advise removing VERY tight wheel bolts

[SilverSaloon]

Hi

I discovered my rear wheel bolts have been tightened REALLY tight by the garage that put on the new tyres. I tried last weekend to remove but couldnt with the standard wheel wrench with a small bar on the end. They are just tight rather than siezed as they were only fitted about 2 months ago.

This weekend I plan to replace the rear brake pads so need to remove these wheels.

I plan to use a long scaffold type bar on the end of the wrench.

However, I'm worried about the bolts potentially snapping - any tips to do prior to attempting to remove that will reduce the chance of this?

The bolts are 1 year old FEBI steel wheel bolts (not the alloy ones) as my winter tyres are currently on the car on steelies.

thanks!

Derek

 

[E55BOF]

Couldn't go back to the blighter that fitted them, could you? An air impact wrench is the ideal tool in this situation.

 

[davidsw]

What about taking it back to the garage that fitted your wheels. An air gun will probably shock them loose rather than putting a larger wrench on the bolts.

 

[davidsw]

Beat me to it !!

 

[martyz]

I had the same experience recently,used a scaffold bar,no problems,I always smear a little
copperslip on my wheel bolts,after having the pain of removing snapped ones.
Seeing as your bolts are just a year old I would think you will be ok.

 

[SilverSaloon]

i'll gently tease them with the scaffold bar 1st otherwise i'll go back to the tyre place.

The other side were tight but came undone easily. I plan to have the scaffold bar and stand on it, hopefully they will unwind without issue then!!

 

[trapperjohn]

Sometimes if you put your wheel brace on the nuts and give it a clout with a large hammer it can help things. Even just tightening them, just a touch, quickly, but only with the hand wheel brace or spider can help.

Good Luck.

 

[E55BOF]

"Sometimes if you put your wheel brace on the nuts and give it a clout with a large hammer it can help things."

I wouldn't want anyone to clout my nuts with a large hammer......

All right, I'll get my coat...

 

[Rory]

I would definitely get to a garage / tyre fitters and get them air impact wrenched off. My FIL snapped several on his car using a length of scaffold.

 

[Howard]

I wouldn't go any longer than a 2ft extension socket to be honest.

I had a couple of snapped bolts thanks to tyre fitters incompetence last year , and I teased the rest off with a 2ft bar . Apply gentle but constant pressure.

Standing on lengths of scaffold will snap them for sure I'd have thought.

 

[martyz]

i'll gently tease them with the scaffold bar 1st otherwise i'll go back to the tyre place.

The other side were tight but came undone easily. I plan to have the scaffold bar and stand on it, hopefully they will unwind without issue then!!

Don' stand on it,slide the bar over your ratchet handle near vertical position
gently apply pressure to take up slack then shock it,they should crack then
undo.

 

[Harley Man]

once you get them undone I suggest you replace them as they will have stretched and this will make them brittle, and I would not go back to the tyre place they are clearly incompetent.

 

[jaymanek]

As long as they arent the extended shank type, im sure they will be ok...

Agreed that shocking them with the gun will be the best way rather than twisting them with the bar... although im sure both will work.

 

[mct_cars]

As above, long bar plus a tap with a hammer (by an assistant if possible), or windy gun if you have one.

 

[V12]

Steel wheel bolts will never snap.
Throw whatever you can at it, you'll break tools long before you break steel wheel bolts.

Longer alloy wheel bolts with the extended shank, especially the longer variety as fitted to the W126, these snap all day long.

 

[Howard]

Mine snapped.

Steel bolts , no extended shank , done up by tyre monkey months before.

 

[V12]

!!!!!!!!!

 

[camerafodder]

Steel wheel bolts will never snap.
Throw whatever you can at it, you'll break tools long before you break steel wheel bolts.

Longer alloy wheel bolts with the extended shank, especially the longer variety as fitted to the W126, these snap all day long.

OP please do not follow this advice.

 

[V12]

Never mind me, I've only removed thousands of MB steel wheel bolts over the years. Granted normally with a battery impact gun but the stubborn ones have been removed with a 6ft scaffold bar.

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

I bought an impact wrench years ago, a socket and a hammer is all you need for 99.9% of bolts or nuts.