Is this one of the wheel bolts, or one of the small shouldered bolts that locate the discs? If the latter, don't worry about it, they aren't really needed!

 

Hi rgwm, unfortunately it's one of the 5 wheel bolts and what is annoying is that i know that the bolts are only torqued to 140 Nm, so im guessing it was the wheel rim as i changed to summer wheels in March from 16' to 17" Teles.

 

...i know that the bolts are only torqued to 140 Nm...

Isn't the correct torque 83Nm to 103Nm?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMrDYJvY0Ts

 

.....heat! You may have to get some heat on it with the aid of an extraction tool. I had some snapped bolts albeit not flush and not Structural. With a set of mole grips and heat I got them out.

 

Did you just find it was snapped or did it shear as you tried to remove it? Often wheel bolts go all the way through the hub and leave a few exposed threads which corrode and pick up as they are removed. In these cases it's easier to wind the broken piece all the way through.

 

Drill it and then use one of these?
Halfords Ireland | Laser 6 piece Screw Extractor Set

 

Thanks Mike, i did look at screw extractors and Easy Outs seem only available in States while ebay seems full of cheap China kits that are not hardened and will with my luck snap.

If you know of a good kit in UK then please point me in the right direction as i am asking for pointers on which specific kit to go for.

 

Hi EauRouge

Before investing in bolt extractors try this method.
If the bolt looks 'corroded in' spray the area of the bolt thread liberally with PlusGas and allow it to do its job. Then use the centre punch, not in the centre of the bolt, but towards the outer edge and tap the broken bolt out in a counter clockwise (CCW) direction. When the bolt is out far enough grip it with mole grips to speed up removal.
If you fail to remove it with this method then use the bolt extractors.

Phil

PS. Forgot to say that PlusGas is a 'must have essential' for working on cars.

 

Crikey ! thanks guys for responses, Alfafamily it did shear as i started to remove.
P3rsky ill give your tip a go as i have all tools handy .

 

Just check the back of it for rusty threads. If it picked up coming out to snap it then no screw extractor will work.

 

Clarke CHT123 Screw Extractor & Wrench Set - Machine Mart
might do the trick

 

Screw Extractor 5 Piece Set | Specialist Drill Bits & Accessories | Screwfix.com

 

Thanks guys, have just soaked in +Gas and noticed that the thread at rear is rusted as AlfaFamily said it would be. Therefore ill buy a couple of new drill bits tomorrow and see if they are able to wind it through the hub and extract from rear, if that fails to work then I'll attempt extraction approach as i have just tried P3rsky's punch approach with no joy.

 

If you try the wind through idea, grind it off flush then drill and tap a blind hole then put a bolt in it to wind it through. Preferably an allen headed that will go through the hole and it will be high tensile. Even heat from a blow lamp will help it to move by the way.

 

Hi EauRouge

You haven't wasted your time with the PlusGas. Depending on how badly corroded it is it can take anywhere from a couple of minutes to 24/48 hours to do it's job. Whilst waiting give it a spray every now and then. It all helps.

Phil

 

Another way if you have a decent set of drill bits and a reversible drill..
good dose of plus gas.. leave for 24 hours..
find the center.. drill a pilot hole .. use progressively bigger drills , Don't go all the way through.. about half way..
when you are up to about 75% of the bolt diameter ..every now and then give the drill a shot in reverse ..angle the drill a tad to make it seize..
the drilling friction heat combined with reverse, anti clockwise turning will spin it out.

There are even reverse.. left hand.. drill bits for this purpose.. but I find a normal clockwise drill bit usually works..

As you say..If it's clear at the back.. just clockwise drilling may work..
I use easy out extractors as a last resort.. if it snaps off.. you're buggered.
try not to smack it too much with a chisel or center pop.. it can distort the bolt and make it tighter..
I'd be looking to see what caused it in the first place.. torque wrench good ?? do you have spacers fitted??


www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYuaPBX1sT4

you tube says video not available .. strange .. anyway just google "left hand drill bit".. it's on there..

 

Thanks Seadart for the advice, no spacers fitted but! i know the advice is to not use copper-slip on wheel bolts yet this was the only bolt without it applied.

Had another crack at it just now after having it soaked in +Gas with P3rsky's method after snapping another drill bit, HSS metal bit which i found to be useless - 10mins drilling and a small creator and a broken drill bit!

Anyway, noticed i had generated some heat in the bolt so grabbed the punch and hammer and one whack and it moved. Few more blows and enough showing for mole-grips and bob is now my uncle.

Thanks guys for the tips, and cheers Phil/P3rsky 2nd attempt and it worked a treat.

 

Hi EauRouge
No problem. As I have said PlusGas is a 'must have essential'. You have to be patient and let it do it's job. It is a nice feeling when you finally get it out. No smut please. Well done!
Phil

PS. I learnt that trick 40 years ago as an apprentice fittter & turner

 

combination of drilling and hitting .. must try it sometime ..
I wonder why it broke .. stick a picture up if you can

 

There are no flies on you pkr, do you reckon this is the reason for it to shear? It has been torqued much higher in the past by tyre fitters, so muchso that scaffold pipe was needed to loosen.

 

That'd be why then

 

It depends on how the bolts are rated. You'll often find that the torque range equates to 80% to 100% of the failure point ( 101% = shearing begins but the fastener doesn't necessarily fail ).

I think it would be unlikely that wheel bolts would be specified like that owing to the tendency for tyre fitters to consider not sheared = not tight enough and that they typically do not use torque wrenches or, if they do, to only ever set it to one value* and never calibrate it.


* In my experience, where tyre fitters use a torque wrench, they never set it beforehand so must have it set to some generic value.

 

In my experience it is best to never let tyre fitters near a car - just wheels, loose and even then they require strict observation/monitoring as in "please don't damage these wheels"
Those who do the same job day in day out often become lazy and standards inevitably slip - taxi drivers......

 

Its been mentioned, but 140Nm is way too tight.

I do mine to 100Nm on the Spider.

 

I do mine to less than I can by hand with the provided socket in the tool kit - perfectly tight enough, although am unaware of the torque this provides..
It is a popular misconception that wheel bolts should be tight as humanly possible

 

It is a popular misconception that wheel bolts should be tight as humanly possible

It is. But everybody should know by now that it's sump plugs and oil filters that need to be tightened until your face goes blue

 

Firstly though you must jack it up on the sill especially a GT in order to get your tyre fitter certificate of merit.Then tighten the bolts up using an air gun at its limit.