W126 AMG Aero 1 - bolts?

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cornershop

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560 SEC, e320 Coupe, Audi S8 D2, 87 Porsche 911
Hello peeps, can anyone advise if I need longer threaded bolts when fitting Aero 1 to a 89 SEC?

A trial fit earlier today suggests the standard bolts were fully engaged but the wheel was still loose.

Thanks
 
Actually, reading another thread on here, my standard bolts are conical, do I need flat headed bolts?
 
Hi, I have just seen your post, and I would be interested in a couple of things.

I have Penta's on my 1983 500se, and I used the original wheel bolts, and there was no problem. But I didn't make a note of whether the seat was conical or ball, and I notice that you say your original bolts are conical.

I am guessing that mine are the same, but the reason I ask is because I want to order chromed bolts from McGard and I need to specify whether the seat is conical or ball, and as I am away, working for a couple of weeks, I posted the question on the forum.

I didn't get any replies, except for one from ianrandom [thank you], who said that the original bolts would be conical for the Penta rim.

Did the bolts for the Aero I's turn out to be ball seat ?

I fitted 10mm spacers on my 500, because the 8x16 rim on the rear wheels tend to sit a bit too far in under the wheel arches, and I am positive that the new, 10mm, longer zinc bolts are a conical seat. This is the disadvantage of using the same wheel size all round, on the saloon. The front wheels are further out than the rears, and I think it is why a lot of sets in the States are sold as 2 x 8x16 and 2 x 9x16, for example.

I would be interested to see if the SEC has the same issue, if you fit 4 same size rims, do the rears sit a bit too far under the rear arch, and make the car look a little bit unbalanced. If it does then, in my opinion, fitting 10mm spacers makes a big difference in the stance of the car, without having to go to a different sized rim on the rear.

The reason that I want to change the bolts is that the original bolts look very shabby. I think that they may have been chromed originally but I am not absolutely sure.

Perhaps you could just give a very brief reply to say if your original bolts were chromed, and if you have to use the ball seat bolts for the Aero I.

It would be an interesting "sticky" thing to have, a listing of the bolts lengths, patterns, and seat types for the different original, and option, rims. Although it could be a lot of research to get it accurate.

parkman
 
Hi - I misspoke when I said current bolts are conical - they are spherical/ball as are the bolts required for the Aeros. The previous owner replaced the double length items that sat flush with 15 hole wheel face for these shorter items - these appear to be the same finish as the Rad bolts from alloy wheels direct.

I imagine I will have the same problem with front protruding further than the rears which is why some peeps fit et28 on the front to have them further inboard.
 
I remember looking at these wheel bolts a while ago. I just decided that I would opt for the McGard bolts because of the guarantee period they offer on the chrome.

It is interesting that you have ball seat bolts. Were the original bolts the same as the following:

Long wheel bolts.JPG

The following are the same as the ones that I replaced on my 500se, as far as I can remember, although the ones shown are are chrome non-originals;

Ball seat wheel bolts pic 003.jpg

There are a selection of different bolts used, as well:



parkman
 

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Hi - yes, the longer bolts were as you show. Are the conical and spherical bolts interchangeable ?
 
It's strange, because I always thought that the long bolts, with the extension, were from the SLC's.

I had Mexican Hat alloy rims on the car, they were the original rims that came on the car when it was new, and the bolts were the ball shaped bolts, with 28mm threaded section. They are the same as the chrome ones, but not without the chrome.

My bolts are listed as M12 x 1.5, 28mm, ball seat.

However, when I fitted wheel spacers I used the supplied 39mm threaded length bolts, but with a cone shaped seat, and they fitted just the same as the ball seat bolts.

If I was really curious then I would take off one of the rims and, with a big light, have a look into the rim mounting hole and drop in a cone seat bolt and a ball seat bolt and see if I could see any difference in the way the bolts sit into the rim.

I am sure that using a cone or a ball seat bolt will make a slightly different contact with the mounting hole in the rim, and I suppose that it could affect the way that the wheel is held on.

I do know that my Penta's are held solid on the car, because I did work them back and forth while I was tightening the bolts up, and they pulled up satisfactorily.

I see no reason at all, why you shouldn't use cone seat bolts, but like the ones in the second picture, the chrome ones, as they will sit in the rim and not stick out. The other thing is, is that I am sure that the shorter bolts must be much stronger.

You hear all the horror stories about wheel bolts breaking, but I think that they must be the long bolts. If you can imagine how much twisting torque there must be in the long bolt when trying to loosen or tighten them I am not surprised that they break off.

parkman
 

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