Cutting an alloy wheel - best option?
Discussion
As per a few posts elsewhere, I've been defeated by some knackered lock bolts so bar one last try tomorrow, the last resort is to cut the wheel off... drastic but such is life.
I'd hoped to slice into the face of the wheel, cutting at an angle and deep enough to cut through the lock bolt just under the head thus minimal cutting needed however just away to pick up more discs but not sure what'd be best?
I have a 4.5" and 9" grinder plus reciprocating saw, though the latter won't be any good for slicing into the face. I've had a Google and some suggest a stone cutting blade would be best for alloy?
Any thoughts / suggestions... assuming this is the only option for the time being.
I'd hoped to slice into the face of the wheel, cutting at an angle and deep enough to cut through the lock bolt just under the head thus minimal cutting needed however just away to pick up more discs but not sure what'd be best?
I have a 4.5" and 9" grinder plus reciprocating saw, though the latter won't be any good for slicing into the face. I've had a Google and some suggest a stone cutting blade would be best for alloy?
Any thoughts / suggestions... assuming this is the only option for the time being.
You will have one hell of a job cutting off an alloy wheel. No grinding discs are really suitable for aluminium as the material just clogs
everything up.
I suggest you get the car to a local fabricator workshop and get them to mig weld a M16 bolt to the wrecked part. This works but
is not really DIY territory.
everything up.
I suggest you get the car to a local fabricator workshop and get them to mig weld a M16 bolt to the wrecked part. This works but
is not really DIY territory.
We're going to try welding a nut on tomorrow and hope it works but if not then cutting is the last resort, but I'm nearing that stage so hence need to be as prepared as possible.
I've cut a wheel off before bit using a Stihl saw however cut every spoke, leaving the centre and then cut away until it fell off leaving the bolt in place. This time, of it comes to it I'm going to try and go into the face at an angle and slice in, under the bolt head thus it should come off and the alloy will lift away with minimal cutting.
Easier said than done but I'm prepared to be savage... I'm running out of options and can't rusk wife / child being stranded with a puncture somewhere.
I've cut a wheel off before bit using a Stihl saw however cut every spoke, leaving the centre and then cut away until it fell off leaving the bolt in place. This time, of it comes to it I'm going to try and go into the face at an angle and slice in, under the bolt head thus it should come off and the alloy will lift away with minimal cutting.
Easier said than done but I'm prepared to be savage... I'm running out of options and can't rusk wife / child being stranded with a puncture somewhere.
I had the same issue on my XJ6 locking nuts rounded off so the removal tool wouldn't work.
I used a dremel with diamond cutting disc to get the nut covers off then used one of these sets to get 2 off.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Irwin-Bolt-Grip-Remover-E...
The other 2 i had to use a hole cutter as luckily the bolts have a shoulder which i could cut off.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/multi-material-plumbers...
Bought a set of brand new normal wheel nuts and binned the unlocking tool.
See here gents...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Trust me... have tried several less brutal options including drilling, bashing and a proper kit however my mechanic who claims he's never been beaten by one even admitted defeat. The lock nuts being chewed up is one part of a two part problem, the second part (or first given the keys chewed) is that the bolts were in stupidly tight. This is compounded by the bolts being very wide in the bore and seated about an inch down inside the wheel.
Not the best image but you get the idea.
Cheers
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Trust me... have tried several less brutal options including drilling, bashing and a proper kit however my mechanic who claims he's never been beaten by one even admitted defeat. The lock nuts being chewed up is one part of a two part problem, the second part (or first given the keys chewed) is that the bolts were in stupidly tight. This is compounded by the bolts being very wide in the bore and seated about an inch down inside the wheel.
Not the best image but you get the idea.
Cheers
Looks like a deep enough one, tight enough into the cavity that an "external" solution won't work.
I'd go with drilling it, get a good centre punch mark smacked in the middle and use good quality drills, hopefully you can effectively destroy the head of the bolt.
Or weld it. Looking at it, a short piece of tube at a fairly large diameter should let you weld inside the tube onto the head of the bolt.
I'd go with drilling it, get a good centre punch mark smacked in the middle and use good quality drills, hopefully you can effectively destroy the head of the bolt.
Or weld it. Looking at it, a short piece of tube at a fairly large diameter should let you weld inside the tube onto the head of the bolt.
The diameter of the bolt head is nigh on 28mm, but theres so little room down there that a 28mm socket won't fit down the hole... hence knocking one or a reverse thread removal tool won't work. Even if we could, given the bolt head is smooth, hardened steel and the outside are in incredibly tight... I don't think it'd grip enough to crack them off.
Welding something on is our next step, be it a dirty big bolt that we an weld in the centre the and outside edges but welding an extension bar on is also a good shout. If the weld will hold, pretty sure a power bar will get them off or snap the head off... either are fine!
Cutting is a last resort but I'm happy to sacrifice a couple of wheels. Will pick up a few Stine cutting discs and report back tomorrow, hopefully having solved the issues one way or another.
Appreciate the suggestions, all noted!
Welding something on is our next step, be it a dirty big bolt that we an weld in the centre the and outside edges but welding an extension bar on is also a good shout. If the weld will hold, pretty sure a power bar will get them off or snap the head off... either are fine!
Cutting is a last resort but I'm happy to sacrifice a couple of wheels. Will pick up a few Stine cutting discs and report back tomorrow, hopefully having solved the issues one way or another.
Appreciate the suggestions, all noted!
Seen numerous situations like this & have never had to go to the lengths of cutting a wheel off - worst damage sustained, some minor burn marks on the wheel paint.
If you have no luck welding something on, try drilling the head off. You will need to centre punch it to get started & then use something like carbide tipped drills. If you have difficulty getting it punched or drilled, heat will help considerably - you can use a plumbers soldering mat or similar to protect the area around the head.
Good luck.
If you have no luck welding something on, try drilling the head off. You will need to centre punch it to get started & then use something like carbide tipped drills. If you have difficulty getting it punched or drilled, heat will help considerably - you can use a plumbers soldering mat or similar to protect the area around the head.
Good luck.
Reason I'd suggest tube and welding the inside is that it should let you get a little bit more actual weld, and the tube shields the wheel from sparks etc.
You can just weld another bolt with a normal head on it onto the locking one, yeah, I've done that too, but you might be a little tight on access with the depth of the hole it's in.
It's effective though, this video shows how simple it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9insNChLHmU
You can just weld another bolt with a normal head on it onto the locking one, yeah, I've done that too, but you might be a little tight on access with the depth of the hole it's in.
It's effective though, this video shows how simple it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9insNChLHmU
InitialDave said:
Reason I'd suggest tube and welding the inside is that it should let you get a little bit more actual weld, and the tube shields the wheel from sparks etc.
You can just weld another bolt with a normal head on it onto the locking one, yeah, I've done that too, but you might be a little tight on access with the depth of the hole it's in.
It's effective though, this video shows how simple it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9insNChLHmU
HA! I'd just typed this out:You can just weld another bolt with a normal head on it onto the locking one, yeah, I've done that too, but you might be a little tight on access with the depth of the hole it's in.
It's effective though, this video shows how simple it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9insNChLHmU
How about dropping a 3/8th socket down the hole, of the appropriate size, and allowing a bit of clearance - even packing around it to ensure no touchy-touchy, and then bringing a stick welder to the party through the top of the 3/8th square drive?
Admittedly, I’m coming to the end of a well-deserved bottle of France’s finest. Hic. (It’s always easier when it’s someone else’s problem….)
Davie said:
See here gents...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Trust me... have tried several less brutal options including drilling, bashing and a proper kit however my mechanic who claims he's never been beaten by one even admitted defeat. The lock nuts being chewed up is one part of a two part problem, the second part (or first given the keys chewed) is that the bolts were in stupidly tight. This is compounded by the bolts being very wide in the bore and seated about an inch down inside the wheel.
Not the best image but you get the idea.
Cheers
If it's this style I have romoved a few by smashing a torx or spline into it. https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Trust me... have tried several less brutal options including drilling, bashing and a proper kit however my mechanic who claims he's never been beaten by one even admitted defeat. The lock nuts being chewed up is one part of a two part problem, the second part (or first given the keys chewed) is that the bolts were in stupidly tight. This is compounded by the bolts being very wide in the bore and seated about an inch down inside the wheel.
Not the best image but you get the idea.
Cheers
Irwin grip sockets are also excellent as is having a selection of old metric sockets which can be sacrificed.
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