Sponsored
PSA: Beauty Ring Bolts -- Removal Issues & Replacement Cost - BE AWARE!
Well, I intended to remove, paint and replace them myself but I'm thinking now I'll just order the black trim rings from the dealer and let them replace them and deal with it.
- First Name
- Tony
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2022
- Threads
- 2
- Messages
- 449
- Reaction score
- 811
- Location
- Conway, AR
- Vehicle(s)
- 2011 JK, 2000 Ram 2500, 1993 FZJ80, 1994 FZJ80
- Your Bronco Model
- Badlands
This is great info. Sadly I am not surprised. I've seen so many manufacturers use red lock tight on steel bolts into aluminum. If bolts I've never taken out don't seem to want to come out, I just use light heat to help. It works sometimes. Probably not a good idea on these unless you are going to refinish them.
- First Name
- Roger
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2020
- Threads
- 8
- Messages
- 1,254
- Reaction score
- 2,924
- Location
- VA Beach, VA
- Vehicle(s)
- '15 GC, '14 Yamaha Super Tenere
- Your Bronco Model
- Badlands
After reading several horror stories here about these screws I wanted to get them out ASAP and coat them with anti-seize. I didn't want them getting all "happy" with the wheel.
The problem to me is the screws themselves are made out of "cheesium", the heads are super weak, there is very little depth for the driver bit to bite into, and they used 'efin lock-tight from the factory.
Make sure you have a new bit that fits snug, I don't remember which it is but make sure it fits good.
Then use a longer ratchet handle or breaker bar and make sure you are dead on square with the fastener, any mis-alignment will immediately start to strip the head of the screw. Use two hands, one to hold the bit square to the fastener and apply force to hold it there and the other to gently brake torque. Just use it a few degrees to break the torque. Once again make sure you are always dead square to the fastener.
Then I switched over to my small 3/8 impact to finish the removal, go nice and slow and they should back right out. Be square! Any mis-alignment will not be good for the fastener as they are made of cheese.
Use a scribe to clean all the lock-tight off the threads (I also cleaned them with brake cleaner after digging out all the goo), apply some anti-seize and screw them back in. I used the cleaned up screws to "chase" the threads in the rim as well, just to make sure they were good and clean.
They really don't need much "torque" at all, just snug them up, the only thing they do is hold the beauty ring to the wheel, they only need slight snugging.
A few months later when I painted my beauty rings they all came out with zero issues.
The problem to me is the screws themselves are made out of "cheesium", the heads are super weak, there is very little depth for the driver bit to bite into, and they used 'efin lock-tight from the factory.
Make sure you have a new bit that fits snug, I don't remember which it is but make sure it fits good.
Then use a longer ratchet handle or breaker bar and make sure you are dead on square with the fastener, any mis-alignment will immediately start to strip the head of the screw. Use two hands, one to hold the bit square to the fastener and apply force to hold it there and the other to gently brake torque. Just use it a few degrees to break the torque. Once again make sure you are always dead square to the fastener.
Then I switched over to my small 3/8 impact to finish the removal, go nice and slow and they should back right out. Be square! Any mis-alignment will not be good for the fastener as they are made of cheese.
Use a scribe to clean all the lock-tight off the threads (I also cleaned them with brake cleaner after digging out all the goo), apply some anti-seize and screw them back in. I used the cleaned up screws to "chase" the threads in the rim as well, just to make sure they were good and clean.
They really don't need much "torque" at all, just snug them up, the only thing they do is hold the beauty ring to the wheel, they only need slight snugging.
A few months later when I painted my beauty rings they all came out with zero issues.
Sponsored
- First Name
- bryan
- Joined
- May 26, 2020
- Threads
- 0
- Messages
- 17
- Reaction score
- 6
- Location
- lake charles la
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 charger scat pack , 2021 durango R/T
- Your Bronco Model
- Big Bend
yes
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2021
- Threads
- 163
- Messages
- 8,240
- Reaction score
- 28,739
- Location
- British Columbia
- Website
- www.bronco6g.com
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 Ford Bronco
- Your Bronco Model
- Badlands
So many previous reports of this issue. I ran into this as well - Ended up having Ford re-thread a couple of the holes and needed to order a couple new bolts, which weren't cheap.
I just prepped and painted my trim rings in place to avoid this problem. It was a bit tedious, but worked out fine.
- First Name
- Asher
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2020
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 975
- Reaction score
- 1,306
- Location
- New England
- Vehicle(s)
- Base Sasquatch
- Your Bronco Model
- Base
Thanks for giving the info, that helped me and I want to plastidip those beauty rings as well. I have find someone who can do it properly, dont want to try myself.
Sponsored
- First Name
- Asher
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2020
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 975
- Reaction score
- 1,306
- Location
- New England
- Vehicle(s)
- Base Sasquatch
- Your Bronco Model
- Base
Did you remove the wheels off the Car and then painted them?
I've read inconsistent things about that. What is your basis for saying the rings must be removed? You may be right, and I'm not saying you're one of them, but people on forums who claim things as fact without actual knowledge are the worst. Don't be "that guy."
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2020
- Threads
- 6
- Messages
- 289
- Reaction score
- 485
- Location
- Pinehurst, Texas
- Vehicle(s)
- 2022 Ford Bronco Outer Banks SAS
- Your Bronco Model
- Outer Banks
I tried taking mine off with a standard ratchet and couldn't break a single one loose. I was planning on trying again with an impact, but glad I read this thread. I'll just tape and paint these ugly ass rings on the wheel or buy new rims.
I've had 2 sets of rings off and on with 2 different sets of wheels.
Step 1: Remove the wheel from the vehicle and lay it face-up on the ground.
Step 2: Use a breaker bar with T45 bit on the end to loosen each bolt about 1 turn.
Step 3: Place T45 bit on drill and remove each bolt.
I would never mess with these screws while the wheel was mounted on the vehicle.
Step 1: Remove the wheel from the vehicle and lay it face-up on the ground.
Step 2: Use a breaker bar with T45 bit on the end to loosen each bolt about 1 turn.
Step 3: Place T45 bit on drill and remove each bolt.
I would never mess with these screws while the wheel was mounted on the vehicle.
Sponsored
