[W126 Coupe] how difficult can it be to change a tire...

[Jim K]

First, Why was the BOLT ever put on so tight that an air gun is unable to
remove it!?!?!

HEAT, my friend....heat is the friend of all things bolted
you will have to contrive some sort of shield (galvanized sheet?) to protect
the wheel
just a little heat should do it, it doesn't have to be cherry red.

The reason an air gun can take off bolts that would break if done by hand is
SHOCK...
They shock the bolt/nut, breaking the bond between it and it's captor...

The original 126 bolts were prone to snapping by unscrupulous air guns,
so they modified them with shoulders, that still were snappable, so now the
MB 126
replacement bolts are just stubby lil' things w/ no neck!

Jim KAndik
87 560SEC
  -----Original Message-----
  From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com
[mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]On Behalf Of Vedat Iplikci
  Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 2:35 PM
  To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
  Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] how difficult can it be to change a tire...


  Mike, is it a bolt or nut??? AFAIK, the 126's have bolts, not nuts (at
least mine does) Anyway, whichever it is, the most common recommendation
would be to try some rust remover like WD40. But assuming this has already
been done, more radical methods should be tried at the expense of the
bolt/nut (which is already useless), like using two heavy duty chisels, two
large hammers and four hands simultaneously, which should work most of the
time. If that doesn't work,
  -IF IT IS A BOLT- (even if the bolt is broken) the last method would be to
use a bolt extractor, which is a left-hand threaded and tapered steel part.
You first drill a hole with a proper diameter (specified with the extractor)
drill to the center of the bolt to be extracted, and then screw in the
extractor. At a certain point it will be stuck because of the taper, and
forcing it further will result in the bolt to be unscrewed free.
  IF IT IS A NUT, then you may have to have the backplate replaced once the
bolt is damaged.

  Vedat Iplikci
  1987 560 SEC Euro

  P.S.: Most of the time, drilling the pilot hole will be the most tricky
part because most possibly it will not be easy to start on the uneven
surface of the broken/damaged bolt, but still can be achieved with some
experience.
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Jan Michael Kubr
    To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
    Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 8:39 PM
    Subject: [W126 Coupe] how difficult can it be to change a tire...


    So I got a new set off BF Goodrich tires at costco ($381 installed) but
    turns out they were unable to get one nut off on the front right tire.
    They sent me to another shop but even they, after trying 3 different
    guns, could not get it off.

    So once I find a shop that can get the damn thing off, most likely
    something will have broken. Now I was told (and not having a service
    manual handy) that if one of the bolts breaks, I'd have to replace the
    backplate to which all five bolts are attached..  any truth to that?

    mike


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