Wheel Bolt detailing
Hello Forum,
As an off shoot to preparing another topic to write about, I would like to gauge the real interest in the topic; that is how much effort to expend into the topic. Would the forum please, indicate in your normal fashion, if you want or are interested in 'detailing' your wheel bolts. As you look at yours', notice how rusty and corroded they are.
Various metal finishing are available to clean, polish and re-plate the wheel bolts to compliment your alloy wheels.
Weighing up the costs; approximately £5.00 per wheel bolt (New), times 20 = £100 for a set to the vehicle and the wheel bolt effect lasting, at a guesstimate, between 12 months to 18 months before rust appears. Cleaning, polishing and plating the old set would cost, possibly the same, if not more; there is no one, I have spoken to so far, from the plating Industry, who can estimate the length of time the plated finish can last; given that, would any member feel the need to ever consider detailing their wheel bolts or, are the costs off putting; that you rather live with the bolt condition as is.
The plating Industry does have standards to gauge the deterioration rate, say, at best results - 1000 hours to achieve red dust status, but at the moment, I do not know how this translates to service life on the wheel; I think, this 1000 hours is an accelerated time of corrosion.
If the consensus results in showing no, or little interest then, obviously, I will not waste my time effort to great details into covering this particular topic.
I look forward to the forums mood in this.
Regards,
I used to run salt spray tests on brake parts.. 1000 hours is a long time in the real world .. about 8-12 years off the top of my head comparision to what I see in the real world.
Many coating types but at a cost.. it is just as cheap to buy new bolts really. I must admit L/R do theirs properly; floating captive square washer to stop you damaging alloy paint, stainless steel caps on top that you actually torque against.. about the best bit of a L/R Disco 2 I had to look after! My 460 has too small a taper, too small a head and basically just beat themselves and wheel up by a basic service. I have had Rustbuster paint on the bolts for last 5 years.. and it is not too tatty but new bolts are a "nice to have" item.
Coatings;.. you would have to put them in fixtures or wax coat to protect threads
Hard chrome over nickel plating . it chips easily so starts to flake off which is sharp, have them on my Lancia and Toyota.
Nickel plating only.. probably not a bad way.. dull bronzy compared to chrome and soft.. but no chips, will not last
Dacromet works well in salt spray; http://www.dacromet.com/hcoat.htm
Zinc plated .. that is what most of them are; Mazda, MB, aftermarket. They seem to be without the usual passivate yellow top coat which would give a bit more time. You can tumble plate these so no need for fixtures. Also what your standard "silver" bolt/nuts are done with.
Chemi black/Phospating .. the black coating on bolts etc.. pretty poor.. 20 hours salt spray
Cadmium plating (brown) is best but enviroment disaster so not going to happen (Japan liked these..)
.. sure that someone has done something better in 20 years since I worked in coatings/rust..
You can get wheel bolts made in Stainless.. TVR lot do that for £116/car (and I got a set for the Mazda with logos etc.. but no one wanted to pay £5/bolt so they stopped supplying them). Seems like the mannie doing custom ones in UK went bust.. so only imperial TVR ones now.. unless someone picks up something from USA.
Plastic caps.. for the skin flint but they are a pain to remove every time (got them on my Seat as OEM)
You can get DIY plating kits for £100 or so.. then Silver plate them if you want... actually not a bad choice for life/function!
My notes;
There are also 3 different radii for radius seated bolts - 12, 13 and 14mm
Best wheel nuts – Dacromet 500A = x12 better Zinc plating £40/set http://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/option/bolt_packs
Road house did once M14x1.5 bolts in sets of 20 for £15+£8
http://search.stores.ebay.co.uk/Call-Roadhouse-on-08702-404171_alloy-whe...
Wheel nuts http://www.rubicon-trail.com/G-Class/wheels/bolts.html
Sure Rakesh, on the web so I have done it now!
The 460 bolts on mine are at 45 degrees or so on taper and nut is way inside that taper so socket cannot get onto alloy. Disco2 had huge captive washers that clamped at 90 degrees but I am not sure what made the wheel concentric to the hub? Yes can see rust getting under caps but all mine stuff gets grease or Dynotrol 3120 sprayed over anything and everything but the actual friction surfaces (had an argument about not doing this to the contact face of alloys to hubs.. wee big of maths shows it is not too clever (only 50% safe).. it is way more nasty to have alloys rusting to hubs and soon dries out.
Where's Huss the detailing guy?
Certainly a topic worth looking at, if you pay attention to details. I always contrast the 300GE bolts with later G320 and G500 bolts, and note how the later ones seem to have a shiny bit (stainless?) welded on to the end to give it that extra shine. That also makes it a part number beginning with HWA and a full set costs $$$.
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Hello mgrays,
That is fantastic, superb information! Thank you, very much, for your input, much appreciated.
If you have no objections, may I use your information to contribute to my intended article? You have cut down my leg work a fair bit.
The only thing I find a problem with the L/Rover bolts is after a time, rust from within the bolt occurs, blistering in between the steel and chrome; this becomes a pain to fit the wheel socket on the nut, without hammering onto it. I have had this experience on vehicles from three years old.
Mercedes Benz's solution to protecting the alloy paint is they have a lip at the base of the head, so the socket does not rub against the paint work.
Regards from a very happy bunny :-) :-),