Locking wheel bolts. Aggravation!!

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Thu Jan 05, 2023 2:36 pm

Sometimes I think my luck is cursed

The recently acquired winter wheels have been on for a while now, I got a flat tyre flag from the car Tuesday. I stopped and reinflated the nsf on the go, and got the car home, inflated again to check overnight and yes it was low again. Out with space saver, fit it and off to the tyre emporium. Not a puncture I was advised but the base of the (BMW) valve was leaking air and they had one, great, hassle saved or was it? The aluminium valve hex head immediately burred and they could not get it out. Off to the main dealer with wheel in hand.

I left it with them overnight and was pleased to get a call, wheel sorted no damage, sensor saved and valve replaced. £40.27 for a valve and labour. Swapped the wheels back again and using my pre-set 140 Nm BMW torque wrench I went diagonally and then rotationally on the bolts. Next thing I know is the wrench was on the ground via the wheel inflicting a large chip around the outer bolt hole, the BMW- McGuard tool rolling away and the machined area for the fancy Mc Guard locking system was laying on the ground having separated from the bolt.. I've now suffered a hefty knuckle thwack and the frustration of a damaged wheel.

Looking at the Mc.Guard bolt the machined area is a pseudo dummy, behind it the main bolt body has very fine splines in a recess which the machined pattern section is compression fitted into. I've hammered them back together and will buy a new set, as when I checked the other three wheels another bolt separated, thankfully with no wheel damage this time.

So replacement locking wheel bolt time, but Mc Guard again or the cheaper possibly better original BMW type with the coarse splines and nothing to break or separate?

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Thu Jan 05, 2023 7:29 pm

I bought new bolts to replace my mcguard locknuts and do away with them altogether though only found them again today (still not on though), they are such a weaklink and I always tighten the 4 up to 140nm and then use a bit less for the mcguard nut as it always seems like it might snap .If I'm ever in the tyre fitters it is removed before I get there as it can't take the ugga dugga's

The bmw preset torque wrench is a great piece of kit though well worth it

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Fri Jan 06, 2023 11:17 am

Interesting (for me) update.

I called HQ customer services, had to wait over 15 minutes to speak to someone. I told my story, no embeishments just the facts. I got the feeling from the representative this was perhaps not the first occurrence he'd heard , I'll never know of course.

After another wait while he went to consult I have been given a £350 credit to be used at any dealership for service or parts. Does that really compensate me for the hassle, grazed knuckles and a chipped wheel, not really but I confess it's a better response thant I would have guessed at.

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 11:59 am

Email from BMW with unique code for credit voucher is now received. It won't fix my damaged knuckles or the chipped wheel paint but is a reasonable outcome.

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 4:59 pm

Certainly did ok there should get you in for an hours labour these days

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:06 pm

Wonder what is is now £120 ph, or am I living in the ancient past?

Based on the recent washer bottle blockage repair that would seem about 'right', not that a labour charge of anything like that is fair or reasonable

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Sun Jan 08, 2023 12:31 am

I seen that an M specialist Evolve was charging £100/hour.now so I'd think bmw would be closer to 200/hour. I have no intention of finding out as I could not justify that money for what for the most part is bread and butter work and given the modest value of my aging X5.
I have a man can do a lot of stuff and is easy paid but once you get into trouble shooting he doesn't have the kit or experience as he is not a bmw specialist though the more complex problems will beat most of those guys too.

after that YouTube and educated guesses and past experience are my best tools I do though have many years diagnostic type experience just not car related , : if I didn't have that I'd probably be into a cheap new car with warranty and I can see how that makes sense for many people.
I an usually the last owner of my cars and I don't think I've sold a working car in 20 years now

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sun Jan 08, 2023 10:09 am

ISTR my local main dealer is £200/hr + VAT.

sapphireblack · Post by **sapphireblack** » Sun Jan 08, 2023 10:13 am

X5Sport wrote: ↑Sun Jan 08, 2023 10:09 am ISTR my local main dealer is £200/hr + VAT.

Ridiculous and surely unjustified

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Sun Jan 08, 2023 5:40 pm

I thought it would be about that now ,4 hours to the grand !

with those rates it wouldn't take long to generate an eye watering bill in labour alone which is where the extended warranty starts to make sense

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