I am about to refinish the web spoke wheels on my MINI because the clear coated brushed aluminum rim is peeling and corroded in many areas on all 4 wheels. I plan to remove the centers to more easily refinish the rims but I've read that quite a few people have broken some bolts when removing them.

I have read all the threads I could find and no one has listed a source for replacement bolts other than ebay.

My questions:
1. Where to get replacement bolts if I break some?
2. Any recommendations on process to remove the bolts to reduce the potential for breakage? I am planning to spray them down with PB Blaster and let soak. I was also thinking a little heat from a paint strip heat gun might help if not allowed to get too hot on the center. I plan to leave the wheel centers alone as the finish on them is fine.

Thanks

 

You saw this thread correct?

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...el-thread.html

 

I saw that thread but didn't see any mention of where to get bolts. Thanks

 

They use the same titanium hardware as BBS RX2/RS2 ... iirc they are m7x25mm (20mm shank), you can start by searching for parts for those wheels. BlackForest Industries used to sell the hardware but I couldn't find it on their site... double check the length because this site has m7x24.5mm ones
https://www.srrhardware.com/collecti...-bolts-m7-24mm

Also I believe you can contact BBS directly and I think they will sell you hardware directly,

Or check eBay for the, as well.

If people are breaking them they were most likely over-tourqued on assembly or it could be that the bolts are coated with a bit of blue thread locker from new and that combine with a both of corrosion from time have them seized. I think you are on the right track with soaking with PB and heat.

 

Because of the amount of corrosion on these wheels and that fact that they spent most of their life in Ohio I'm worried the bolts will be hard to remove. I'd like to have a source for replacements before I start dismantling.

The company linked is in GB. Must be someone in the US selling them besides the people on Ebay. I saw a few sellers on ebay selling used bolts but I wouldn't want the risk associated with buying those.

 

You should be ok reusing the bolts, corrosion shouldn't be an issue on the bolts themselves as they are titanium. Only place I knew of stateside that sold them was here,
https://store.blackforestindustries....rxwoedbo1.html

But they are NLA.... so... I'd start by contacting BBS NA directly. They're pretty good about offering solutions. Ive contacted them in the past about motorsports hardware for hardware for magnesium centered vintage wheels.

 

Well, I finally started on the wheels. Need to get new tires for spring and so while I've got the car on blocks for the winter I figured I'd get the tires off and start working on the wheels.

I soaked a few bolts with PB blaster and waited, then heated the rim around the bolt to hot with a paint strip gun. Tried wrenching on it with increasing force but ultimately the bolt head broke off! I tried a couple others with less force so as not to snap those also but they didn't give either. At the bottom of the hole from the first bolt head I could see a bunch of bluish corrosion like you see on a battery terminal. I used a ratchet wrench and not an impact wrench like I've seen others use on videos and I'm not sure if that makes a difference? It could also be that the wheels in videos were from warm climates and not wheels from northern salt states like these wheels?

I think I'm going to have to work around the installed centers as it seems I would snap the heads on quite a few bolts if I were to keep going. Its going to be bad enough trying to drill out the one snapped bolt.

 

I know this is an older thread but I wanted to add some information for anyone wanting to separate the R98 or R90 wheels.

The bolts over the years can build up a considerable amount of galvanic corrosion. I separated 4 recently purchased wheels and ended up breaking or drilling out 13 bolts. If you break the head off the bolt, just keep going. You may have to hammer the center out from the back but once the center is removed, there will be about 1/4" of the titanium bolt shank exposed. A brass brush or brass wire wheel comes in handy to remove the exposed corrosion from the bolt shanks and from the mounting surface. I used a Dewalt Bolt extractor (don't remember the size, it was the smallest one) that I hammered onto the exposed shank and backed the bolts out. The couple of bolts that I had to drill out, I drilled the inner walls smooth (because they were stripped, my over zealousness with an impact) and then used a slightly larger Torx bit that I hammered into the bolt and backed it out that way.

I've attached a few pictures that may interest those who are doing this in the future. One photo is of the mentioned galvanic corrosion on a broken bolt. The second photo is my setup for how I heated the wheels. The last photo is the first batch of broken bolts I extracted and the bolt extractor I used.


Broken bolt shank with corrosion present, pre-cleaning.

Duraflame kerosene heater with wheels stacked above it. The plywood on the top is acting as a chimney cap to contain the heat into the wheel hoops.

The first batch of extracted bolts and my bolt extractor.