parts or the most expensive, you won't know till you enquire, however there should be dozens of these in the scrapyards so a used hub would be my choice.

Mankysteve

It'll need a new hub is the threads are mush. Which on the car may or not be that expensive.

EdGasket

It's a Mercedes A class problem; stupid design requires different bolts if you fit the spare. Wind in the normal bolts and you wreck the hub. (my manager managed to do this twice; rolleyes)

ohreally

Is there any reason the threads cant be re-cut?

Brooker_Dave

Front wheel won't be a problem, you just used some thread that's usually caked in grime.

Rear hubs are an issue as the longer bolts hit the handbrake shoes.

Take it to a proper garage if you're concerned.

Brooker_Dave

EdGasket wrote: »

It's a Mercedes A class problem; stupid design requires different bolts if you fit the spare. Wind in the normal bolts and you wreck the hub. (my manager managed to do this twice; rolleyes)

Almost all Mercedes have short bolts for steel wheels and longer ones for the alloys, I don't see why OP has damaged his front hub?

gilbert_and_sullivan

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

Almost all Mercedes have short bolts for steel wheels and longer ones for the alloys, I don't see why OP has damaged his front hub?

Usually Merc alloy bolts have a section of unthreaded shank ot the top the bolt which sits in the alloy wheel, by bolting the thin steel wheel on tight the unthreaded shank has butted up to the hub yet the wheel wasn't tight so the unsuspecting fitter kept going probably with an air hammer, hence digging out the threads.

arcon5

Have they been overtightened causing th thread issue?