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Tire shop stripped one of my wheel studs. - Help!

8K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  evanwest94 
#1 · (Edited)
I need some help. Two issues (unrelated). Rear wheel strippage, and front wheels seem unbalanceable. Bonus Issues included for your entertainment only.

Issue 1.
Obviously I'll replace the stud. Do you think I can tap the hub back out? or will I need to replace the hub? It's a 5 bolt patter BMW 325i. I was able to get it out (obviously), and even back in as I needed to drive the car. It went back in tightly of course. I think I'll be able to get it back out, and thought perhaps I could just get a finishing tap (somebody suggested that variety). Think I can clean it up with a tap? Someone tole me the hubs are hard and the studs are soft and thus the damage is probably all to the stud...?



Bonus issue - now resolved
and THIS is a different wheel. NOT stripped, just way bugger-over-torqued. I had a front end alignment done and as it still feels out of balance, I decided to pop the front wheels off to see if they lost the centering rings. They didn't..



Issue 2. - No Photo:
These friggen wheels wont balance. They were to come from Tire Rack pre-balanced. They had some hop (steering wheel shake). Took em in to be balanced at a local place. The problem was still there. Took em back. They monkeyed with them again. Problem is worse. Checked to see if the centering rings were lost (they were not). I dunno. I hate them and want to return them, but I'm sure that's a pipe dream. Tire Rack wants me to shuffle them around and look for one that may be out of round. Sounds like fun. Jack, swap, bolt, jack swap bolt. Sigh... :(

Post today and I'll even throw in another BONUS issue - NOT resolved

Junk ass Tire Rack wheel center cap stick-on logo flung off of rear wheel. I actually HAVE called Tire Rack about that. They said they are back ordered. They'll send me a set in a few weeks. Sigh...

 
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#3 ·
I always take off my silver valve caps as I didn't get one back one time, and retorque my wheels once I get home just to make sure it's torqued right. I give them the torque value and that seems to keep them from way over tightening, but the values always seem to be all over the place lug to lug until I true them.
 
#4 ·
we too have recently had a bit of an issue with Tire Rack selling us there terrible house brand wheels.. After one season on the 335, one is cracked and dented inwards, and another one is dented inwards in two different places, and they will not do anything about it, and they said it was our fault, when we told them our 9 year old BMW rims had been through pretty much everything and back and that theyre still in good shape, they didnt seem to care..

I would try writing a letter to corporate HQ explaining your situation and disgust with the lack of help.
 
#5 · (Edited)
we too have recently had a bit of an issue with Tire Rack selling us there terrible house brand wheels.. After one season on the 335, one is cracked and dented inwards, and another one is dented inwards in two different places, and they will not do anything about it, and they said it was our fault, when we told them our 9 year old BMW rims had been through pretty much everything and back and that theyre still in good shape, they didnt seem to care..

I would try writing a letter to corporate HQ explaining your situation and disgust with the lack of help.
I've spent my last dollar with Tire Rack. Two sets of wheels and at least a half dozen sets of tires. It's just not worth it when you have even just one problem and they leave it all in your bag to attend to it. IMO the should have sent a call tag and took em back. "Save the relationship" is the good call of the day to garner a good customer for life and avoid bad press online. They missed the boat.:dunno::thumbdwn:

Probably 200 miles on them and I'm stuck with them for good. Their rep was kind to me and is trying tohelp within the bounds of their normal policies. I just don't think this should be my problem to troubleshoot out and now I won't have a road force balance either.
 
#7 ·
The bolts are 12x1.5 (12mm diameter, 1.5mm pitch).
 
#9 ·
You will need a new bearing hub to correct this correctly. What it appears to me is that the threads in the "Bearing Hub" where stripped out & not the threads on the lug bolt. You can not re-tap the HUB as you will need to go over size then the lug bolt wont work. The other option is putting in a Heli-coil but that's difficult to do with the hub on the car.

I hope that I have seen it wrong.
 
#12 ·
They quoted me $600 for a new hub at the dealership
Ooofff! I'm sure you can get a better price at an indy, not to mention it is DIY-able - may have to buy some tools but shouldn't be much.
 
#14 ·
#17 ·
Tell the tire shop to deal with this!! Im 90% positive that they didn't thread that lugbolt by hand before they gunned it on. With euro cars they go on very easily without hand tightining but sometimes it doesn't work too well. I work at a tire shop and I've seen it happen first hand. Tell them to deal with it! It's not a good look for the shops image if you make a yelp about it too. By no means should you have to handle this on your own.

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Bimmer App
 
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