Lug bolts. Really? Whose bright idea was that?

You always seem to get help from strangers.
Glad you got your money back out of the car.
MGs are holding their value still. One of the rationalizations I used in getting my toy.

Just a very.very minor point and no question whatsoever it is easier to lift the wheel on to projecting bolts but is it possible that a lot of removal and replacement of the wheel could eventually damage the threads?

Unless you over-torque, stripping the thread either on the lug nut or the stud, or replacing your wheels every week (we're talking competitive autocross rallies, etc.), generally, it shouldn't be a problem, relative to the lifetime of a car.
And if you take care of your threads (applying anti-seize compound before tightening lugs), you wouldn't have worry about a rarity where the lug nut busts off a stud in the process of taking the nut off. It's very rare, the chances of such failure occurring, so no need worry much over it.

I doubt she's interested in picking up stranded but otherwise hot blondes.

Thank you Ice an Pitter.

Pitter,
I can see how stripping the threads on a stud could be problematic, stripping the threads in the lumen of the hub would also be a problem. If the lug bolts are of a lesser tensile strength than the hub material I can concede your point in principle. The corollary to this would be to ensure than the lug nuts are of a lesser tensile strength than the threaded pins. In both cases of course, the problem could be avoided all together by not over torquing the nut/bolt.

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Ice,
I agree that over-torquing is the root cause of potential thread stripping in both cases. The risk can be lessened by using differing tensile strengths for each component (as described above). Your point regarding the relative utility of even considering the risk is an apt one.
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German engineering,

You still are not off the hook!

Improper mounting and/or torquing of wheels happens. A lot. And driving around on one can stress one or more studs, to the point breaking . Maybe there's a remnant tradition, long before auto manus ever dreamed of a repeat customer every 5 or 10 years, where it was considered much more convenient for the enduser to replace a bolt than to get a whole new hub because a stud snapped off the flange.

Also, jetta wheels are hub centric, so there should be enough lip for the wheel bore to rest while you line up the topmost hole, using a knee to help support the weight. Don't worry about the other holes, get the first bolt hand tightened down as much a possible, then you can line things up without the wheel slipping off.

Thank you Thack,
I don't actually know what the exact make and model of my brother's Jetta is.
I think it is a 2004 GLi. I did not notice any lip on which to rest the wheel, both surfaces seemed functionally planar.

A 2004 VW will be hub centric. Apparently most modern passenger cars are. There won't be much of the hub protruding. If it's like my car, not even 1/4", IIRC.

And you should tell your brother, if he wants a German car, to dump the VW and get an E36 BMW with either the M50 or M52 engine.

Thanks Thack. I will take a closer look (at the wheel and hub) when I help with replacing the shocks/struts in the near future.
I will take the BMW suggestion under advisement.
I suspect that may be out of the financial realm of possibility at the moment.

Matt, I know mechanics that refuse to mess with the springs on those front strut springs because they don't have the tool needed to hold the compression on them. If you don't have some experience, I would suggest you simulate a heart attack or something that day.

Thanks Roger, I might try that.
We plan on doing the rears.

I'm not sure about the rear. They might be a pretty straight forward job.

In the end though, it's all innuendo.

oic

Wouldn't really be in keeping with car mechanic tradition, not to play with the words "end" and "rears".

Actually, it's only a German thing because cars were invented here.
Lug bolts are used by most European car manufacturers.

Indeed, about 60% of all VW's are produced in foreign countries. And even BMW follows 'Build where you sell' (South Carolina ) ...

Thanks Walter, but where are they designed?
My vendetta is directed at said engineers and the 2 additional minutes of inconvenience which they have caused me!!!

I was kidding about the BMW... sort of. I'm sure the Jetta is a fine car, but I guarantee the handling of a 3-series is much more enjoyable. A good to great e36 should run between $3000 to $7000, with the M3's commanding a couple grand more. Parts are cheap and plentiful, and the M50 engine is one of the best BMW produced.

FWIW, the "CW" about major costs for a BMW are mainly perpetuated by the status seekers who pay the premium new car price and take it to the dealer for service. And their whining about it is really just another means of showing off their debt. Enthusiasts rely on these types though to bring the car down to an affordable level. My car was fully optioned and cost nearly 60G new, lol.


I don't remember why, but rear suspension work is always "easier" than the front. BTW, if your mechanic is afraid to do something and/or doesn't have the tools, it's time for a new mechanic.


Yes, my dad worked at the Honda plant here in Ohio, so we always had them. But aside from any not so slick PR tactics, nobody would ever call a Honda an American car.

Wow!
Thanks Thack for all the information/insight.

I would reward you with the ribbon for that, but I have already rewarded to Jespah (and her father) for comedic effect.

I used to be more of a car enthusiast, back in my Honda "ricer" days.
I do appreciate the virtues of BMWs, I was swayed by the impression that they were difficult to work on.... plus harder to put a 6 foot tall spoiler on .

In my younger days, I had a civic with "BMW" gills on the front quarter panels. Of course also ground effects. I came to my senses just shy of adding neon lights to the undercarriage.
But seriously I wish I was joking.