What a pain in the butt!

I'd TRY running a tap in the holes, but my suspicion is that the threads are buggered from using the wrong bolts, leaving them loose, or grossly overtightening them.

The real (and safe!) solution is to replace the hub. Bigger pain in the butt. The hub is held on by a retaining ring on the inner side of the rear control arm, requires a spanner to remove.

You will need to pull the axle half, the remove the retainer and pull the hub out, should just sit on the bearings. I'd get new seals, too, just out of paranoia.

There are two different hubs/axle combinations -- one uses a larger bolt that the other, and the torque requirements are different. Make sure you get the correct one, although the hub may be the same.

Please don't drive with only two lug bolts on the wheel!

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!