Hello Nam!
I have just slapped on flik wasp wheels today..
and on my way home, i felt a soft vibration around 60-65mph that I did not have before.. so I assumed the bolts got a little loosen or maybe their plastic center cap did not work out pretty good

So I came home, pulled out my wrench and started to tightning the bolts on the rear wheel. and guess what. The first one kept rolling and rolling so I was like DAMN it's this loose?! but when I turned it like 3 times, part of the lug bolt dropped out..

I think I can pull out rest of the bolts if not, just take it to a shop to do it
but my question is, is it REALLY REALLY dangerous to drive on 3 lug bolts?? despite the fact they are weak?

I have some important things to do tomorrow (Dropping someone off at an airport) and I won't have time for dealer-stop..


Should I hurry to a local part shop and buy bolts for temporary purpose?

I need some hhelp here..

Thanks..

 

Anyone have a clue if I can run with 3 Bolts???????????

I just went to a local part shops and they were talking some non-sense stuffs so I just came back.. one of them said '4 bolt patterns are not safe.. it will be ok if I had 5 bolts pattern..' sly:

Come on NAM..

 

I wouldn't drive it.

The good news may be that if you jack the car up and pull the wheel the broken part of the bolt may be sticking out enough to put a vice-grip on it and pull it out. It's not likely to be seized, just overtightened and snapped.

If it's broken off flush with the hub you could try using a Dremel with a cut off wheel to cut a notch in the top of the broken off bit and unscrew it with a screw driver.

Someone will likely suggest that you try and EZ out, but it's been my experience that most folks try to use too large and EZ out for the size of the bolt and end up expanding the bolt shaft when they screw in the EZ out, locking the bolt more thoroughly than it was in the first place. The EZ out then snaps off, compounding the problem. The EZ out is harder than any drill bit you're likely to have on hand, so your problem just gets immensely worse.


But regardless of whether or not you try to fix it yourself, don't drive it with one out of four lugs gone.

 

Oh No..... ........
I guess I will have to take it to a shop to pull it out..
but the fact I cannot drive the car as it is just sucks so badly.
thank you though..

 

Same here, it has four for a reason, and I wouldn't push my luck, esp. with someone else in the car and preumably their luggage.

 

You can drive CAUTIOUSLY, but realize that things aren't in balence, and it's not the best thing to do. If you feel things getting worse, PULL OVER IMIDIATLY!!!! Also, do you know why the bolt broke? Did you just get lucky, or was it overtorqued, and are all the rest ready to go as well?

I drove an old FIAT with somewhat random numbers of lug bolts at each wheel. But to be honest, a rear wheel did pass the car one day on the freeway!

Matt

 

It broke because it was the POS from edgeracing..
God.. I'm scared now......

 

imho, if you broke one of the lugs chances are you over-torqued the others too and they will also either break off or are weak.

i would replace all your lugs with new ones and re-torque using a torque
wrench at 80-85ft/lbs.

 

hew kenchan..!
Luckly, I did not even touch other lugs on that wheel
first try and then snap!
It looked like the metal has been twisted and at the point the just snapped off
cause when I was tightning them, it just kept on turning smoothly..

Oh by the way, you also recommend not to drive it?

 

I also had a tough time with the Edge Racing Bolts .Mine just de threaded themselfs. They did send re-placement bolts though,that worked out fine and as a tempory fix I just used the stock Bolts .

 

I'm in the don't drive it until you fix it camp. I also agree that the chances are good that one or more of the other bolts are in similar shape. When you have that wheel off, look long & hard at those other bolts. Also buy yourself a torque wrench & use it. That will keep this from happening again.

 

If you still have the stock lug bolts I would try puting them in the other holes and then drive to a shop if you cant get it out your self. I drove with three lug bolts for a couple of days cause I couldnt get a replacement and had to drive the car. But if it was the edge ones I am not sure I would chance it. Just my two cents.

 

i wouldn't drive it. so wait, who installed them on the car?

 

Some shop. I THINK they did torque it alright but those damn bolts..
I was shocked so i checked on other bolts by turning slightly and they seemed pretty fine.

I do not have the stock bolts on me either for some reason... If I had stock bolts I will be in my garage RIGHT now fixing it up..

 

i see. i guess call the shop and tell them wat happened.

also, you said you turned the others...which way? cw or ccw?
how much torque was on it? (did you use a torque wrench)?

i would be so suspicious that i would not risk driving it. they could seem
fine now until it snaps. how do you know they're not at their limits already?
get new lugs and replace them. use a torque wrench.

 

Shop is far away unfortunately. and I gave my stock lugs to the person who traded wheels with me. Of course, he had the edgeracing lugs..

I turned them Cw to tight them and i did not use a torque wrench.. god.. I have to drive tomorrow for like 100 miles both ways.. ...

 

dang... anyone in his area be able to lend him your lugs???

 

I guess I will have to find a lug bolt that will fit for temporary reason..
Does anybody know if lugs from other car will fit? if the lengths are similar???

 

If you're not living too far from that person's house (whom you drop off to airport), I suggest you to drive to that person's house and use his/her car to take him/her to the airport.

 

The lug bolts they installed might be the wrong angle compare to the wheel? possibility?? A friend encounter this same problem on another diifferent car.

 

Lets see...

Taxi ride to and from auto parts store. $50. :(

Thousands of dollars in suspension, body, and other miscellaneous damage because the wheel popped off, and you ran into something and/or someone ran into you. :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

Seems like risk vs consequences... And in this case, consequences far outweigh any benefit of risk.

 

yes it is very messed up.!

Well Guys
I have a question for you..

12mm-1.5 x 36mm Long Right Hand thread; 60 degree shoulder

will that bolt fit in our mini???

If they fit, I'm gonna have to wake up 8 in the morning tomorrow, short drive to the shop + work my **** off for 2 hours in the morning and fix it..!

 

Well thank you all for ur advises

I will drop it off at a shop next to my work in the morning so they can work on it for few hours..

Thank you again NAM..

 

My God the sky is fallling, run!

You can do fine on three nuts if you don't beat the crap out of the car for the time being. Ideal? No, but I'd not lose sleep over it.

As soon as you can pull the wheel and take a sharp chisel to the broken threads and TAP it counter clockwise to remove it. If it's really deap you might just do it CW and pass the remaining part through the hub. Unless it's rusted to hell you'll find it moves much easier than you may think. Just take your time and move it in or out and then replace it.

 

Under normal circumstances with stock lugs, I would say : no sweat, just don't push it into the corners. However, if a newly installed bolt failed, the others may have been similarly mistreated ( bad lot, over-torquing, etc.) and about to pop off.