What's with German cars and lug bolts?
 

Hopefully some of you guys from across the pond can help me with this conundrum.

Okay, Germany makes nice cars. Beemer, Mercedes, etc... Why do they persist with their stupid lug bolts? I work in a high end tire shop, so we get a lot of fancy cars coming in for their tires. This has given me a humungous dislike of German cars simply because it's so damn difficult to get wheels on and off. For anyone who sees me saying "lug bolt" and is confused, lug bolt:

http://www.packracingproducts.com/acatalog/Lugbolt.jpg

Instead of lug nuts with studs in the wheel hubs, the hubs only have threaded holes and the lug bolts screw into them. It makes it damn difficult to line up a wheel when you put it on. You have to get the wheel lined up with the hub, then hold it with one hand (difficult with the heavy wheels and tires of a Mercedes SUV), and start screwing in a bolt to hold it. Why do they not put the things that the wheel lines up with on the car?:mad:

AAAArrrrrrghh!!!!!
 

So you are telling me that the Merc in the family will be a pain in the ass also.

We also have a BMW 540 and understand what you are saying.

Was going to get a second set of wheels for the Merc to setup for winter. All I need is another set to store and frustration to install.

Dave

Yup. Merc, Beemer, Volvo (easier, because they have a centering pin that fits a small hole in the wheel), and WORST of all, VW, which frequently has brake rotors which are not secured to the hub (ie; without the lug bolts, the rotor can turn on the hub and hide the holes, and then you have to worry about not only lining up the wheel, but doing it perfectly because you can't turn it against the rotor or you'll turn the rotor and have to start all over....:mad::mad::mad:)

That lug bolt thing is one of the stupidest ideas ever. Makes just swapping rims even a big pain in the side.

Although, Dave you might be in luck. There is a tool that makes the whole thing easier. It's a small threaded rob that fits into the holes in the hub. You can use this to keep the wheel from falling off the car when removing it, and to center the wheel when putting it back on.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...VWAUDI_pg1.htm

In my experience, it's fairly common for Mercedes to include one of these in the roadside spare kit. If you have one, it'll make life so very much easier. If not, try swinging by the dealer and asking for one.

I've never had a probelm with the lug bolts I guess to me it's just second nature. Snap on makes a tool that is basically a threaded pin you screw in in one of the lug holes and slide the rim on it and all of your holes are lined up..
I've never used it. But snap on dealer tryed to sell it to me. Mercedes used lug bolt because they are stronger than a stud & lug. The only thing I hate about those damn things is when a tire shop hammers them on with an impact and stretches the bolt so much. that when I get it in I can't get the lug out. and end up break the head of the bolt. and have to drill it out. Pain it the A$$. what is so hard about use a torque wrench.

you can get around that lugbolt pretty easy !! just buy a set of the smallest spacers you can get !!!!! but mind you over here spacers are 300 a set and the nuts just under a 100 so you have to decide.... bit of extra effort or bit less weight in the wallet lol

they do the same thing on AG tractors too...talk about heavy and a PIA to get it to line up :(

I feel your pain (in my back)

I have a porsche, but they did not do the lugbolt thing luckily.
However, either porsche is an idiot or the idiot that owned the car before me put plastic:confused: lug nuts on it and I broke one the first time I took off a wheel.:mad::mad::mad:

my 928 had alloy lugnuts that weighed almost nothing in your hand. very strange but cool. nothing but a torque wrench got near them - if i remember right, the torque spec wasn't very much.

Porsche's are fairly easy to work on. They aren't 1988 Subaru GL easy, but much easier then most near exotics.

Maybe they are alloy. Quite surprising when you pick them up at how light they are. This made me think they where some after market plastic crap, but now that I read that you also had some light weight ones, guess they are probably stock.:eek:
They are Definately the "cheapest" thing on the car I have found so far.
And I dont see why they would use something so light to hold the wheels on.:confused:

The lighter the wheels, the less inertia. That's why those stupid 20" chome wheels make a car handle like a truck.

It isn't strange untill you take the wheels off a Vanagon

Front bolts

Rear studs

:confused::rolleyes::lol:

uh.....they aren't "cheap". they reduce unsprung weight, and they hold the wheels on just fine. :) they just aren't meant to be torn off with an air gun. i think they were only spec'd to 75-80 ft-lbs.