How much torque can a wheel bolt take before snapping?
Discussion
When I had the tyres done on one of my cars it appears the garage went to town on the bolts and way overtorqued them. I could go back to them and say you did it, you fix it but before I do that I just thought I'd sound out people on the likelihood of fixing it myself
Story so far
Initially I tried a wheel spider to undo them, but nothing was moving
Put a ~2.5ft scaffold pole on the spider and tried again, loosening two of the nuts but the spider itself was twisting and looked like it'd shear on the remainder
Sprayed a load of penetrating oil around all the bolts
I got an extending wheel brace I had and tried again, loosening about half of them
Tried scaffold tube again over the extending wheel brace but nothing wants to shift.
Stuff I haven't tried but could potentially do at home
Shock treatment - scaffold tube over the wheel brace, hit scaffold tube with hammer
Standing on the end of the scaffold tube over the wheel brace
Reason I haven't tried it is because I'm worried about what happens if the head shears off a wheel bolt.
Anyone got any guidance on whether or not wheel bolts are strong enough to take that kind of abuse without flinching? I figure these bolts should be maybe 120nm and I've probably tried somewhere between 300 and 400 in loosening them so far.
Story so far
Initially I tried a wheel spider to undo them, but nothing was moving
Put a ~2.5ft scaffold pole on the spider and tried again, loosening two of the nuts but the spider itself was twisting and looked like it'd shear on the remainder
Sprayed a load of penetrating oil around all the bolts
I got an extending wheel brace I had and tried again, loosening about half of them
Tried scaffold tube again over the extending wheel brace but nothing wants to shift.
Stuff I haven't tried but could potentially do at home
Shock treatment - scaffold tube over the wheel brace, hit scaffold tube with hammer
Standing on the end of the scaffold tube over the wheel brace
Reason I haven't tried it is because I'm worried about what happens if the head shears off a wheel bolt.
Anyone got any guidance on whether or not wheel bolts are strong enough to take that kind of abuse without flinching? I figure these bolts should be maybe 120nm and I've probably tried somewhere between 300 and 400 in loosening them so far.
shouldbworking said:
loosening about half of them
Sure you're turning them the right way? 
There's nothing magical about wheel bolts and they won't take huge torque without damage, but if they're taking as much torque as you describe without shifting, they may have seized into the hub. They obviously can't be left in that state, but even when you do manage to shift them I wouldn't want to reuse those bolts and I'd be concerned about possible damage to the hubs.
eltax91 said:
Where abouts are you OP? If you’re near me you can come and try my impact gun(s)
Same.You've tried all the sensible stuff, but it sounds like your short on tools - a spider or extending brace aren't great, a proper breaker bar & socket would work better.
But I bet an impact gun will get them off no bother. Unless they are lockers...
One wheel on my Jeep had the bolts done up so tight I couldn't move them even with a big impact gun or standing on a 6 foot steel bar. A local tyre place managed to get them off but it took about an hour and required a lot of heating with some sort of induction heating thing on a large trolley and a variety of air tools, only one of about 4 had enough grunt to even start them moving.
I would take it to a proper tyre place, then if something breaks its in the right place to be fixed
I would take it to a proper tyre place, then if something breaks its in the right place to be fixed
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 20th July 13:11
Last fitter used too many ugga dugga's on the gun.. had it before and its an utter PITA
You won't shift them with a spider or extending brace if they are really tight.. Need to get a breaker bar and proper socket on them might need a short extension depending on if the bolt is recessed in the alloy
Another trick if they are really really tight is stick a hydraulic jack under the end of the breaker and lift it up anti clockwise
You won't shift them with a spider or extending brace if they are really tight.. Need to get a breaker bar and proper socket on them might need a short extension depending on if the bolt is recessed in the alloy
Another trick if they are really really tight is stick a hydraulic jack under the end of the breaker and lift it up anti clockwise
As others have indicated - chances are the last garage has used the air gun to attach - only a moron would do this.
Conversely the best way to get them off is a high-powered impact impact gun - preferrably one of the newer battery jobs that give 1000Nm+ torque. The way these deliver the "hits" they are far less likely to destroy the bolt than using a long scaffolding pole.
Again - if you post up your location you might find someone local willing to give it a try - nothing I like more than attacking a super-tight bolt with my big rattle gun....it's never been defeated yet!
Conversely the best way to get them off is a high-powered impact impact gun - preferrably one of the newer battery jobs that give 1000Nm+ torque. The way these deliver the "hits" they are far less likely to destroy the bolt than using a long scaffolding pole.
Again - if you post up your location you might find someone local willing to give it a try - nothing I like more than attacking a super-tight bolt with my big rattle gun....it's never been defeated yet!
If the wheel bolt will not move with a bar and scaffold pipe, then there is a much more serious problem here.
Most likely that bolt is going to shear before undoing (whatever method is used).
Either be prepared for some serious reassembly work, or have it at a place that can do that for you. Nothing worse than wheel bolts breaking off, no method to reattach a wheel and take it anywhere.
Most likely that bolt is going to shear before undoing (whatever method is used).
Either be prepared for some serious reassembly work, or have it at a place that can do that for you. Nothing worse than wheel bolts breaking off, no method to reattach a wheel and take it anywhere.
I took my company car to a big chain. I had been waiting an hour even though I’d pre booked so was a bit pissed off. I was watching the tyre fitter put the wheels back on multiple cars. He used the windy gun on them all then went round with a torque wrench. Every single bolt immediately clicked on the wrench and he looked pleased as punch. I asked his manager to remove all the wheel bolts and to install them correctly using the torque wrench.
I don’t want to be stranded on the roadside with a flat tyre and not be able to swap to the spare because some lazy arse couldn’t be arsed to do his only job properly.
I don’t want to be stranded on the roadside with a flat tyre and not be able to swap to the spare because some lazy arse couldn’t be arsed to do his only job properly.
Go back to the idiots who put them on with an impact wrench, tell then to remove ALL the wheel bolts/studs and wheel nuts and replace them with new, as the old ones have almost certainly been over-torqued. Then tell them to tighten them up with a torque wrench to the correct value. I've had to replace wheel studs and nuts on my stepdaughter's car through being over tightened.
Edited by robinessex on Monday 20th July 17:14
Decent modern impact guns are programmable these days, I know it sounds bonkers but mine has an app to set it up! On a specific setting it will gun the bolts on and then stop at a pre set torque, then it's just a case of giving them a nip to perfect torque with the Tq wrench and good to go!
Sadly commonplace, as others have mentioned.
I've always found a Torque Wrench (I have two Silverline wrenches, one for precision, one to abuse) far more effective than my 4ft Breaker Bar, which just tends to 'flex'. About £15 on eBay.
Stand on it, only jump up & down on it if you're desperate and have a brick under the tyre, or an assistant on the footbrake (engine running for Servo assistance).
Also have if you're working on the front wheels have them turned a little for maximum 'ease of spannering' (NS, left a bit, OS vice versa)
Don't try & win any arguments with a Garage, you'll just get frustrated. It might work to ask them nicely to loosen them off for you though.
Next time, try a 'Back Street' Garage, they're less likely to be A-Holes in my experience.
Also check if the threads are damaged on the Studs / Nuts (they may well be, it'll be obvious)
I've always found a Torque Wrench (I have two Silverline wrenches, one for precision, one to abuse) far more effective than my 4ft Breaker Bar, which just tends to 'flex'. About £15 on eBay.
Stand on it, only jump up & down on it if you're desperate and have a brick under the tyre, or an assistant on the footbrake (engine running for Servo assistance).
Also have if you're working on the front wheels have them turned a little for maximum 'ease of spannering' (NS, left a bit, OS vice versa)
Don't try & win any arguments with a Garage, you'll just get frustrated. It might work to ask them nicely to loosen them off for you though.
Next time, try a 'Back Street' Garage, they're less likely to be A-Holes in my experience.
Also check if the threads are damaged on the Studs / Nuts (they may well be, it'll be obvious)
Athlon said:
Decent modern impact guns are programmable these days, I know it sounds bonkers but mine has an app to set it up! On a specific setting it will gun the bolts on and then stop at a pre set torque, then it's just a case of giving them a nip to perfect torque with the Tq wrench and good to go!
I'm sure they exist, but I'm yet to see one used in my car. Gassing Station | Home Mechanics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff