Hi,

Does anyone have any recommendations on how best to paint lug bolts for a W124? My 1990 W124 lug bolts are dull/rusty and I would like to paint them with a gray paint that will be durable for when the lugs come on and off.

Also, anyone have any experience with purchasing lug bolts from this company: www.radusadirect.com

Thanks for your recommendations.

Louis

aren't your lugs capped with an aluminum cover?

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

My lugs don't have an aluminum cover on them.

I looked into painting lug bolts awhile ago (when I had a 123) and decided that the only way was to paint them on the car (and hence, matching them to the color of the wheel). The first time you removed the lugs the paint would be damaged so you'd be forever touching up. In the end, I used a wire wheel to remove as much oxidation as I could and put them back on the car as-is.

I've no experience with the company you mentioned.

Jeremy

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

You might be better off with a set of lug bolt caps -

http://www.radusadirect.com/product/99-9712-C/17mm-Chrome-Lug-Bolt-Covers.html

Or have the lug bolts anodized rather than painted.

Sixto
87 300D

All the 124's I have seen have aluminum caps on them. I have 5 124's in my yard.

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Yep, my W124 has the caps.......most of them that is. I'll be acquiring new ones when I get the car repainted.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Any recommendations on what internet sites to purchase new lug bolts? What are the measurements for a 1990 W124 lug bolt?

With some caps missing, and all the others looking worn... I've been thinking of either removing them all and leaving raw holes or finding new caps but don't want the chrome ones, or ... same as you, paint?

Here's an idea I haven't tried: take the caps off, clean and dry the holes, fill the holes with grey colored silicon sealant / gasket maker, overfilling them a bit. Then take a small piece of cellophane to cover the goop and press on lightly with a flat or maybe slightly domed surface. Using enough material to cover the bolt edge to edge with about 1/16" (2mm) excess thickness above the metal (creating a "mushroom" of goo). Let dry and peel off cellophane, trim excess flush along 6 hex edges. It ought to look like a plastic cap of sorts and should be very durable. I've done this kind of thing filling allen key bolt heads on my bicycle to prevent theft of parts, and has held very well for years.

For sure wheel heat would not be a problem, nor grime, and these should stand up to repeated lug R&R's.

Dunno?

__________________
Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D