XSeries-forum

Just changed the wheels to the winters today and noticed that one of the bolts was a bit stiff to get out and the bolt looks a little silver compared to the others which are all a bit oily black.

When refitting it back a I used a different bolt in that hole but again was not great to tighten, stiff to turn then a little less until the torque value of 140.

As this seems to indicate that I could have trouble in the future, is there anything I can do when I swap the wheels over again in the summer to deal with this? Should I change the bolts as well at that stage or just pray that it remains ok?

If it has cross threaded then I'd just get re-tapped. Changing bolts (as you've found) will not help and you'll just keep cross threading bolts.

Next time you take the wheel off, try 'blowing' the thread clear with compressed air (mind your eyes) first so you can see what is going on, then prob best to do as Raj suggested and run a tap through just to clean everything up.

Doing this now should help prevent any further damage to the hub.

Hope that helps

If its been threaded then that thread is now naff, only a matter of time before it fails. Putting a bolt in and out will not help matters, try also not to over tighten this thread.

Option 1 is new hub
Option 2 re thread

Now 2 options on re threading

1 drill and tap the next size up or drill and tap and fit a helicoil, helicoil will allow you to keep the same size bolt you would need to check the sizers though.

Best bet is to get second hand hub, or take yours to an engineering firm. Should only take half hr at the most.

A few things can have caused this
If its been over tightened, this will bur the thread and then on the way out rips the thread. If the bolts been put on at a garage, the bolts pick up crap off the floor then rips the thread on the way down.

You can tell by looking at the thread how or what direction it's been thread ed or bured.
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I'm surprised you don't get some of your staff to do this dirty work for you!?

Thanks guys, when the spring comes along and the wheels have to come off again I will do that.

At least the car is not used very often anymore so if it is off the road it does not matter for a bit (after any snow that is of course)

535 - staff has the day off on sunday, you think I am such a heartless employer that I force them to stay 7 days a week?