The rim kind of looks like Pac Man.

How did this wheel get this way?

April 4, 2013
A nice reminder to use torque sticks and torque wrenches.

How did this wheel get this way?

Yes, a saw was involved, but we didn't cut this rim into pieces for the heck of it.

The real cause is that someone did not torque the lug nuts on this wheel that was on a Mercedes E320. Two of the nuts broke in the hub.

Because Mercedes lug nuts also double as wheel studs, the rim was locked in place.

We tried drilling the studs, but the bits were not able to reach far enough into the rim to drill a thick enough hole.

The repair? We had to get a whole new steering knuckle, pads and a caliper installed after removing the old ones backwards and sawing the old rim off.

What would you do if you ran into a similar situation?

About the Author

Craig Truglia

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