Wheel bolt removal

[tompearson]

I'm trying to get my wheels off, but it would appear someone air gunned them on good last time they were done up. After going out and getting a 2 foot breaker to provide more leverage I have only managed to snap a couple of extensions. I would assume that these bolts must have been over torqued so I'm worried I will end up snapping one.

If anyone has got any tips or can point out something obvious I might not have thought of I'd appreciate it?

 

[fingermouse]

go to the garage and use a impact gun, you may also shock them by hitting the end of the socket/wrench as you are trying to undo them but a impact wrench is best

 

[HTC]

Impact sockets are tougher if you want to do it at home, they can take more torque. Might just be easier to head to a garage unless you have a puncture of course.

 

[tompearson]

I have several missing engine bay components so can't really drive it anywhere without putting it back together which requires a part or two.

I did try hitting the breaker with a rubber mallet, but I think I was just twisting the extension. I'll head out and get the heaviest duty impact sockets I can find that will fit around the bolt. These combined with some more hitting will hopefully do the job or I'll have to put it all back together again.

Whilst searching for a solution I found some interesting articles about the results of over torqued bolts stretching and failing, glad I have some replacements. No idea what I'd have done if I was somewhere with a puncture either - I think it would have ended up costing me a tow.

Cheers

 

[voorhees]

try soaking them in wd40 and leave them a while then try
I have had problems in the past with this so I purchased myself a breaker bar...was 30 quid though.

 

[tompearson]

An impact socket did the trick although I couln't find a deep one so alloys are now a bit scratched from the end of the breaker bar (the bolts are pretty deeply sunk on the avus) Fortunately this is only on the bit behind the centre cap, plus one of the jobs on my long list is a wheel refurb. Just about to order a deep one with a plastic sheath that protects the alloys ready for next time though.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[mike-turbo]

i had the same think happen to me on my s3 one of the rear wheel bolts was over over tightend and snapped 3x breaker bars. in the end i bought from the snap on a 1/2 drive bolt remover and did the trick

 

[16Klappe]

A good tip for the future would be to refit them with some copper grease on the threads of the bolt, and make sure you torque them with a wrench to +/- 110Nm (check in the handbook).

 

[rossbrownlee]

The correct wheel bolt torque setting is 120Nm.
I find that the cross shaped wheel brace is pretty good for overtightened nuts/bolts. also the oem one with a good stamp downwards usually works pretty well.

 

[Gops]

I was about to say copper grease too. It happened to me too where i'd been to a garage to get new tyres and they'd tightend my wheel soo tight but luckily i have an air gun at home, just took it off with ease when i had to check my brakes.

 

[A3Tom]

If the tyre places doesnt torque them up properly then they're muppets. Luckily the place I go to dont just whack them up with the windy gun.