Wheel Nut Nightmare!!

[Iron Giant]

After buying our T5 just over a week ago we decided to change from the 20" Range Rover alloys that were a kerbed mess and found some 17" original VW Davenport second-hand alloys with tyres we went to get them fitted at the campervan conversion place we bought them from, but they struggled to get wheel nuts off the 20s and when they did we found out the bolts used were actually too short they'd all only been in as far as 4 threads on each bolt, a straightforward swap turned in hours,

The lads got the 17s on and the nuts nicely tightened up but almost as soon as we drove off we heard a knocking and went back and one of the wheels was loose, long story short after a few times of tightening each one and further test drives, they concluded that as the wrong bolts had been used that previously this had prevented them from getting the bolts all the way initially, I can't believe that if the 20's have been on for 2-3 years and the bolts have been completely the wrong size and this hasn't been flagged and sorted out, as the van has a full-service history and had new rear coil springs and tyres last August and it's had new brake disks on the front.

I'm now a bit worried about potential trouble in getting the wheel nuts off in the future and worst case scenario of having to change each of the hubs, not sure whether to go to a garage or tyre place I use and have them take off the alloys again and potentially use some wd40 or something they might advise to make sure there isn't going to be any issues in the future,

I'd be interested on some advice from people with more knowledge than me as I'm completely clueless

 

[Dundee_Kev]

I would get all the threads in the hubs retapped. Get new bolts and all should hopefully be good.

 

[Iron Giant]

I would get all the threads in the hubs retapped. Get new bolts and all should hopefully be good.

Re-tapped straight over my head is this easily done at a garage

 

[Dundee_Kev]

Yeah, assuming they have the correct size of tap. It's just a tool that cuts threads. When they pop it in, it will dress up any nasty bits of threads in the hubs.

 

[PhillH]

Re-tapped straight over my head is this easily done at a garage

As Kev says, the treads will be full of dirt and brake dust and will need cleaning out. You could most likely get a tap from eBay. Put a post in the wanted section on here for a set of wheel bolts.

 

[Iron Giant]

Yeah, assuming they have the correct size of tap. It's just a tool that cuts threads. When they pop it in, it will dress up any nasty bits of threads in the hubs.

Thanks for this, the thread on the bolts that were on the 20's the 4-threaded turn it was clear to see that on all the bolts the threads were slightly crushed, the bolts used when fitting the 17's had all come off a van that they are converting, they did have to use a bar to get the bolts completely tightened and they advised to do a check on the bolts every day or so,

I just don't want to be complacent and think it will be fine if I can get some thing done to ensure everything is trouble free

 

[Iron Giant]

As Kev says, the treads will be full of dirt and brake dust and will need cleaning out. You could most likely get a tap from eBay. Put a post in the wanted section on here for a set of wheel bolts.

Thanks for this, yes I think that was the issue and possibly a bit of surface rust from moisture getting over time,

got to say the lads at the place we went and we were dealing with the owner, they didn't want us to leave without being 100% that everything was okay, they were just as concerned as we were and he even phoned me after we got home to check we got home trouble free and he said if we needed anything sorting they would sort it and do whatever they could to help.

 

[PhillH]

Clean the spigot up too and put some copper slip on the spigot and face of the disc to stop the wheel getting stuck on

 

[Iron Giant]

Got it booked into our local garage on Friday to have them retapped for peace of mind.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Got it booked into our local garage on Friday to have them retapped for peace of mind.

Have you got new wheel bolts?
I got a full set with the second hand Devonports I fitted to my T5.1 works van but didn’t need them so have them spare.
PM me if you need them

 

[meza]

I had an aftermarket alloy come loose once that turned out was on too-short bolts. Swapped the alloys for genuine VW Transporter ones and a new set of bolts all round.

 

[Iron Giant]

Have you got new wheel bolts?
I got a full set with the second hand Devonports I fitted to my T5.1 works van but didn’t need them so have them spare.
PM me if you need them

Thanks, not brand new bolts no, the Devonports came of another van along with the bolts and locking wheel nuts which were fitted yesterday,

Got it booked into the garage as soon as could, so fingers crossed getting the threads cleaned up by getting them retapped will sort them, £120 which I think is reasonable.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Thanks, not brand new bolts no, the Devonports came of another van along with the bolts and locking wheel nuts which were fitted yesterday,

Got it booked into the garage as soon as could, so fingers crossed getting the threads cleaned up by getting them retapped will sort them, £120 which I think is reasonable.

Sounds fair enough

 

[Iron Giant]

I had an aftermarket alloy come loose once that turned out was on too-short bolts. Swapped the alloys for genuine VW Transporter ones and a new set of bolts all round.

The thing is going through old invoices that came with the van 20" alloys have been on at least since September 2022 although I have no idea if it's the ones that we bought with the van,

I honestly can't for the life of me work out why or if the garages it has been in for repairs hasn't flagged the issue up,

My thoughts are that if previous garages had made the last owner aware at least it would have been less than a £100 for the correct sized bolts,

The van has had newer rear springs tyres and front brake discs and pads within the two year ownership of the previous owner.

 

[Paynewright]

I wouldnt bother with the locking wheel bolts - these can be equally as troublesome albeit not dangerous! Just fit 5 std bolts on each wheel.

 

[Iron Giant]

I had an aftermarket alloy come loose once that turned out was on too-short bolts. Swapped the alloys for genuine VW Transporter ones and a new set of bolts all round.

Did you have any damage to threads or any issues as I have had with the vw bolts been a nightmare to get threaded, the vw alloys started knocking within a 100 metres and have you had the wheels of since changing them

 

[meza]

Did you have any damage to threads or any issues as I have had with the vw bolts been a nightmare to get threaded, the vw alloys started knocking within a 100 metres and have you had the wheels of since changing them

No I think I was lucky - no issues since then. I don't think the wheels have been off. Garage were happy with the threads. I don't think the previous alloys had been on for too long, less than a year.

 

[DaveD]

An old mechanic once told me that if a wheel stud thread is, for example, 14MM diameter, then at least 14MM of thread must be engaged in the female thread in the hub.
Seems logical to me, opinions may vary, of course!

 

[Iron Giant]

No I think I was lucky - no issues since then. I don't think the wheels have been off. Garage were happy with the threads. I don't think the previous alloys had been on for too long, less than a year.

I think with the 20s on mine it's possible they haven't been issues in the past otherwise they'd have been sorted, but the last service was at Halfords and I have no idea how competent they are

Also the van had only done around 2k since the service and mot last September

 

[manfrotto]

If changing from Range rover wheels back to VW I would also check that the wheel bolts have the correct seating taper etc.
To be on the safe site I would use the VW bolts.