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  #1  
Old 12-31-2014, 11:38 AM
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Lug Nuts! A Tale of Misadventure

Hello Peaches,

My W111 has been in storage for a while. I needed to replace the hydraulic clutch hose. Life got busy with other stuff. So the Emerald Bullet had to wait for love and attention.

It has been about two years since I parked it. Thought I should check the tire pressure before rolling the car out of the garage. While adding air to the rear passenger side tire, the air nozzle got stuck on the wheel valve. I panicked at the point where over-inflated tire should explode and yanked the nozzle which pulled away the top of the valve.



I was disgusted. Luckily I do have a spare.

I jacked up the car slightly and pulled the hub cap off. Then I started to remove the lug nuts. They would not budge. Good thing I was in my garage where I have tools above and beyond my emergency kit in the trunk. I grabbed a three-foot section of pipe for leverage. It would not budge. I stood on the pipe will all my weight. The only thing that gave was the 17mm socket. I have never cracked a socket before!



I called a friend for advice. He suggested soaking the nuts and bolts in penetrating fluid. Over a two-day period I applied penetrating fluid morning, noon and night. On the third day I managed to get three nuts off with the leverage of the three foot pipe. Each nut that gave made that breaking sound. The last two appeared to be stripped and would not let go of their grip on the stud. More penetrating fluid did not help. Tapping with a hammer did not help. Gripping with a pipe wrench did not help.

I


I pulled out my grinder and cut the two nuts and bolts off. The wheel would not budge. Tapping with a hammer did not do it. I braced an eight foot length of two-by-four lumber against the frame and pushed on the wheel with no effect. The next step would be drilling the bolts out.

I started with small steel drill bit, then one size up, then another size up until the bit I was using matched the lug bolt thickness. I pulled on the wheel and it would not budge. Applied force with the two-by-four again and it would not budge. Finally it gave with my friend hitting the wheel with the hammer while I applied length of wood. What a nightmare!



Now I have to replace the lug bolts I destroyed. Mercedes wants $35.00 for the bolts and $15.00 for the nuts. Luckily, I have a spare rear axle with lug bolts attached. In preparation for removal, I am soaking them in penetrating fluid.

How do these bolts come out of the hub that holds them?



Thank you in advance for your advice.

Happy New Year!

Jeffrey

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Lug Nuts!  A Tale of Misadventure-drilledouthole.jpg   Lug Nuts!  A Tale of Misadventure-lugbolt.jpg  
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  #2  
Old 12-31-2014, 11:42 AM
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An added thought....

Why did the tire store install the wheels with a compressor powered impact wrench? If I was stuck in the country with a flat tire, a massive inconvenience and towing bill would have been the result.

Correct torque is 81 Foot Pounds or 110 Nm.

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Lug Nuts!  A Tale of Misadventure-torquespec.jpg  
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1962 220Sb ~ The Emerald Bullet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx6tN1W48_o
1957 Ponton 220S

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The Universe is Abundant ~ Life is GOOD!http://www.classiccarclock.com
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  #3  
Old 12-31-2014, 12:53 PM
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Sorry for your troubles. I've learned to ask tire stores to hand torque the wheels and watch to be sure they comply. I had an instance where I couldn't get the bolts loose out on the road. I now carry a breaker bar and 17mm deep socket in the trunk because the Mercedes-supplied wrench just doesn't cut it.

I'm not sure, but I think those studs just press out from the hub, at least that's how it was on other brands I've owned. They are serrated and have an interference fit.
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  #4  
Old 12-31-2014, 01:13 PM
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I tried tapping on the studs with a hammer. I do see serations. Is there a special tool for pressing out?
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  #5  
Old 12-31-2014, 01:26 PM
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None that I've ever seen. If you don't want to try a bigger hammer, I suppose you could rig up a big C clamp with some kind of relief on the inboard side (hardwood with a drilled hole, or large washers). Get the C clamp as tight as you can without destroying it, and tap on the hub near the stud.

Me, I'd try some PB Blaster and a bigger hammer. In desperation,maybe some well-directed heat without frying the seals.

Good luck and let us know.
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Old 12-31-2014, 01:44 PM
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Since you have the axle out why don't you run it up to a local machine shop and have the studs replaced? Save yourself some grief and ensure the studs are pressed in properly.
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  #7  
Old 12-31-2014, 01:55 PM
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I missed the detail of the axle being out. Mike D's advice is probably the best.
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  #8  
Old 12-31-2014, 02:34 PM
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The axle is still on the car with lug bolt nubs. I have an extra axle to cananalize for lug bolts. Appreciate the thought about how to get the donor lugs installed. I figured it would be reverse of pulling lugs, but had not thought about pressing them in.
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  #9  
Old 12-31-2014, 03:06 PM
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This is what you need a good impact wrench for. Usually, rather than snapping a stud, an impact will actually loosen the offending nut; an impact hammers dozens of times a second and this is what is needed.
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  #10  
Old 12-31-2014, 07:42 PM
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Pressing them in isn't too bad. Just a bit more trouble.

Put the lugs in some dry ice for an hour or overnight in the freezer. Use some big washers and a spare lug nut to pull them into place. A sploosh of Never-seize is a good idea. Best to use an impact wrench to pull them into place.

Use a B.F.H. and the "blue wrench" to remove them.
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Old 12-31-2014, 08:04 PM
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Looks as if your drums have the threaded holes (6mm or so, I forget the exact size) to allow easy removal from the axle. Find three bolts of the appropriate diameter and pitch. screw them into the threaded hole and tighten to apply pressure. You'll be amazed at how well this system works to remove brake drumss, even those that have been in place for a long time. Speaking of that, considering the trouble you've had so far, I'll bet the brakes will be a real bear to work with.

Went to the garage on New Year's Day afternoon to measure the bolts used for wheel dismounting - they are 8 x 1.25.

Lug bolts are pressed into the axle ends. Sometimes they come out easily if you're lucky. Not sure in your application if there is enough room to remove/replace the bolt without undoing the axle. In any event, be careful of applying too much force, i.e., a big hammer, to the lug bolts as that is an easy way to damage the axle and its bearings.

Last edited by ejboyd5; 01-02-2015 at 02:06 PM.
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  #12  
Old 01-02-2015, 11:29 AM
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Hi EJ,

I got the wheel off (Tire and Rim). I used the threaded holes to remove the brake drum which allows me to get to the lug bolts.

I did a brake job on the car before the new tires were installed. It was not too difficult.

The consensus seems to be that lug bolts are pressed in. I believe from feedback received that I should heat the plate and tap the bolts out in direction toward the car.
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1962 220Sb ~ The Emerald Bullet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx6tN1W48_o
1957 Ponton 220S

2001 S600 Daily Driver
The Universe is Abundant ~ Life is GOOD!http://www.classiccarclock.com
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  #13  
Old 01-03-2015, 09:43 PM
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Lug bolts swapped

Hello Peaches,

Today was productive. I installed lug bolts with help from a friend who has the right tool for pulling and pressing. The lug bolts came off the spare rear axle with pressure and a few hammer taps. Same with destroyed lug bolts on he car. The bolt heads are serrated. We pressed in the "new" bolts and put it all back together. Cheched the tire pressure and I am done for the day.

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1962 220Sb ~ The Emerald Bullet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx6tN1W48_o
1957 Ponton 220S

2001 S600 Daily Driver
The Universe is Abundant ~ Life is GOOD!http://www.classiccarclock.com
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  #14  
Old 01-20-2015, 11:15 PM
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Generally, the correct six-point impact socket will not break, or strip the nut.
Have you tried removing any of the other wheels?

Happy Motoring, Mark
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  #15  
Old 01-21-2015, 11:41 AM
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Hi Mark,

The nuts were seized tight. Two were partially twisted or beginning to round.

I have not tried to remove the other wheels yet. But that chore is on my list.

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1962 220Sb ~ The Emerald Bullet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx6tN1W48_o
1957 Ponton 220S

2001 S600 Daily Driver
The Universe is Abundant ~ Life is GOOD!http://www.classiccarclock.com
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