Wheel bolts and nuts: replacement and selection

When and why it is necessary to replace wheel bolts and nuts

The wheel bolts and nuts have no specified lifetime limit. The components are to be replaced if they have corrosion, stripped threads or worn edges.

Aggressive environmental factors, such as moisture, provoke breakdown of the parts. Harmful effect worsens at presence of damages of components protective coating. Besides, tightening torque, higher than required, or improperly selected wrench bit can make the bolts and nuts unserviceable. You can define that the wheel rim nuts or bolts are to be replaced if they can not be screwed in or are slipping, or damaged by corrosion or deformed.

It is better to replace the bolts and nuts by a kit. Replacement can be performed by yourself, however, a torque wrench will be necessary for this. It is advisable to perform tightening of the fasteners crosswise: firstly the upper left one, then the lower right, lower left and upper right ones. Performing this, it is important to follow tightening torque indicated in the car technical documentation.

How to select wheel bolts and nuts

As a rule, the bolts and nuts are made of steel, however, there are fasteners made of aluminum and titanium. The steel bolts are optimum by price and quality ratio, are reliable and suitable for multiple use, but they the heaviest. The titanium bolts are durable and lightweight, but more expensive. The aluminum items have smaller weight, but are considered the least reliable.

The components also differ by the coating types: it can be zinc, chrome or nickel. The wheel nuts are divided into open-end and closed-end ones. The open-end components are more apt for sticking.

Durable and reliable wheel bolts and nuts can be found in the assortment of such companies as JP Group, Febi Bilstein, Vaico, SWAG and other manufacturers will excellent reputation.

Selecting the wheel bolts and nuts, you should take into account the axle for which they are designated, as well as fasteners strength grade, diameter, thread pitch, quantity of outer edges. Moreover, you should consider the length of the entire component and of its threaded part. Excessively long bolt is fraught with interfering with brake mechanism elements, with a probability of the bolt jamming. On the contrary, usage of too short components is fraught with thread damaging and unprompted detaching of the wheels during car driving. The shape of components contact area (seat) should conform with the wheel rim type. The seat can be flat, radius or conical.