WARNING Wheel Beauty Ring Removal - Bronco

[B Miller]

Has anyone else had this issue? I spoke with the dealer and in a few weeks they are going to see what they can do to help me out. Finger crossed.

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[xusarmy]

Take it to the Dealer

 

[B Miller]

Take it to the Dealer

I have an appointment on June for an oil change. They're going to take a look.

I've never heard of this issue happening. It was extremely frustrating since it's such a simple project.

 

[Tdub0527]

I happened to be watching a video on YouTube of someone e doing the same thing as you. They couldn’t even get their first bolt off.

 

[flip]

Bolts are junk, loc-tite is not needed, aluminum wheel/steel fastener=galvanic corrosion (should not occur this soon) and, drum roll please............bolts are too soft and torx socket not stamped deep enough into bolt head. Already went around with someone at Ford about the problem who got the mfgr. involved. Not that my report is going to get anything changed but it did get to the supplier which was my goal.

If they were cross threaded (and I do believe you when you say they were) that's just lazy, don't give a f assembly issue. If they came out sideways because the thread locker jacked the wheel up, that wouldn't be a huge surprise either. They literally put blue thread lock on bolts that hold the ranger headlights to the plastic support, guess which broke when we were trying to replace. Two hints, not the bolt or the headlight.

Hope the dealer get's it covered for you. Stainless in this application would be better but I looked at a bunch of off the shelf options and all had a head diameter too large. The stock are non standard so it's either go back with the same thing or get some stainless hex socket and find a buddy with a metal lathe.

 

[Tork]

I removed my rings to paint match the body color. I used a 3/8 drive ratchet and the correct torx plus bit. Every single bolt came out with a lot of effort. Once the loctite was not giving resistance, I used a Milwaukee 1/4 drive impact to spin them off the rest of the way. On the install , I applied anti seize to each bolt and spun them close with the impact and finished with the wrench. I understand your frustration, I guess I was lucky.

 

[flip]

CITIC DICASTAL is the supplier and they're out of Michigan.

 

[Rick Astley]

I thought @Razorbak86 had gotten a set of REAL beadlock rings and had a process documented which worked.

 

[Ground_zero298]

Had 3 on the back passenger wheel. 1 on the front passenger. Worked them back and forth with some lube. Was lucky and got them out and back in.

I broke everything loose by hand then used the impact to remove and install. The cross threaded ones I worked out by hand. When they started to lock up I would stop and spray them, run them back in and waited 5 minutes for them to cool. Then repeated. Cleaned the holes and bolts up. Swapped the bad bolts to good holes and good bolts to the bad.
The 4 that I had issues with had thread locker out the front and back. Completely yellow.

 

[B Miller]

I happened to be watching a video on YouTube of someone e doing the same thing as you. They couldn’t even get their first bolt off.

Yep, that's what it was like. Very poor design for an item that is supposed to be an easy swap.

 

[Lifeliberty]

Question, do the beauty rings need to be removed for a tire installation?

 

[Razorbak86]

Has anyone else had this issue? I spoke with the dealer and in a few weeks they are going to see what they can do to help me out. Finger crossed.

What specific tool bit did you use?

 

[Smheard]

Question, do the beauty rings need to be removed for a tire installation?

I had to a have a tire patched with a screw and the tire shop did indeed take off the beauty ring in order to repair. Of course they reinstalled it incorrectly as the valve stem cutout was not aligned correctly. I used an impact to remove and reinstall once it was aligned. The bolts are definitely $#!T and had to be extremely careful not to strip any.

 

[B Miller]

Question, do the beauty rings need to be removed for a tire installation?

I don't believe so.

What specific tool bit did you use?

T45 TORX. When removing, started with a ratchet then moved to a power driver to finish.

 

[MNbronco]

I don't believe so.


T45 TORX. When removing, started with a ratchet then moved to a power driver to finish.

are the bolts torx or torx plus?

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